Windows XP Home Key Retrieval

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spike9458
  • Start date Start date
S

Spike9458

Hi all. I am reinstalling XP home on my moms computer as it's corrupted and
says to reinstall it. Since it won't boot up, I am going to attached her
hard drive as a slave on my computer to retrieve her data files, then
reformat and install. My question is ... where on her hard drive will I find
her XP key? I have the disk for my computer, she can't find hers ... but I'm
pretty sure can use her key with my disk, if I can locate it.

Thanks in advance,

--Jim
 
Magical Jellybean Key Finder
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

RockXP 2.0
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html

Belarc Advisor will also list the Windows key

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit (version 6.1f)
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

[[ProduKey is a small utility that displays the ProductID and the CD-Key of
MS-Office, Windows, and SQL Server installed on your computer.]]
Nirsoft's ProduKey
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi Wesley,

Will Belarc work while that hard drive is operating as a slave on my
computer? How do I tell it which drive to look at?

--Jim

Wesley Vogel said:
Magical Jellybean Key Finder
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

RockXP 2.0
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html

Belarc Advisor will also list the Windows key

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit (version 6.1f)
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

[[ProduKey is a small utility that displays the ProductID and the CD-Key
of
MS-Office, Windows, and SQL Server installed on your computer.]]
Nirsoft's ProduKey
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Spike9458 said:
Hi all. I am reinstalling XP home on my moms computer as it's corrupted
and says to reinstall it. Since it won't boot up, I am going to attached
her hard drive as a slave on my computer to retrieve her data files, then
reformat and install. My question is ... where on her hard drive will I
find her XP key? I have the disk for my computer, she can't find hers ...
but I'm pretty sure can use her key with my disk, if I can locate it.

Thanks in advance,

--Jim
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Just run the Magical Jellybean and the Key will automatically pop up for you.
--
XP-WNP
Today is the first day of the
rest of your life.


Spike9458 said:
Hi Wesley,

Will Belarc work while that hard drive is operating as a slave on my
computer? How do I tell it which drive to look at?

--Jim

Wesley Vogel said:
Magical Jellybean Key Finder
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

RockXP 2.0
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html

Belarc Advisor will also list the Windows key

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit (version 6.1f)
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

[[ProduKey is a small utility that displays the ProductID and the CD-Key
of
MS-Office, Windows, and SQL Server installed on your computer.]]
Nirsoft's ProduKey
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Spike9458 said:
Hi all. I am reinstalling XP home on my moms computer as it's corrupted
and says to reinstall it. Since it won't boot up, I am going to attached
her hard drive as a slave on my computer to retrieve her data files, then
reformat and install. My question is ... where on her hard drive will I
find her XP key? I have the disk for my computer, she can't find hers ...
but I'm pretty sure can use her key with my disk, if I can locate it.

Thanks in advance,

--Jim
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Spike9458 said:
Hi all. I am reinstalling XP home on my moms computer as
it's corrupted and says to reinstall it. Since it won't boot
up, I am going to attached her hard drive as a slave on my
computer to retrieve her data files, then reformat and
install. My question is ... where on her hard drive will I
find her XP key? I have the disk for my computer, she can't
find hers ... but I'm pretty sure can use her key with my
disk, if I can locate it.
Thanks in advance,

--Jim
Click to expand...

First off, in order to recover her data files you may need to
take ownership of the files.

How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

Note: If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you
must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an
account that has Administrative rights to have access to the
Security tab. To start in Safe Mode, reboot your computer and
start tapping the F8 key as soon as you see anything displayed
on the screen. Keep hitting F8 until the Advanced Startup
Options menu appears. Use the up and down arrow keys on your
keyboard to select Safe Mode. Hit Enter.

As for your CD key question, have you looked on your mom's PC
for a sticker which contains the 25 digit CD key? I'm not sure
you're going to be able to retrieve the CD key from a
non-bootable XP installation.

Why do you think you need to reinstall XP? What error message
are you getting that says the installation is corrupt? Don't
format the hard drive until you've exhausted all possibilities
of fixing the computer. You may find yourself installing XP and
being unable to activate. Also, in order to use your CD with
her key they must be of the same type and version, OEM CD ->
OEM key, Retail CD -> Retail key, etc.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
Spike9458 said:
Hi all. I am reinstalling XP home on my moms computer as it's
corrupted and says to reinstall it. Since it won't boot up, I am
going to attached her hard drive as a slave on my computer to
retrieve her data files, then reformat and install. My question is
... where on her hard drive will I find her XP key?
Click to expand...


You've already gotten answers to this question. I wanted toaddress the point
below.

I have the disk
for my computer, she can't find hers ... but I'm pretty sure can use
her key with my disk, if I can locate it.
Click to expand...



You can use her key with your CD only if her version and yours are the same
type (Home vs Professional; Full vs. Upgrade; Retail vs OEM).
 
You might have better luck if you use Bart's PE with the keyfinder plug-in
added
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

keyfinder pe plug in found here http://www.drowaelder.de/winpe/PEIndex.htm

The process for creating Bart's Pe is quite easy as is adding the plug in.
Once done you can boot the computer with the CD then run the Keyfinder app.
Click the option for the alternate drive and the Product Key should be
revealed.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


Spike9458 said:
Hi Wesley,

Will Belarc work while that hard drive is operating as a slave on my
computer? How do I tell it which drive to look at?

--Jim

Wesley Vogel said:
Magical Jellybean Key Finder
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

RockXP 2.0
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html

Belarc Advisor will also list the Windows key

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit (version 6.1f)
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

[[ProduKey is a small utility that displays the ProductID and the CD-Key
of
MS-Office, Windows, and SQL Server installed on your computer.]]
Nirsoft's ProduKey
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Spike9458 said:
Hi all. I am reinstalling XP home on my moms computer as it's corrupted
and says to reinstall it. Since it won't boot up, I am going to attached
her hard drive as a slave on my computer to retrieve her data files,
then
reformat and install. My question is ... where on her hard drive will I
find her XP key? I have the disk for my computer, she can't find hers
...
but I'm pretty sure can use her key with my disk, if I can locate it.

Thanks in advance,

--Jim
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Spike

What is the make and model of your mother's computer?

--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Using invalid email address

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please tell the newsgroup how any
suggested solution worked for you.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Spike9458 said:
Hi Wesley,

Will Belarc work while that hard drive is operating as a slave on my
computer? How do I tell it which drive to look at?

--Jim

Wesley Vogel said:
Magical Jellybean Key Finder
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

RockXP 2.0
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html

Belarc Advisor will also list the Windows key

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit (version 6.1f)
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

[[ProduKey is a small utility that displays the ProductID and the
CD-Key of
MS-Office, Windows, and SQL Server installed on your computer.]]
Nirsoft's ProduKey
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Spike9458 said:
Hi all. I am reinstalling XP home on my moms computer as it's
corrupted
and says to reinstall it. Since it won't boot up, I am going to
attached
her hard drive as a slave on my computer to retrieve her data files,
then
reformat and install. My question is ... where on her hard drive
will I
find her XP key? I have the disk for my computer, she can't find
hers ...
but I'm pretty sure can use her key with my disk, if I can locate
it.

Thanks in advance,

--Jim
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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