I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the
bottom is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?
--
http://www.vatican.va

"Father Justin" <(E-Mail Removed)> said this in news item
news:hhmvkq$r7b$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the bottom
> is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
> I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?
> --
> http://www.vatican.va

You might ask for divine inspiration. If this fails then Google is your best
bet. Just type

Windows Product key

into a search box and you will get more than 40 million hits on how to
retrieve a product key. Jellybean's Keyfinder is one of them.

On Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:20:39 -0500, Father Justin
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the
>bottom is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
>I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?

D/l and run Belarc adviser , which will tell you everything about the
laptop .

Father Justin wrote:
> I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the
> bottom is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
> I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?

Not enough information.

For starters, what is the make and model of the laptop? If you have a
Dell, for instance, the product key you will get using a program like
Belarc Advisor or Magical Jellybean Finder is going to be different from
the product key found on the COA sticker.

Also, which flavor of XP is indicated on the sticker -- Home or Pro?
Does the OS installed on the laptop match the license? (Sometimes
upgrades are performed.)

When you purchased this laptop, did the original owner provide you with
the appropriate reinstallation method? (CD or DVD of some sort or
directions to access a hidden recovery partition?)

See Pegasus' & Jim's replies, then read the below:

HOW TO do a clean install of WinXP: See
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps and/or Method 1 in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key that
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:

5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...nced/xppc.mspx

Other helpful references include:

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b

NB: Any Norton or McAfee free-trial that came preinstalled on the computer
when you bought it will be reinstalled (but invalid) when Windows is
reinstalled. You MUST uninstall the free-trial and download/run the
appropriate removal tool before installing any Windows Service Packs or IE
upgrades and before installing your new anti-virus application.

Norton Removal Tool
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/englis...moval_Tool.exe

McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool
http://download.mcafee.com/products/...tches/MCPR.exe

Also see:

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx

Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx

Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com

Father Justin wrote:
> I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the
> bottom is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
> I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?

Not a bad post here except it's a little sketchy for what your level of
expertise appears to be. I could be wrong, so, ... .
A very important point is to NOT connect the computer to the internet
without an anti-virus program installed. You should learn about and use
spyware scanners too but the AV is the most important, and a firewall too.
The main point is, do not connect to the internet without an antivirus
program installed, current, updated and functional. Folks here will be glad
to point out safe and reliable programs for any of these if you're not sure.

The "Clean Install" mentioned is actually pretty important because it gives
you a fresh start and you'll only have to fight any problems you might
create, not those of the previous owner, which are sometimes substantial. It
also provides you with the knowledge as to how to do it, which you are
likely to need in the future.
Re the ability to do a clean install: That capability is required to be
supplied with a computer.
The installation CDs and documentation or on-disk capabilities and
documentation have to be capable of returning the computer to the same state
as when it was delivered new. That means if the computer also has Microsoft
Office on it, you'll require a way to reinstall that also, and so on. If you
don't have the ability to reinstall them, then you may not have the licenses
to use them.
If the recovery programs are on-disk then you won't be able to or need to
do a "clean install" because it'll be automated for you when you trigger the
on-disk recovery program.

HTH,

Twayne



In news:%(E-Mail Removed),
PA Bear [MS MVP] <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> See Pegasus' & Jim's replies, then read the below:
>
> HOW TO do a clean install of WinXP: See
> http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps and/or Method
> 1 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307
>
> After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new
> computer" so take care of everything on the following page before
> otherwise
> connecting the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB
> key
> that isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:
>
> 5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
> http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...nced/xppc.mspx
>
> Other helpful references include:
>
> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully
> patched (after a clean install)
> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c
>
> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched
> (after a clean install)
> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b
>
> NB: Any Norton or McAfee free-trial that came preinstalled on the
> computer when you bought it will be reinstalled (but invalid) when Windows
> is
> reinstalled. You MUST uninstall the free-trial and download/run the
> appropriate removal tool before installing any Windows Service Packs
> or IE upgrades and before installing your new anti-virus application.
>
> Norton Removal Tool
>
> ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/englis...moval_Tool.exe
>
> McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool
>
> http://download.mcafee.com/products/...tches/MCPR.exe
>
> Also see:
>
> Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx
>
> Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx
>
> Avoid Rogue Security Software!
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx
>
> Father Justin wrote:
>> I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the
>> bottom is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
>> I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?




--
Often you'll find excellent advice on a newsgroup.
Before you use that advice though, consider the
ramifications of it being wrong or even dangerous;
how important IS that to you?
ALWAYS verify and confirm ANY advice from a
newsgroup!

On 1/2/10 5:18 AM, Pegasus [MVP] wrote:
>
>
> "Father Justin" <(E-Mail Removed)> said this in news item
> news:hhmvkq$r7b$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the
>> bottom is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
>> I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?
>> --
>> http://www.vatican.va
>
> You might ask for divine inspiration. If this fails then Google is your
> best bet. Just type
>
> Windows Product key
>
> into a search box and you will get more than 40 million hits on how to
> retrieve a product key. Jellybean's Keyfinder is one of them.

Interesting, however the hard drive is in hard drive heave.
Nothing can be retrieved off it.

--
http://www.vatican.va

On 1/2/10 1:46 PM, Twayne wrote:
>
> Not a bad post here except it's a little sketchy for what your level of
> expertise appears to be. I could be wrong, so, ... .
> A very important point is to NOT connect the computer to the internet
> without an anti-virus program installed. You should learn about and use
> spyware scanners too but the AV is the most important, and a firewall too.
> The main point is, do not connect to the internet without an antivirus
> program installed, current, updated and functional. Folks here will be
> glad to point out safe and reliable programs for any of these if you're
> not sure.
>
> The "Clean Install" mentioned is actually pretty important because it
> gives you a fresh start and you'll only have to fight any problems you
> might create, not those of the previous owner, which are sometimes
> substantial. It also provides you with the knowledge as to how to do it,
> which you are likely to need in the future.
> Re the ability to do a clean install: That capability is required to be
> supplied with a computer.
> The installation CDs and documentation or on-disk capabilities and
> documentation have to be capable of returning the computer to the same
> state as when it was delivered new. That means if the computer also has
> Microsoft Office on it, you'll require a way to reinstall that also, and
> so on. If you don't have the ability to reinstall them, then you may not
> have the licenses to use them.
> If the recovery programs are on-disk then you won't be able to or need
> to do a "clean install" because it'll be automated for you when you
> trigger the on-disk recovery program.
>
> HTH,
>
> Twayne
>
>
>
> In news:%(E-Mail Removed),
> PA Bear [MS MVP] <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
>> See Pegasus' & Jim's replies, then read the below:
>>
>> HOW TO do a clean install of WinXP: See
>> http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps and/or Method
>> 1 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307
>>
>> After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new
>> computer" so take care of everything on the following page before
>> otherwise
>> connecting the machine to the internet or a network and before using a
>> USB key
>> that isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:
>>
>> 5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
>> http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...nced/xppc.mspx
>>
>> Other helpful references include:
>>
>> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully
>> patched (after a clean install)
>> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c
>>
>>
>> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched
>> (after a clean install)
>> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b
>>
>>
>> NB: Any Norton or McAfee free-trial that came preinstalled on the
>> computer when you bought it will be reinstalled (but invalid) when
>> Windows is
>> reinstalled. You MUST uninstall the free-trial and download/run the
>> appropriate removal tool before installing any Windows Service Packs
>> or IE upgrades and before installing your new anti-virus application.
>>
>> Norton Removal Tool
>>
>> ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/englis...moval_Tool.exe
>>
>>
>> McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool
>>
>> http://download.mcafee.com/products/...tches/MCPR.exe
>>
>>
>> Also see:
>>
>> Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
>> http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx
>>
>> Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
>> http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx
>>
>> Avoid Rogue Security Software!
>> http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx
>>
>> Father Justin wrote:
>>> I have a laptop here - I bought it second hand. The sticker on the
>>> bottom is worn and I can barely read the numbers.
>>> I have to reinstall the OS - how do I handle this?
>
>
>
>

I am an IT tech for 11 years.

--
http://www.vatican.va

On 1/2/10 7:34 AM, Jim wrote:
> Belarc adviser

The hard drive has failed - I made several attempts at recovering the
data including freezing it.
Nothing.
Satan's work I imagine.

--
http://www.vatican.va

Father Justin wrote:
> On 1/2/10 7:34 AM, Jim wrote:
>> Belarc adviser
>
> The hard drive has failed - I made several attempts at recovering the
> data including freezing it.
> Nothing.
> Satan's work I imagine.

If it spins up, it can be easily read. Depending on how much you want to
spend.

There are commercial and freeware programs that can read the drive at the
physical level.