P
playround
I lost my windows xp product key, and I found one online
is this legal? If now what do I do?
is this legal? If now what do I do?
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J
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
The Product Key you found online is most likely one of the stolen keys
that Microsoft banned from windows Update.
If Windows XP is retail, contact Microsoft:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=326246
If Windows XP is OEM, contact the seller, Microsoft may not be able to
help.
that Microsoft banned from windows Update.
If Windows XP is retail, contact Microsoft:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=326246
If Windows XP is OEM, contact the seller, Microsoft may not be able to
help.
B
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 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
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
S
Shenan Stanley
playround said:I lost my windows xp product key, and I found one online
is this legal? If now what do I do?
heh.
Right - and I believe this is a legitimate question... uh huh.
You bought the Washington Monument with that key too, huh?
W
Wayne A Lewis
Are you saying that factory installed OEM XP machines are done with disk
image HDDs ? In other words, cloned HDDs are installed?
image HDDs ? In other words, cloned HDDs are installed?
S
Shenan Stanley
Wayne said:Are you saying that factory installed OEM XP machines are done with
disk image HDDs ? In other words, cloned HDDs are installed?
If you are asking everyone - I would say "yes" in many cases. Depending on
the OEM, they likely just have a bunch of already cloned HDDs lying around,
slap it in the new PC, ship it.
W
Wayne A Lewis
Yes, that is what I was getting at. Do you know what manufactures do this?
I bet Gateway and Compaq/HP would be on this list.
Thanks
I bet Gateway and Compaq/HP would be on this list.
Thanks
S
Shenan Stanley
Wayne said:Are you saying that factory installed OEM XP machines are done with
disk image HDDs ? In other words, cloned HDDs are installed?
Shenan said:If you are asking everyone - I would say "yes" in many cases.
Depending on the OEM, they likely just have a bunch of already cloned
HDDs lying around, slap it in the new PC, ship it.
Yes, that is what I was getting at. Do you know what manufactures do
this? I bet Gateway and Compaq/HP would be on this list.
I don't have a list, no - but I bet HP/Compaq, IBM, Dell likely do it. They
sell enough computers that it would be very practical for them to install
this way. Make an image that works (thanks to Sysprep and other OEM VAR
tools) on all of your systems, start applying that image to all your hards
drives and then put them in machines and ship as desired. Fast and
efficient.
B
Bruce Chambers
Greetings --
Well, on the assembly lines I've observed, the hard drives was
already installed in the PCs as the conveyor belt moved up to the
imaging servers. This means that the hard drives are cloned _after_
they're installed.
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
Well, on the assembly lines I've observed, the hard drives was
already installed in the PCs as the conveyor belt moved up to the
imaging servers. This means that the hard drives are cloned _after_
they're installed.
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
B
Bruce Chambers
Greetings --
Any large scale OEM would use this method; nothing else makes any
sort of sense, from a business or efficiency point-of-view.
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
Any large scale OEM would use this method; nothing else makes any
sort of sense, from a business or efficiency point-of-view.
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
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