Lost XP disk

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Reily
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike Reily

Please help. I ordered XP Home with my computer kit from
GoogleGear. I installed and authenticated with MS, but
now I have lost my disc and cert. Googlegear cannot help
me without the cert and I cannot find any way to contact
MS to ask them what I can do without paying to do so.

Any ideas?

It seems that MS knows my software and hardware it is
married to and that I should be able to get a replacement
CD.
 
Mike;
If Windows XP is retail contact Microsoft:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=326246

However it sounds like Windows XP is OEM.
If that is the case, Googlegear is your only source of replacement.
Microsoft can do nothing for OEM replacements.
Another of the many reasons OEM is cheaper than retail.
 
However it sounds like Windows XP is OEM.
If that is the case, Googlegear is your only source of
Click to expand...

You are correct, this was OEM. I did get the response
below from another newsgroup and am trying to see if GG
can use the product code obrtained using this procedure.

-Mike Reily

______________Below______________
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 or
ViewKeyXP from
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm 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
OS; 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
 
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