Need to reinstall. Lost product key.

[Dudley Brooks]

My windows computer is very old. For a long time I only ran 98SE on it.
Just before XP went off the market, I bought it and installed it. I
discovered that the programs I used most didn't run in XP, so I reverted
to 98SE.

Recently I bought a Macbook Pro. I'm having trouble networking it with
98SE, and people have suggested that it would be easier with XP. Also,
I no longer use those non-XP programs and I have at least one
XP-or-later program which I would like to try.

When I went to reinstall XP I discovered that I had put the disk in a
jewel case and thrown away the cardboard wrapper (or whatever it came in
-- I can't remember) with the product key.

My Windows computer is not big enough or fast enough to make it
worthwhile buying any more recent version of Windows -- XP maxed it out.

Before I pay $49 for tech support: Has anyone had success asking them
for help reinstalling (i.e. asking them to provide a product key)?

Alternatively, I saw in another thread the question of whether *any*
legitimate product key would work, but I didn't see an answer. Could I
use some of the software mentioned in other threads to get the product
key from the computer of the only person I know who still uses XP and
use it to install?

(I tried searching the registry for "xp", just to see if XP made any
changes in the registry which got left when I reverted, possibly
including the product key. I didn't find anything.)

Or any other suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Peter Foldes]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[ln];326246

--
Peter
Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Johnw]

Dudley Brooks expressed precisely :

(I tried searching the registry for "xp", just to see if XP made any changes
in the registry which got left when I reverted, possibly including the
product key. I didn't find anything.)

Or any other suggestions? Thanks.

Try 1: in SIW.

SIW
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/SIW.shtml
http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/SIW-Screenshot-15757.html
http://www.gtopala.com/
I use SIW for Licenses & Passwords.
1: Left hand column. Software > Licenses.
2: Software > Passwords
3: Top bar. Tools > Win 9x Password Cracker.
The Freeware SIW is a Read-Only / Display-Only System Information tool
that gathers detailed information about your system properties and
settings. A standalone tool that does not require installation.
A utility that includes detailed specs for Motherboard, BIOS, CPU,
Devices, Memory, Video, Drivers, Ports, Printers.
It displays information about Operating System, Installed Programs,
Processes, Services, Serial Numbers, Users, Open Files, System uptime,
Users, Network, Network Shares, and more, as well as real-time monitors
for CPU, Memory, PageFile usage and network traffic.
SIW also displays currently active network connections, Passwords
hidden behind asterisks, installed codecs, and more.
Client Platform: Windows 7 / Vista / Windows XP / 2000 / NT4 / Me / 98
/ Media Center / Tablet PC / WinRE / Bart PE / Winternals ERD
Commander.
Server Platform: Windows Server 2008 (R2) / Windows Server 2003 (R2) /
Windows Server 2000 / NT4.

 

[mm]

Dudley Brooks expressed precisely :


Try 1: in SIW.

I've got SIW, but never noticed this. This is good.

I could easily lose the cardboard folder with my product key.

Thanks.

 

[Johnw]

mm wrote :

I've got SIW, but never noticed this. This is good.

I could easily lose the cardboard folder with my product key.

Thanks.

That's Ok, glad to help.

 

[Sparky]

Google Belarc Advisor and run it.

It will do a complete inventory of the computer including all software
installation keys and a whole lot more !

Great Stuff...

"Dudley Brooks" wrote in message
My windows computer is very old. For a long time I only ran 98SE on it.
Just before XP went off the market, I bought it and installed it. I
discovered that the programs I used most didn't run in XP, so I reverted
to 98SE.

Recently I bought a Macbook Pro. I'm having trouble networking it with
98SE, and people have suggested that it would be easier with XP. Also,
I no longer use those non-XP programs and I have at least one
XP-or-later program which I would like to try.

When I went to reinstall XP I discovered that I had put the disk in a
jewel case and thrown away the cardboard wrapper (or whatever it came in
-- I can't remember) with the product key.

My Windows computer is not big enough or fast enough to make it
worthwhile buying any more recent version of Windows -- XP maxed it out.

Before I pay $49 for tech support: Has anyone had success asking them
for help reinstalling (i.e. asking them to provide a product key)?

Alternatively, I saw in another thread the question of whether *any*
legitimate product key would work, but I didn't see an answer. Could I
use some of the software mentioned in other threads to get the product
key from the computer of the only person I know who still uses XP and
use it to install?

(I tried searching the registry for "xp", just to see if XP made any
changes in the registry which got left when I reverted, possibly
including the product key. I didn't find anything.)

Or any other suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Dominique]

Google Belarc Advisor and run it.

It will do a complete inventory of the computer including all software
installation keys and a whole lot more !

Great Stuff...

<snip>

It won't work because the OP runs Win98, Belarc won't give him his XP key