Produce Key question

[Antares 531]

I have two boxed copies of Windows XP Pro, one for my desktop and one
for my old laptop computer. The old laptop computer went belly up and
I bought a new one that came with Windows Vista pre-installed.

I am now in the process of building a new desktop computer but would
like to keep my old desktop computer alive and active until I'm
entirely sure I have the new one going and all my data transferred
successfully.

Also, I have used MS Money for several years and have all my
accounting information on the old desktop computer. I want to install
Intuit Quicken on the new desktop computer as soon as it becomes
available with the enhanced means for importing my old Money files
into Quicken.

My problem at the moment is I want to install Windows 7 on this new
desktop computer as soon as it is available, but I will need a valid
Windows XP disk and product key to do this.

I have the two Windows XP boxes with the folders inside showing the
Product Key for each copy but I don't know how to determine which
product key applies to my old laptop and which one pertains to my old
desktop computer. Some of the parts from the old laptop computer were
salvaged then the rest of it was tossed into the trash a couple of
years ago. I can't look on it to read its Product Key, and I haven't
figured out where or how to read the Product Key for my old desktop.

Any clues, anyone?

Thanks, Gordon

 

[G''Jim c):{-]

:

I have the two Windows XP boxes with the folders inside showing the
Product Key for each copy but I don't know how to determine which
product key applies to my old laptop and which one pertains to my old
desktop computer. Some of the parts from the old laptop computer were
salvaged then the rest of it was tossed into the trash a couple of
years ago. I can't look on it to read its Product Key, and I haven't
figured out where or how to read the Product Key for my old desktop.

Any clues, anyone?

Thanks, Gordon

There are utilities that you can download that will display the Product Key
for you. The PK is in the registry, but it's encrypted.

There are also some system diagnostic programs (I use Everest Ultimate
Edition) that will display all sorts of info - including the PK.

Just run any of these on your old computer to find the PK.

HTH

 

[John]

dunno if this helps

http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/prodkey.php

 

[M]

:



There are utilities that you can download that will display the Product Key
for you. The PK is in the registry, but it's encrypted.

There are also some system diagnostic programs (I use Everest Ultimate
Edition) that will display all sorts of info - including the PK.

Just run any of these on your old computer to find the PK.

HTH

I see that they are charging for Everest now. I'm glad I've kept the
Home Edition 1.51.195 set up. It still works great.

M

 

[Antares 531]

On Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:10:12 -0500, Antares 531

Is there any chance that some of these programs might be something in
the form of a Trojan that harvests the Produce Key and other such
information then returns it to the program's source for something
other than a legitimate usage?

Gordon

 

[R. McCarty]

Unlikely, many of these Key finder apps have been around for while.
If the programs harvested individual Product Keys they would end up
on Microsoft's known violated key database and users would find the
keys would no longer validate or activate their copy of XP.