"FreeMan" wrote

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| Where do I look in Windows to get the product key ?

There's a free program named Produkey that's handy
to have. If the system was activated with a valid key
it should tell you. But there could be variables. If it's
OEM it shouldn't need to activate. Did it come with a
backup? A hidden partition for restore? If so you might try
restoring the system.

It's hard to tell from your description, but I wonder
if the system is just messed up.

I think these days you have to call MS to get XP activated.
Way back when, when they imposed this activation scam,
the word was that they'd "probably" release a universal key
when XP support ended. But they still haven't. At the time
they probably assumed that no one would want XP by now,
and never dreamed that more people would want their
17 year old system than want their new one. To release
a key could result in an embarassing XP resurgence.