My WinXP has about a bazillion things going wrong with it, more than I want to get in to trying to fix via advice over a message board. I had a hired expert look at it, and after he tried a bunch of stuff, he agreed with me that the best thing to do was just to put the files I wanted to save on CD’s and reinstall the whole thing.
So now I have my XP CD, but I lost the sleeve it originally came in, with the CD Key. I used it when I installed it, is there some way to get it again? Is it stored somewhere in my computer?
Also: It is NOT the same as the 20-character Product ID that you see in the system properties. The CD Key is a 25-character number, and is required to install the program.
This product was legally purchased, so I don’t want to just get a serial off the internet and deny myself whatever a legally registered product gets you… Microsoft is perfectly useless about this of course, they charge you a fortune to answer your questions and it’s not mentioned in any of their FAQ’s… like this doesn’thappen to people? People don’t lose the little software sleeves? Yeesh.
Any hope the dopers could provide as far as where to get a new one or how to get my old one back would be appreciated.
If you want the “benefits” of a legally registered product, your best bet is to ontact Microsoft and get the info from them. Assuming that you registered it in the first place, they should have your info and be able to supply you with a key code. Try contacting them by e-mail, as you can probably get a free response. Other than that, find a crack for it on one of the million hacker sites.
Obviously this won’t help you now, but I always write that number on the CD itself with a sharpie. Never have to worry about losing just the number key.
By the way, after installing some software on my XP computer, XP decided too much had changed and I had to call Microsoft to obtain a new CD key. It was fairly painless and free. I recommend that you call them and explain the situation. If you’re holding the actual original installation disk in your hand they may be able to get some info from you to verify authenticity. I think you get a phone number to call when asked to enter the CD key if you’re unsuccessfull.
To the best of my knowledge, Win XP converts the 25 character key into a 20 character product ID on installation, and does not store the 25 character code in the registry or anywhere else, so it is, in effect, not retrievable.
“During the installation of Windows XP Professional, you are prompted to enter a 25 digit Windows XP Product Key, which Windows XP promptly converts into the system’s product ID. Because of security concerns about piracy, Microsoft does not provide a tool that allows you to view the CD Key that was used to install the operating system”
Additional info:
“Windows XP Service Pack 1 ships with a list of the two product IDs that are created by pirated product volume license product keys. (The Product ID can be found by right clicking My Computer and choosing Properties) To determine eligibility for the update, Service Pack 1 compares the Windows XP product ID on the system to this list. The comparison and the list reside locally on the users PC and no information is sent to Microsoft as part of this process. Service Pack 1 for Windows XP will fail to install on installations of Windows with one of the following product IDs: XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX and XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX”
Contacting MS directly and hoping they have your data in their registration database and are willing to re-issue you a valid key is your best bet.
Your OP implies that you bought Win XP retail, but on the off chance that it came with the computer, look on the back panel of your computer. Win XP comes with a sticker that is supposed to be placed on the back of the computer by the vendor.
Call MS, they give you another key for $10 if you registered. But if you have used one copy of XP on more than one computer, they may charge you $89.00…
You key is stored in a hidden file called: winnt.inf
The web has some programs you can use to view your present key that you paid for.
Do you still have the Windows XP manual? The sleeve that the CD came in (and the CD key) are inside the front cover of my XP manual.
Mini rant time. What is with folks losing the CD key or registration numbers to software that they have purchased? Every software product I have ever bought and still own is still in the original CD sleeve in the original box Everything, including the shrinkwrap in a couple of cases, that came with the software is in the box. They all take up a couple feet of space in a closet. What do people do, buy a program, take the CD out, load the software then throw away everything but the CD? Or do they think that there are enough gullible people out there that someone will send them a key to use their illegally acquired software? You see this quite often, especially on gaming boards. I just don’t see how someone can lose such valuable information.
My thoughts too. Everytime I see a thread like this, the first thought I have is the person is trying to use a pirated copy. Since my days with the C64, I’ve never thrown out or lost a manual or key.
I keep a file box with hanging folders. Each piece of hardware or software gets its own folder that holds all the documentation. Serial numbers, product keys, and so on are written on the cover of the manual or some other logical place. CDs/disks go in my media box; CDs that didn’t come in a hard case go into a slimline jewel box with the installation code(s) enclosed. I never lose ANYTHING. (Of course, I use my computer for business, so I’m extra-anal.
And yes, I have kept all my old software and docs except those that are REALLY obsolete (Long Filenames for Windows, anyone? Also really old AV software). You just never know when it might come in handy.
I also keep all my boxes/documentation. However, I despise having to deal with the jewel cases, so I put the CDs in CD folders. The boxes/docs I keep in moving boxes. However, during one move, one of the boxes disappeared, and I lost the key to several of my programs, including Microsoft Office, so I can’t think bad about people losing their keys - it can happen, no matter how careful you are about hanging on to all the bits that come with the software.
I contacted Microsoft and was able to obtain another key. I don’t recall if I paid anything for it or not, it was a couple of years ago.
BTW, I now do the “record the key on the disc w/Sharpie” routine Once bitten, y’know
What I do is just keep every serial number for everything in a text file on my hard drive. I keep this backed up on line and on my Clie.
I hate the Sharpie route, especially in the case of anything from Microsoft and many things from Adobe – when I need the serial number I have to grab a separate piece of paper and write the serial number down so I can see it while the CD is in the drive.
The text-file has the advantage that most installers just let me copy and paste into the serial number field, except where they break the serial number into multiple fields (like Microsoft and most Adobe).
I don’t know about XP, but I can get my WinMe key from the registry. I ran regedit, then expanded, in order, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SOFTWARE, Microsoft, Windows, then selected the “CurrentVersion” folder. As with Prego spaghetti sauce, “it’s in there…”
instead of writing on the cd itself…
you can always write the serial number on a paper and stick it in the sleeve of the cd too…
i have it written on the cd and on a paper with the cd in the sleeve ( i hate having to take the cd out to look at the cdkey)…
and i have the cd case in my bookshelf.
the cd sleeve is the best. i have all my windows, office, utilities, random stuff in the sleeve. one quick place to solve many problems…
anyway… if you call microsoft, they are pretty good and they just give cd keys away. it’s a new cd key though.
i think they ask a couple of questions like what happened and if you bought retail or OEM…
I dont use sleeves anymore, I have huge stacks of cds (blanks are nearly free) so I just stack them up in a cd spindle. I gotta write the serials on them.
Once bitten, y’know