XP CDs and Product keys

[Guest]

I am the tech support person at a university where I support all the faculty
and grad students’ computers. I inherited a number of Microsoft CD’s from my
predecessor, that belong to various computers - the problem is, he didn't
label the CDs so I don't know which CD belongs to which computer. I have
CD’s for various Windows operating systems, and various versions of office –
but I don’t know which Product ID’s belong to which CD’s.

Luckily, my predecessor did put labels on each of the computers with the
Product ID’s on them, but failed to label the CD’s with the Product ID’s.
Since the CD cases have long since disappeared, I have no idea which CD’s go
with a particular Product code.

The problem really appeared earlier this week when I had to re-install
Windows 98 on an older computer, and although I had the Product ID that was
used on that computer before – I also had 10 CD’s of Windows 98, it took me 5
tries to get the right CD to work with the Product ID that was on the
computer.

My question is this - is there anyway to be able to find out the Product ID
from the CD itself so I can match up CD's and computers? I finally have a
list of all the computers in the department along with what software they are
running and the Product ID's for that software- now I just need to match up
the CD's to the Product ID’s.

Any help would be greatly appreciated –

Thanks!

Judith Perry

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

For the XP OS CDs try the following:

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

For the Office PK try Belarc:

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

 

[Harry Ohrn]

The Product Keys are not on the CDs so it is really trial and error.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| I am the tech support person at a university where I support all the
faculty
| and grad students' computers. I inherited a number of Microsoft CD's from
my
| predecessor, that belong to various computers - the problem is, he didn't
| label the CDs so I don't know which CD belongs to which computer. I have
| CD's for various Windows operating systems, and various versions of
office -
| but I don't know which Product ID's belong to which CD's.
|
| Luckily, my predecessor did put labels on each of the computers with the
| Product ID's on them, but failed to label the CD's with the Product ID's.
| Since the CD cases have long since disappeared, I have no idea which CD's
go
| with a particular Product code.
|
| The problem really appeared earlier this week when I had to re-install
| Windows 98 on an older computer, and although I had the Product ID that
was
| used on that computer before - I also had 10 CD's of Windows 98, it took
me 5
| tries to get the right CD to work with the Product ID that was on the
| computer.
|
| My question is this - is there anyway to be able to find out the Product
ID
| from the CD itself so I can match up CD's and computers? I finally have a
| list of all the computers in the department along with what software they
are
| running and the Product ID's for that software- now I just need to match
up
| the CD's to the Product ID's.
|
| Any help would be greatly appreciated -
|
| Thanks!
|
| Judith Perry
|
|
|

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

The CDs do NOT have a Product ID on them. You only have to match the CDs
with the appropriate type of install. OEM must have an OEM number, and the
CD will state OEM on it. A retail CD must have a retail PID, and the disc
will not have any OEM wording on it. The PIDs used to install OEM, Retail,
and Volume Licensed versions are all specific to that type of disc. But
among each type, each disc is the same, with no individual PID numbers.

Bobby

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I am the tech support person at a university where I support all the
faculty and grad students' computers. I inherited a number of
Microsoft CD's from my predecessor, that belong to various computers
- the problem is, he didn't label the CDs so I don't know which CD
belongs to which computer. I have CD's for various Windows
operating
systems, and various versions of office - but I don't know which
Product ID's belong to which CD's.

Luckily, my predecessor did put labels on each of the computers with
the Product ID's on them, but failed to label the CD's with the
Product ID's. Since the CD cases have long since disappeared, I have
no idea which CD's go with a particular Product code.

The problem really appeared earlier this week when I had to
re-install
Windows 98 on an older computer, and although I had the Product ID
that was used on that computer before - I also had 10 CD's of
Windows
98, it took me 5 tries to get the right CD to work with the Product
ID that was on the computer.

My question is this - is there anyway to be able to find out the
Product ID from the CD itself so I can match up CD's and computers?
I finally have a list of all the computers in the department along
with what software they are running and the Product ID's for that
software- now I just need to match up the CD's to the Product ID's.

Any help would be greatly appreciated -

Thanks!

Judith Perry

The Product Key is not stored on the installation CD in any way,
shape, or form. That would be rather like locking a room, but leaving
the key in the lock: doing so renders the lock completely useless.


--

Bruce Chambers

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You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Alex Nichol]

I am the tech support person at a university where I support all the faculty
and grad students’ computers. I inherited a number of Microsoft CD’s from my
predecessor, that belong to various computers - the problem is, he didn't
label the CDs so I don't know which CD belongs to which computer. I have
CD’s for various Windows operating systems, and various versions of office –
but I don’t know which Product ID’s belong to which CD’s.

Luckily, my predecessor did put labels on each of the computers with the
Product ID’s on them, but failed to label the CD’s with the Product ID’s.
Since the CD cases have long since disappeared, I have no idea which CD’s go
with a particular Product code.

A CD does not contain a key. Its setup take in the key you offer and
does a calculation that says it is or is not a valid key for that
particular series of CD. So provided you use always a CD that is
appropriate for the version of software (eg XP Pro and Home will be
different) you can regard CDs as the same. Use an XP CD to reinstall a
machine running XP, a 2000 one for one using 2000 and so on