Product Activation After Crash

[Mike Coomer]

Hello all,
I have managed to crash XP while doing a network download
of patches and a service pack and I need to repair the
install. I have the instructions for doing it, but when
it comes to activation I have a problem. This PC was
shipped out from corporate with the OS loaded and I don't
have the disk or key. Will the acitvation process default
to the current key or do you have to manually type it
in? Since I don't have the key and probably can't get it
for a couple of days can I call MS and explain the
situation and get the product activated that way? I'm
stuck...please help.

Thanx,
Mike

 

[nut]

Hello all,
I have managed to crash XP while doing a network download
of patches and a service pack and I need to repair the
install. I have the instructions for doing it, but when
it comes to activation I have a problem. This PC was
shipped out from corporate with the OS loaded and I don't
have the disk or key. Will the acitvation process default
to the current key or do you have to manually type it
in? Since I don't have the key and probably can't get it
for a couple of days can I call MS and explain the
situation and get the product activated that way? I'm
stuck...please help.

Yep, you're stuck.

The only way round it is illegal... something i'm not willing to help you
with, but google certainly will.

 

[E Marek]

I don't think a repair requires the key. You only need the
key with a new install. If you can boot into Windows a
program like Aida32 will tell you the key that was used. I
don't know that ringing would get you much satisfaction
because they have no way of knowing if you are genuine.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

A repair install requires the key. The user needs to contact their corporate
network admin for assistance.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have managed to crash XP while doing a network download
of patches and a service pack and I need to repair the
install. I have the instructions for doing it, but when
it comes to activation I have a problem. This PC was
shipped out from corporate with the OS loaded and I don't
have the disk or key. Will the acitvation process default
to the current key or do you have to manually type it
in?

In that case I don't see how you are going to do a repair that would
result in a need to activate. If you should need to go to activation,
the key needed will be the one already in the system unless the
reinstall had called for its entry along the way

But you can find out the 25 character key used before, as long as the
system is bootable - get the free Aida 32, enterprise edition from
http://www.aida32.hu/aida-download.php?bit=32
which is an excellent general System Info tool, and its Software -
Licenses page will tell you the one used for Windows and ones for
several other items.

Note that if the machine came with XP installed by an OEM , 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