# Windows XP Product Key/CD Key

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-product-key-cd-key/146063>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 1, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-product-key-cd-key/146063 "2003-01-01T18:08:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-product-key-cd-key/146063/21 "2003-01-04T00:59:51Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by TBone2 \*  
> **I don’t know about XP, but I can get my WinMe key from the registry.**

It’s encrypted in XP, you can’t read it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-product-key-cd-key/146063/22 "2003-01-04T03:15:49Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by xash_  
> **Haven’t tested this, so I can’t vouch for it’s authenticity… but you might want to try it :  
> xxxxxxxxxx**

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ZipperJJ \*  
> \*\*Go to Google and search for “xxxxxxxxx”. That will tell you your current key. I will say no more. \*\*

Interesting.

Both XP key viewers produce exactly the same product serial key, which _is not_ the XP product key attached to my machine. It’s a new machine, too, purchased directly from HAL (add a letter to each to know who made my machine).

I guess this means I have a spare XP product serial key.

😃

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-product-key-cd-key/146063.md?page=1)