Lost my XP serial no

[Len Dolby]

Have PC mfr Product Recovery CD-Rom "for distribution with a
New PC only" with MS WindowsXP logo and hologram, with all the XP
installation menus - (appears to be a full XP system disk) - BUT have either
mislaid (or never had) - the XP 25 digit serial no which I will need
to re-install XP, as per MS Knowledgebase article. CD-Rom came in a
plain white sealed envelope, no serial no, no jewel case.

Ran Belarc Adviser. my XP software licence looks like
55288-OEM-0016466-33741 (format correct, numbers not - security!)
Assuming "dashes" count as characters, this is 23 characters long, not 25.

Is it possible to find my 25 digit XP product key from the HDD?
(PC is now > 2 years old, out of warranty - no mfr help any more).

Sincerely, LEN

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Look on the back or underneath the tower unit. You should find the
Certificate of Authenticity sticker. The CD Key is printed on this sticker.

Cari
www.coribright.com

 

[Len Dolby]

GOTCHA !! Thank you. Len

Look on the back or underneath the tower unit. You should find the
Certificate of Authenticity sticker. The CD Key is printed on this sticker.

Cari
www.coribright.com

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The Windows 25-character Product Key (required to perform the
installation) is stored on the CD packaging on a bright orange sticker
that says "Do not lose this number." If it was an OEM (factory
installed) license, it's stored on a label that the PC manufacturer
affixed to the exterior of the PC case, or on the bottom of a laptop.

To recover a lost Product Key:

If your system still runs, you should be able to use AIDA32
Enterprise from http://www.aida32.hu/aida32.php to find the Product
Key. (If you have a factory-installed OEM license, and haven't since
reinstalled the OS, the revealed Product Key is probably of the drive
image used at the factory and not _your_ specific Product Key;
therefore, it probably cannot be -- and definitely should not be --
used for a re-installation.)

If it was a retail license and you have proof of purchase:

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;326246

If it was an OEM license, you should contact whomever sold you the
PC; although very few manufacturers/vendors keep records of the
Product Keys they've sold, it's worth a try before you have to buy a
new license.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



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

 

[BR549]

The number that Belarc gave you is the Product ID and not the Product Key
and you need the key to reinstall. Aida32 gives you both.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"BR549" said in news:[email protected]:

The number that Belarc gave you is the Product ID and not the Product
Key and you need the key to reinstall. Aida32 gives you both.

BelArc shows both, too, in the format:

<productID> (Key: <productkey>)

Len just didn't use the correct value (it's the one on the right called
"Key"). Len is in BelArc, sees the line that he thinks tells him is
product key, enters the wrong one of the two, so you have to wonder why
he didn't bother trying the other one.


--

 

[Len Dolby]

Atho my problem is solved, the answer at BOTTOM of this post says Belarc
gives both Product ID and Key
Immediately below is a "paste" from Belarc (I've changed the numbers for
security) for XP info

Microsoft - Windows XP Home Edition 55288-OEM-0016466-34741


Nowhere in the report does it give any further info (i.e. no product key)
all there is is a list of Service packs and hot-fixes.

Perhaps there's a different version of Belarc, that does ?
Sincerely, Len

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The latest version, Belarc Advisor 6.1, does reveal many of the
Product Keys, along with the Product IDs.

It's obtainable at: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



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

 

[*Vanguard*]

"Len Dolby" said in

Atho my problem is solved, the answer at BOTTOM of this post says
Belarc gives both Product ID and Key
Immediately below is a "paste" from Belarc (I've changed the numbers
for security) for XP info

Microsoft - Windows XP Home Edition 55288-OEM-0016466-34741


Nowhere in the report does it give any further info (i.e. no product
key) all there is is a list of Service packs and hot-fixes.

Perhaps there's a different version of Belarc, that does ?
Sincerely, Len

Could be. What version of Belarc Advisor do you (Len) have? When I run
my instance of BelArc, the top section on the page showing the profile
date (of my system by Belarc) and BelArc's version says:

Advisor Version: 6.0l

So I have version 6.01 of BelArc Advisor. A Google search on "Belarc
Advisor" shows the first match is for their web site at
www.belarc.com/free_download.html. That shows their latest version is
6.1, so even my copy is old. Time to upgrade.

 

[Len Dolby]

My version is 5.1. That explains the difference - Thanks, folks ! Len