Lost my Product Key for Window XP

[bigbuck98]

About a year ago I found that I had an illegal copy of WinXP Pro. I
purchased another copy direct from Microsoft, which they sent via express
and sent the Product Key via e-mail. I recently installed a new motherboard
in this computer and when I was installing WinXp on this computer I realized
that I no longer had the e-mail with the Product Key. Also there is no key
on the disk that I received.
Is there any way that I can another Product Key for this copy of WP that I
have?

Thanks,
BigBuck98

 

[John John - MVP]

If you still have the hard drive on which the copy was installed and if
you have not formated the drive you can retrieve the key from the old
registry files.

John

 

[Beansly]

Bigbuck, if your email is a free account like yahoo, or hotmail just search
your inbox with "microsoft"

If it was on outlook and now gone, contact Microsoft.

 

[XP Guy]

I realized that I no longer had the e-mail with the Product Key.
Also there is no key on the disk that I received.

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

 

[Alias]

About a year ago I found that I had an illegal copy of WinXP Pro.

Just curious, how did you find out you had an illegal copy?

I

purchased another copy direct from Microsoft, which they sent via express
and sent the Product Key via e-mail. I recently installed a new motherboard
in this computer and when I was installing WinXp on this computer I realized
that I no longer had the e-mail with the Product Key. Also there is no key
on the disk that I received.
Is there any way that I can another Product Key for this copy of WP that I
have?

Thanks,
BigBuck98

If you're old hard drive hasn't been formatted, you can connect it as a
slave to a working computer and find the key. If not, and if you haven't
got a receipt, you're out of luck and can either buy another copy of
Windows or move up to Ubuntu which is free. www.ubuntu.com and doesn't
require activation or becoming "genuine".

Alias

 

[olfart]

About a year ago I found that I had an illegal copy of WinXP Pro. I
purchased another copy direct from Microsoft, which they sent via express
and sent the Product Key via e-mail. I recently installed a new
motherboard in this computer and when I was installing WinXp on this
computer I realized that I no longer had the e-mail with the Product Key.
Also there is no key on the disk that I received.
Is there any way that I can another Product Key for this copy of WP that I
have?

Thanks,
BigBuck98

Don't ever keep a copy of a Product Key in a safe place...preferably with
the disc it goes to. Don't ever make a copy of the disc in case the original
gets lost of hosed. . And of course never back up any data from your
computer either.

 

[bigbuck98]

I found out when I went to download SP2. I got a message that I had an
illegal copy of XP.

 

[bigbuck98]

John,
Unfortunately I have formated the hard drive.

 

[Alias]

I found out when I went to download SP2. I got a message that I had an
illegal copy of XP.

And you believed it? Why? How did you obtain your allegedly pirated copy
of XP?

Alias

 

[Alias]

John,
Unfortunately I have formated the hard drive.

Unless you have a receipt for payment, you're out of luck and will
either have to BUY Windows or use a free operating system like
www.ubuntu.com. For buying Windows, check out www.newegg.com. They have
some good prices for generic OEM Windows XP licenses.

Alias

 

[Old Redneck]

Don't ever keep a copy of a Product Key in a safe place...preferably with
the disc it goes to. Don't ever make a copy of the disc in case the
original gets lost of hosed. . And of course never back up any data from
your computer either.

And -- NEVER, EVER, FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE should you have a three-ring
binder with a few sheets of notebook paper and some dividers in which you
keep:
-- ISP user ID and password
-- ISP email settings
-- Product keys (you write them down on the notebook paper when you get a
piece of software)
-- User names and passwords for your critical accounts

 

[bigbuck98]

I was able to find the receipt that came along with the Genuine Advantage
Kit that I received from Microsoft back in December 2007 and after making 2
phone calls to Microsoft I was able to get the Product Key.

Thanks to everyone for their response.

 

[Ian D]

Don't ever keep a copy of a Product Key in a safe place...preferably with
the disc it goes to. Don't ever make a copy of the disc in case the
original gets lost of hosed. . And of course never back up any data from
your computer either.

olfart,
Yours is the most popular advice, strictly adhered to by
millions of computer owners.

Also, don't even consider getting a UPS, if you live in an
area with unstable, unreliable power.