Re-install XP

[cpnet]

I have a friend that's asked me to wipe out his computer, and reinstall XP
on it, as his computer has become overrun with spyware etc. The problem is,
he's moved a couple of times and has lost his XP cd's and the license key.
He would have an OEM version (I think) of XP on his machine, but I'm not
sure if it's Home or Pro - probably the Home version.

I have an OEM XP Pro cd from my own laptop, as well as Home/Pro installs
from my MSDN subscription. Once I figure out if he's got the Home or Pro
version, what do I need to do to get the license key? I see there's some
tools to extract his existing license key and since I'll be formatting his
hard drive and re-installing XP, I'm not too worried about viruses/trojans
in such a tool. However, I don't want to spend hours formatting his machine
and re-installing XP only to find I can't activate it.

What's the legit/safe way to get him his license key so I can re-install his
machine? If he has to contact Microsoft, what department does he need to
contact? (He's in Canada).

Thanks

 

[Amir Facade]

google for, "XP Key Viewer"

 

[Ken Blake]

In

What's the legit/safe way to get him his license key so I can
re-install his machine?

You can find the Product key with any of these:

ViewKeyXP www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/ViewKeyXP.exe

AIDA32 http://www.aumha.org/freeware.htm

Everest
http://www.lavalys.com/index.php?page=product&view=1

Magical Jellybean www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

Belarc Advisor www.belarc.com/free_download.html

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

His OEM key needs to be used with the OEM version he got with the system.
The key will not work with MSDN or retail versions of WinXP, they are not
interchangeable between versions. If he can't find his disks, he should
contact the system manufacturer for a replacement set.

He can retrieve his Product Key using one of the many available free
utilities:

This utility works for retail versions:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/ViewKeyXP.exe

or try this one which just gives you the key for any version:
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a friend that's asked me to wipe out his computer, and reinstall XP
on it, as his computer has become overrun with spyware etc. The problem is,
he's moved a couple of times and has lost his XP cd's and the license key.
He would have an OEM version (I think) of XP on his machine, but I'm not
sure if it's Home or Pro - probably the Home version.

I have an OEM XP Pro cd from my own laptop, as well as Home/Pro installs
from my MSDN subscription.

You can find the Key that was used for his install, if you get the free
Everest Home edition from
http://www.lavalys.com/index.php?page=product&view=1
which is an excellent general System Info tool, and its Operating System
- Operating System page will tell you the one used

Note that if the machine came with XP installed, this will quite
probably give a key used in producing an original image, then cloned to
all machines they make. So it is not the one for a reinstall. But then
the key will be on a label on the case of the machine

His Control Panel - System will tell you if it is Home or Pro. The
difficulty is that if it *was* a preinstalled OEM version, his key will
probably only work with the original series of OEM XP CD. I would try
using his key with your MSDN CD, but with no great expectation, unless
he had a retail CD originally. Your laptop one is almost certainly
customised to the laptop hardware