Windows XP find windows serial Help!!!!

[muffinman272001]

i just got an old hard drive off a old useless computer from my grandfather that he put windows xp on 5 years ago . i want to use the hard drive for something else but i want to save the serial number. when i run windows from the drive it tells me to activate it with ms over the phone. is there any way to get the serial with out activateing? i have the hard drive hooked up to my personal computer so i can view whats on it.

 

[Anon_F]

This may give you an idea on what you can & can not do with the licence.
www.microsoft.com/uk/licensing/introduction/what/default.mspx

However if you install belarc advisor this will help.