Product Key... how to identify in system?

[Guest]

Now I've done it... sigh: I'm unsure which of my CoA's goes with which
computer. ('Put the CoA's on the door panels, then mixed up the panels. )
Is there a way to extract or infer the CoA from something [like the Registry]?

The Greater Problem (which hangs upon the above) is that one computer shut
down smoothly but, next day, refused to reboot (self-rebooting after
displaying Windows logo) and couldn't be repaired. Now I'm obliged to reload
the system from scratch and don't know which CoA to use. All my fault, fur
shur.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Now I've done it... sigh: I'm unsure which of my CoA's goes with which
computer. ('Put the CoA's on the door panels, then mixed up the
panels. )

It doesn't matter. The product is not on the CD. The key has to match the CD
only with respect to whether it is Retail or OEM, Full vs. Upgrade, and Home
vs. Professional.

Is there a way to extract or infer the CoA from something [like the
Registry]?

You can find the Product key with any of these:

ViewKeyXP www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/ViewKeyXP.exe (for Retail versions only,
and for pre-SP2 versions only)

ProduKey http://nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

AIDA32 http://www.aumha.org/freeware.htm

Everest http://www.lavalys.com/index.php?page=product&view=1

Magical Jellybean www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

Belarc Advisor www.belarc.com/free_download.html

 

[Guest]

Can't ask/hope for a better reply than yours! 'Tested it tonight (away from
problem site) and it worked perfectly Tomorrow I'm confident it will solve
the problem. Many thanks.


PS: Your name seems familiar from earlier in the day as I was scanning
posts. Your answers seemed particularly useful, so additional thanks to you
(and the Others who spend time hours succoring needy souls) for the
insightful posts which educate more than just the single individual being
addressed.

 

[Guest]

It doesn't matter. The product is not on the CD. The key has to match the CD
only with respect to whether it is Retail or OEM, Full vs. Upgrade, and Home
vs. Professional.

Of course having the correct CoA -does- matter when one has to reload
the system from scratch and re-enter the correct CoA's Product Key: with two
systems' CoA's confused, I risked giving the system I was reloading the same
PK as was in use on another system.

But Mark's and your links solved that problem by identifying the other
system's PK, thereby implying the dead one's PK.


I thought I was in the clear, having established the correct CoA/PK, but
found I was missing the original installation disk (WinXP Pro "SP0"). I got
a copy of a WinXP Pro SP2 disk and loaded that, presuming my "SP0" PK would
work, but NO! It says "The Product Id you entered is not valid."

The CoA has neither "OEM" nor "Upgrade" on it, just "Windows(r) XP
Professional 1-2CPU" as a title. I've tried googling for the other strings
on the label (0932RY, 00045-446-742-138, and X08-73060) to see if they
implied Upgrade or OEM but they generated no hits. I built all these
systems, and numerous others, and have used various products ([Retail,
OEM]x[Upgrade, Full]x[Home, Pro]) at different times.

So, now I probably have to find how to order a replacement CD, BUT I'm
uncertain -which- variation of WinXP Pro is appropriate for my CoA... and if
I have to get an "SP0" CD for my PK to work! Very frustrating...

Thanks for your help!

 

[Guest]

Update to my last post:

Now I understand why it would not accept my PK: this system has a
"retail-OEM" PK. That is, I purchased an OEM CoA when I built this system,
but the "OEM" identification is NOT printed on the CoA unless it's a
bulk-licensed one (from, say, Dell).

So, I need to buy or borrow an OEM CD. End of story. Thanks to the MS
staff handling 800-number replacement media orders for clarifying that.
[Puzzles me that I -could- Google their phone number -today-, whereas last
night I didn't get the hit! Typo, I suppose.]

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Of course having the correct CoA -does- matter when one has to
reload the system from scratch and re-enter the correct CoA's Product
Key: with two systems' CoA's confused, I risked giving the system I
was reloading the same PK as was in use on another system.

Yes, having the correct Product Key matters in that situation. I mistakenly
thought you were referring to the CD.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

But Mark's and your links solved that problem by identifying the
other system's PK, thereby implying the dead one's PK.


I thought I was in the clear, having established the correct
CoA/PK, but found I was missing the original installation disk (WinXP
Pro "SP0"). I got a copy of a WinXP Pro SP2 disk and loaded that,
presuming my "SP0" PK would work, but NO! It says "The Product Id
you entered is not valid."

The CoA has neither "OEM" nor "Upgrade" on it, just "Windows(r) XP
Professional 1-2CPU" as a title. I've tried googling for the other
strings on the label (0932RY, 00045-446-742-138, and X08-73060) to
see if they implied Upgrade or OEM but they generated no hits. I
built all these systems, and numerous others, and have used various
products ([Retail, OEM]x[Upgrade, Full]x[Home, Pro]) at different
times.

So, now I probably have to find how to order a replacement CD, BUT
I'm uncertain -which- variation of WinXP Pro is appropriate for my
CoA... and if I have to get an "SP0" CD for my PK to work! Very
frustrating...

Thanks for your help!