Missing Windows 2000 Pro Product Key

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Guest

I have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Professional. The case and
documentation were apparently lost during a flood. Is there any way I can
obtain a new key or extract the existing key from the disk?
 
stock said:
I have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Professional. The case and
documentation were apparently lost during a flood. Is there any way I can
obtain a new key or extract the existing key from the disk?
Click to expand...

There is no key on the disk. The COA is your _only_ proof of license. If you
paid more than a typical media kit (about £17 UK, no idea about other countries)
for that kit, you've been well and truly fleeced by your retailer.
If the kit has been installed, there are ways of extracting the product key from
a running system, but there is no key on the disk (making unique discs for each
copy would be prohibitively expensive)

If your retailer suggested that this kit was a 'full licensed copy', then he's
probably guilty of something, depending on your local legislation.
 
I obviously did not explain properly. I originally had the jewel case and
instructions with the product key. But my house flooded last year, and I lost
a lot of stuff, including a bunch of items from the bottom of my computer
desk.

This product has already been installed in my Virtual PC. But I had to
reinstall my operating system and lost the virtual machine. I attempted to
reinstall ?irtual PC and discovered my predicament.

Can Microsoft help? Will they help? Is there an alternative? I hate have a
legally purchased original copy of Windows that I can't use.

Thanks,

Bob
 
My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
this product key:

DDTPV-TXMX7-BBGJ9-WGY8K-B9GHM
 
walter said:
My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
this product key:

xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Click to expand...

Posting your license key on a public newsgroup was probably not the
smartest thing to do. Windows 2000 does not, has never and will never
require activation. But to download certain utilities or programs on
the Microsoft site you may be required to provide authentication details.

John
 
If you are legally entitled to use the disk then go on a hacker's/ware's
site and get a pirated key. You're not breaking the law since you're legally
the owner. You're just getting what you purchased.
 
By publishing your product key, you can expect it to be used for piracy.
Good luck.

| My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
| this product key:
|
|
|
|
 
He can use Walter's, who just posted his key in this thread ;-)

| If you are legally entitled to use the disk then go on a hacker's/ware's
| site and get a pirated key. You're not breaking the law since you're
legally
| the owner. You're just getting what you purchased.
|
| | > I have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Professional. The case
and
| > documentation were apparently lost during a flood. Is there any way I
can
| > obtain a new key or extract the existing key from the disk?
|
|
 
Why would someone want to publish a product key that someone could steal for
their use?

| there is no notice that "publishing" product key may be forbidden?
|
| after you stop using your software [win2k is replaced by new releas few
| years ago], yo don't nedd your product key any more...
|
|
| | > He can use Walter's, who just posted his key in this thread ;-)
| >
|
|
|
 
There seems to be an over-riding assumption that he published his own
personal key and that now it will be pirated.

Much more likely that he was either simply posting a key that was
pirated in the first place or he simply made the key up for "fun".
 
there is no notice that "publishing" product key may be forbidden?

after you stop using your software [win2k is replaced by new releas few
years ago], yo don't nedd your product key any more...
 
It was my understanding, from a much older post, that the last versions of
Win2k had some sort of validation
 
when you stop using your software, you don't need prod.key any more, and it
is your free will what to do with it, right?
and you may do *anything*, what is not forbidden by the law, right?
so, if you wish [for whatever reason], you may even publish key [if you
don't need it any more]
 
No, Windows 2000 has never required activation or "validation". I'm not
sure what you mean by "last version".

John
 
Maybe I was thinking about office2k, which ever app, win or office, there
was a thread I was following in which it was stated the final release used
some form of validation
This thread was many moons ago, when I was using Win2k and Office2k - I
still use win2k on my main PC
 
That (Office) would be more likey.

John
Maybe I was thinking about office2k, which ever app, win or office, there
was a thread I was following in which it was stated the final release used
some form of validation
This thread was many moons ago, when I was using Win2k and Office2k - I
still use win2k on my main PC
Click to expand...
 
I obviously did not explain properly. I originally had the jewel case
and instructions with the product key. But my house flooded last year,
and I lost a lot of stuff, including a bunch of items from the bottom
of my computer desk.

This product has already been installed in my Virtual PC. But I had to
reinstall my operating system and lost the virtual machine. I
attempted to reinstall ?irtual PC and discovered my predicament.

Can Microsoft help? Will they help? Is there an alternative? I hate
have a legally purchased original copy of Windows that I can't use.

Thanks,

Bob
Click to expand...

Go to the alt.comp.freeware ng, ask there for a free utility to detect
the product key, there are a bunch of them.

Some good ones here: http://www.nirsoft.net

HTH

ms
 
Thanks for the tip. I called Microsoft and explained the situation, and they
gave me a new product key.
 
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