Lost Registration Key

[Guest]

Hi,
First let me preface, I'm trying to help a relative and in no way am I
trying to circumvent MS's activation, EULA, or other copyright policies for
Windows XP.

Here's the problem:
My future sister in-law corrupted her OS on her computer. Before asking
anyone for help she tried to re-install Windows XP. During the installation
process, she found out that she had lost the Registration Key that came with
her HP Pavillion Laptop computer. So she called a friend who gave her a
registration key so that she could finish installing and activating the OS.
But it turns out that the registration key she got was a "bad" key and now
she can't update her system at MS Update.

This is where she called me. I told her, "Yup, that's a 'bad' key and she
needed to find her original key for her system."

My question: "Is there a legal way to retrieve the old key and get her
computer legal again?" The Old OS is gone, so there's no retrieving it from
there. Or is there a hidden back-up of the old OS that I might be able to
retrieve the number from if it's not corrupted too?

note: Don't reply with hacks. I could have found all the hacks I wanted to
get her system working. I just want to know of a legal way shy of buying
Windows XP again.

 

[FreeComputerConsultant.com]

You need the sticker that should have been on the PC.

If it's not in the box with the documentation, you're out of luck.

You can retrieve the key from a working install of XP, but as I
understand it, that's gone.

www.FreeComputerConsultant.com

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi,
First let me preface, I'm trying to help a relative and in no way am I
trying to circumvent MS's activation, EULA, or other copyright policies for
Windows XP.

Here's the problem:
My future sister in-law corrupted her OS on her computer. Before asking
anyone for help she tried to re-install Windows XP. During the installation
process, she found out that she had lost the Registration Key that came with
her HP Pavillion Laptop computer. So she called a friend who gave her a
registration key so that she could finish installing and activating the OS.
But it turns out that the registration key she got was a "bad" key and now
she can't update her system at MS Update.

This is where she called me. I told her, "Yup, that's a 'bad' key and she
needed to find her original key for her system."

My question: "Is there a legal way to retrieve the old key and get her
computer legal again?" The Old OS is gone, so there's no retrieving it from
there. Or is there a hidden back-up of the old OS that I might be able to
retrieve the number from if it's not corrupted too?

note: Don't reply with hacks. I could have found all the hacks I wanted to
get her system working. I just want to know of a legal way shy of buying
Windows XP again.

She needs to find the Product Key that came with her computer. On
most HP Laptops this is on a sitcker that is fastened to the bottom of
the laptop.

And she also needs to use the "System Recovery" disk that came with
her laptop, or the hidden "System Recovery" partition on the hard
drive. A different Windows XP disk will not work with her product
key.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help. Next time I'm over at her house, I'll check the to see
if the sticker is anywhere on it. I honestly don't know if I checked for it
or not.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help. As I stated, I don't remember if I searched her
computer for the product key sticker. I'll check the next time I'm over at
her house.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi,
First let me preface, I'm trying to help a relative and in no way am I
trying to circumvent MS's activation, EULA, or other copyright policies for
Windows XP.

Here's the problem:
My future sister in-law corrupted her OS on her computer. Before asking
anyone for help she tried to re-install Windows XP. During the installation
process, she found out that she had lost the Registration Key that came with
her HP Pavillion Laptop computer.

How did she manage to "lose" a label that's glued to the bottom of the
laptop? She (or someone else with physical access to the laptop) would
have had to go to a great deal of effort to remove that label.

So she called a friend who gave her a
registration key so that she could finish installing and activating the OS.
But it turns out that the registration key she got was a "bad" key and now
she can't update her system at MS Update.

This is where she called me. I told her, "Yup, that's a 'bad' key and she
needed to find her original key for her system."

My question: "Is there a legal way to retrieve the old key and get her
computer legal again?" The Old OS is gone, so there's no retrieving it from
there. Or is there a hidden back-up of the old OS that I might be able to
retrieve the number from if it's not corrupted too?

Tell her to turn the computer over and read the label.




--

Bruce Chambers

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