Locating the "Product Key"

[jaugustine]

Hi,

Someone gave me a Win XP home edition laptop with a lot of "junk"
installed. He gave me the Win XP OS CD rom, but he doesn't have the
"Product Key".

I would like to format the HDD and re-install Win XP.

I heard there is a way to locate the Product Key, but I don't know
the procedure. I assume it is encrypted. Do you know what file contains
the Product Key or a tool I can use to retrieve it?

Thank You in Advance, John

PS, Remove "ine" from my email address

 

[Dominique]

(e-mail address removed) écrivait 4ax.com:

Hi,

Someone gave me a Win XP home edition laptop with a lot of "junk"
installed. He gave me the Win XP OS CD rom, but he doesn't have the
"Product Key".

I would like to format the HDD and re-install Win XP.

I heard there is a way to locate the Product Key, but I don't know
the procedure. I assume it is encrypted. Do you know what file contains
the Product Key or a tool I can use to retrieve it?

Thank You in Advance, John

PS, Remove "ine" from my email address

Since it's a laptop, good chances XP came preinstalled, look under the
laptop, there should be a sticker with the key printed on it.

It looks something like this:

http://www.google.ca/images?hl=fr&q=xp coa sticker&um=1&ie=UTF-8
&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1260&bih=867

 

[JP Loken]

Hi,

Someone gave me a Win XP home edition laptop with a lot of "junk"
installed. He gave me the Win XP OS CD rom, but he doesn't have the
"Product Key".

I would like to format the HDD and re-install Win XP.

I heard there is a way to locate the Product Key, but I don't know
the procedure.

<snip>

Use the program ProduKey.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

 

[Patok]

Hi,

Someone gave me a Win XP home edition laptop with a lot of "junk"
installed. He gave me the Win XP OS CD rom, but he doesn't have the
"Product Key".

I would like to format the HDD and re-install Win XP.

I heard there is a way to locate the Product Key, but I don't know
the procedure. I assume it is encrypted. Do you know what file contains
the Product Key or a tool I can use to retrieve it?

Thank You in Advance, John

You were give some programs that would do it. I would suggest a more useful
program, that would tell you other useful things about the computer too. It is
Piriform Speccy, is small and fast and easy to install, and tells you other
useful things about the system as well.

 

[mm]

(e-mail address removed) écrivait 4ax.com:


Since it's a laptop, good chances XP came preinstalled, look under the
laptop, there should be a sticker with the key printed on it.

It looks something like this:

http://www.google.ca/images?hl=fr&q=xp coa sticker&um=1&ie=UTF-8
&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1260&bih=867

If you're not reformatting and starting from scratch, do you even need
the product key?

If you are reformatting and starting from scratch, and it's a Dell and
you have the Dell reinsatall CD, do you need the product key? Same
question about HP? Do other brands also have OEM CD's? Do any not
have them?

 

[Dominique]

If you're not reformatting and starting from scratch, do you even need
the product key?

I guess not.

If you are reformatting and starting from scratch, and it's a Dell and
you have the Dell reinsatall CD, do you need the product key?

Probably not.

Same question about HP?

Do other brands also have OEM CD's? Do any not

have them?

If they don't have them, there should be a way to create RECOVERY CDs.

If the OP wants to reinstall from scratch using a generic OEM cd to avoid
all the crap that OEMs install on their machine, he needs the key on the
COA sticker under his laptop or he needs to buy a new licence.