Product key

[Carl G]

Hi Guys and Gals
My sister brought her pc over for me to repair.
Wouldn't eaven boot anymore. So i ask her if she has XP cd and yes she does.
She will bring it over. So while she is on the way over i save all her
personal data by installing her hard drive to my pc as a slave.
Then formatt the drive, put it back in her pc.
She arives with xp cd but no product key.
Question is, is there a way i can retrieve the key from the cd with out
haveing it installed?
Hope someone can help me out here.
Thanks.
Carl G

 

[Codswallop]

Hi Guys and Gals
My sister brought her pc over for me to repair.
Wouldn't eaven boot anymore. So i ask her if she has XP cd and yes she
does. She will bring it over. So while she is on the way over i save all
her personal data by installing her hard drive to my pc as a slave.
Then formatt the drive, put it back in her pc.
She arives with xp cd but no product key.
Question is, is there a way i can retrieve the key from the cd with out
haveing it installed?
Hope someone can help me out here.
Thanks.
Carl G

If it is in the original case the product key is on a label stuck on the
case. It can't be retrieved from the CD.

 

[Carl G]

Hi Codswallop
No its not the original case.
The pc came with win 98 and was upgraded to XP home.
It is a gateway pc
Thanks

 

[Malke]

Hi Codswallop
No its not the original case.
The pc came with win 98 and was upgraded to XP home.
It is a gateway pc
Thanks

If you or your sister bought a retail version of XP to upgrade, then she
will need the Product Key. If an upgrade version was used, you will
also need qualifying media such as a Win98 disk.

If your sister has completely lost the Product Key, then she'll need to
buy a new copy of the operating system.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows -
What you will need on-hand

Malke

 

[Guest]

Hey Carl,
Unfrotunaltely there is no way to grab a key from the installation disk.
Another thing you may need to be aware of though is if the disk is an
upgrade disk you'll not only need the key for XP, you might well need the key
for Win 9x.
Either way, if it was a retail purchase the CD Key will be on the original
Microsoft Packaging. If you are unable to locate this packaging or have lost
the key you will need to purchase aother copy of Windows XP or you can
download the Beta copy of Vista while you consider your options (free at the
moment). A helpful program for this situation is Belarc Advisor
www.belarc.com. It will dig the keys out for you if run from a working
Windows PC. This will give you an alternative to keeping the original package
in the future.

 

[Guest]

Have your sister search throughout her house for a windows xp sleeve with a
yellow sticker with 25 digits on it in groups of five I am sure you already
know this is what the key is but I am telling you what to tell her. If you
had not formatted the drive you could have used a pebuilder and built you a
pe cd with a keyfinder and found her key that way. Sorry to tell you that if
she can't find the key she's gonna have to buy one as there is no way to find
it now. Just thought I would let you know about the pebuilder for future
reference. Good Luck,

Joe

Kemco IT Tech

 

[Carl G]

Thanks guys,I was afraid of that.
Well it is up to her now.
Thanks again.

 

[Haggis]

Thanks guys,I was afraid of that.
Well it is up to her now.
Thanks again.

may be cheaper to try and "unformat" the drive...do a google for "unformat
XP"

if it works you could find the original key from the HD

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi Guys and Gals
My sister brought her pc over for me to repair.
Wouldn't eaven boot anymore. So i ask her if she has XP cd and yes she does.
She will bring it over. So while she is on the way over i save all her
personal data by installing her hard drive to my pc as a slave.
Then formatt the drive, put it back in her pc.
She arives with xp cd but no product key.
Question is, is there a way i can retrieve the key from the cd with out
haveing it installed?
Hope someone can help me out here.
Thanks.
Carl G

The Windows 25-character Product Key (required to perform the
installation) is stored on the CD packaging on a brightly colored
sticker that says "Do not lose this number." If it was an OEM (factory
installed) license, it's stored on a label that the PC manufacturer
affixed to the exterior of the PC case, or on the bottom of a laptop.
The Product Key is not stored on the installation CD in any way, shape,
or form.

To recover a lost Product Key:

If it was a retail license and you have proof of purchase:

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;326246

If it was an OEM license, you should contact the computer's
manufacturer; although very few manufacturers/vendors keep records of
the Product Keys they've sold, it's worth a try before you have to buy a
new license.


--

Bruce Chambers

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Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Carl G]

Thanks guys,
She found the envelope with the key code.
All is well now.
Thanks again