PID &Product key Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Conrad Hoffman
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Conrad Hoffman

Was reading some articles in MS KB and am now sort of confused, my normal
state.

When someone installs xp the product key creates the product ID. This can
be seen in the registry or system info. Does the product key also get
installed on the computer? If it does, I've never located it, however any
of the product key utilities will find it, or do they convert the product ID
back to a key?

Thanks
 
Hi,

Well XP would make sure, that you dont know where the Product Key is
stored. Simply cause if you know about it, and yours a pirated version, the
moment you get a "licenced" key from your friends/collegues, you will update
it.

The updation will reflect that yours a licenced copy but you know its
not what it appears like.

Regards,
Hardik Shah
Microsoft Student Champ
 
Conrad said:
Was reading some articles in MS KB and am now sort of confused, my normal
state.

When someone installs xp the product key creates the product ID. This can
be seen in the registry or system info. Does the product key also get
installed on the computer? If it does, I've never located it, however any
of the product key utilities will find it, or do they convert the product ID
back to a key?
Click to expand...


The Product Key is not stored in any readable format; it's encrypted.


--

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
 
Venkatesh,

That provides a bogus key on my machine. Better try one of the others
listed above.

TOF
 
Have you reinstalled is Windows the factory installation?

These tools can only show the key used during installation.
Many OEMs use an image with all computers with the same key.
However that key will usually be unsuitable for installation and activation.
 
Bill said:
Venkatesh,

That provides a bogus key on my machine. Better try one of the others
listed above.

TOF
Click to expand...

Why do you think it provided a "bogus" 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.

--

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
 
Conrad said:
When someone installs xp the product key creates the product ID. This can
be seen in the registry or system info. Does the product key also get
installed on the computer?
Click to expand...

It does, but in encrypted form. There are several tools which will find
it, eg get the free Everest Home edition from
http://www.lavalys.com/index.php?page=product&view=1
which is an excellent general System Info tool, and its Operating System
- Operating System page will tell you the one used

Note that if the machine came with XP installed, this will probably give
a key used in producing an original image, then cloned to all machines
they make. So it is not the one for a reinstall. But then the key will
be on a label on the case of the machine
 
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