Re-registering on same PC, but with formatted drive. Trouble.

[David]

I was having a lot of trouble with a PC I built, and I
had to reinstall a few times. I also went through some
trouble setting up partitions, and I ended up
reformatting the drive. So now I went to install Windows
for the third and final time (it was only a couple hours
between installs) on this new PC, and now it says that I
can't register. I really hope that this is solvable.
I'd contact Microsoft, but it seems that they need my
Product ID, which is only accesible through Windows
itself, and, due to completely different problems I am
having, I cannot boot Windows to access that ID. So, my
real question I guess is, is there anyplace else that ID
exists? On the box maybe? There are a few numbers, but
none are listed as the product ID.

 

[Randy Byrne [MVP]]

Not sure I understand. How did you obtain XP? Retail versions would have the
product key in the box. OEM versions would have a sticker on the side of the PC
similar to this:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/windows/images/block4_1.jpg

If you can not boot into Windows, I'm not sure you will be able to obtain a product
key.

But, try this:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

Good luck!

--

Randy Byrne
Microsoft MVP - Setup/Deployment
http://support.microsoft.com/support/mvp
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Do not email me, please use the newsgroup so that everyone benefits.