Windows XP losing Activation key

[Guest]

Worse case scenerio, your pc gets a virus, damages the security on your pc.
You need to reapply Windows Service packs but need to rerun inplace upgrade.
You run the upgrade and to your horror you find out that the activation no.
has been removed off the pc. how get activation no. cant use keyfinderpe
because the system has crashed.

 

[RWS]

Worse case scenerio, your pc gets a virus, damages the security on your pc.
You need to reapply Windows Service packs but need to rerun inplace upgrade.
You run the upgrade and to your horror you find out that the activation no.
has been removed off the pc. how get activation no. cant use keyfinderpe
because the system has crashed.

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Saying "the system has crashed" is not very informative.
What exactly happens at this point when you try to boot up?
Are you able to boot into Safe Mode?
Are you able to boot off of the XP CD and get into Recovery Console?
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[Guest]

Cant run safe mode, I did run a inplace upgrade but keeps asking me for the
activation key. I can boot from the cd but I cant logon using administrator
even though I used ERD Commander to change it.

 

[RWS]

Cant run safe mode, I did run a inplace upgrade but keeps asking me for the
activation key. I can boot from the cd but I cant logon using administrator
even though I used ERD Commander to change it.