Lost Product key

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff L
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeff L

I gave my son my system that i just loaded XP on. I
changed it back to Windows 2000. Now I am trying to load
the XP on my other system and can't find sleve with
product code. Any suggestions? Other then buying it again?
 
I have been in this situation myself a couple of times. Contacting
Microsoft about this issue is no help because they will tell you to buy
another software license for Windows XP.

If you have a valid software license for Windows XP, which is what I
heard of others doing in this type of situation, is find a Windows XP
key or Windows XP key generator to make a key for your Windows XP
installation. When you do find the licensed Windows XP key, update it
in the Windows Registry.

However, you may also want to look into alternative operating systems
such as Linux (no keys, no product activation, no daily or weekly system
exploiting viruses, worms, trojans, or spyware).
 
And that's a lie. If you lose a key for a retail copy,
there is a $10 fee. Beats the $200 to buy the whole thing.
If it was an OEM copy then it's a free key.
 
We just had to get a new key for a retail version on one of our office
computers. There was *no* charge whatsoever. We used the phone activation
feature, and they were quite helpful.

Tom
| And that's a lie. If you lose a key for a retail copy,
| there is a $10 fee. Beats the $200 to buy the whole thing.
| If it was an OEM copy then it's a free key.
|
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >I have been in this situation myself a couple of times.
| Contacting
| >Microsoft about this issue is no help because they will
| tell you to buy
| >another software license for Windows XP.
| >
| >If you have a valid software license for Windows XP,
| which is what I
| >heard of others doing in this type of situation, is find
| a Windows XP
| >key or Windows XP key generator to make a key for your
| Windows XP
| >installation. When you do find the licensed Windows XP
| key, update it
| >in the Windows Registry.
| >
| >However, you may also want to look into alternative
| operating systems
| >such as Linux (no keys, no product activation, no daily
| or weekly system
| >exploiting viruses, worms, trojans, or spyware).
| >
| >
| >Jeff L wrote:
| >> I gave my son my system that i just loaded XP on. I
| >> changed it back to Windows 2000. Now I am trying to
| load
| >> the XP on my other system and can't find sleve with
| >> product code. Any suggestions? Other then buying it
| again?
| >.
| >
 
Microsoft must have changed in the past year. When I contacted
Microsoft about a lost product key, they told me to buy a new license.
I argued with Microsoft for some time about this issue until I just gave
up on bought another monoculture operating system software license.
 
This is not a change in policy, you must have had an OEM key. Only retail
keys are replaced, for OEM keys you need to contact the vendor. If the
vendor no longer exists or refuses to help, then yes you will have to buy a
new license.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Replacement of CD or Product Keys (retail):

To replace a CD or Product Key, you must contact PSS. To locate the
appropriate phone number for your product, visit the following Microsoft Web
site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

Tom
| How does Microsoft handle missing CD's?
|
|
| Rick "Nutcase" Rogers wrote:
| > This is not a change in policy, you must have had an OEM key. Only
retail
| > keys are replaced, for OEM keys you need to contact the vendor. If the
| > vendor no longer exists or refuses to help, then yes you will have to
buy a
| > new license.
| >
 
To obtain replacement CD-ROMs or manuals,
contact the Microsoft Replacement and
Supplemental Parts Department at (800) 360-7561.

When you call for a replacement CD, you may be
asked to fax a copy of the store receipt to the
Microsoft Replacement and Supplemental Parts
Department.

--
Larry Samuels MS-MVP (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
 
Microsoft will usually replace a lost CD, for a nominal charge. But, I don't
see why they should, or why people would expect them to.

After all, if you went to a book store to buy a book, then lost said book
before you finished reading it, I don't think anyone in their right mind
would expect the book store to replace it. It is the negligence of the
person who was responsible for the safekeeping of the book/CD. They should
pay for their negligence, and learn from the loss! It's called
"RESPONSIBILITY"!!!!!

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)
 
This is not a change in policy, you must have had an OEM key. Only retail
keys are replaced, for OEM keys you need to contact the vendor. If the
vendor no longer exists or refuses to help, then yes you will have to buy a
new license.
Click to expand...

Only if you're crazy. A sane person would download a hack that
enables them to use the software they already bought and paid for.
 
I am just wondering how Microsoft handles (price, shipping, etc.)
replacing lost media. I know its the end user's responsibility to
replace their lost media.
 
I have been in this newsgroup for a long time, mostly reading messages,
but I can see why Microsoft has good sales in Windows XP.
 
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 Belarc
Advisor from http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html 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, and someone has removed/destroyed the
label, you should contact you the computer's manufacturer; 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
 
Greetings --

No, no change. That's been Microsoft's policy for as long as I
can remember. Were you perhaps trying to get them to replace a lost
OEM 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
 
Its the retail version of Windows XP Professional (full version) and I
had to buy this twice. The first time I needed to get the CD replaced
was from a cracked CD. I am unsure how the CD cracked in the CD-ROM
drive, but it did and could not install it. The second purchase related
to misplacing the CD and could not find the receipt on the purchase.

Since I have two Windows XP computers running at home (one desktop and
one laptop), I may use Linux on this third system. I decided to
download Fedora Core 2 from the Red Hat Fedora Project. I ran Red Hat
Linux 5.0 through 8.0 and briefly used 9.0, but Linux has not been
installed on my systems for some time.

Linux does not have product activation, no need for a CD key, etc., that
I will give Linux another try. I like Linux when I ran it, but my
technical career requires Windows because its a Microsoft monoculture
dominance world out there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

Using a product key from another computer 7
Lost Product Id Code 5
Need to reinstall. Lost product key. 6
Locating the "Product Key" 5
Lost Product Key 6
Where and what is the Product Key? 12
Lost product code 10
Lost Windows XP Product Key Recovery 1

Back
Top