XP Home - Need my Product Key - Computer is stuck

Daave wrote:
Justin wrote:
Daave wrote:
That is why I used the word "or", Justin.

For all we know, the PC manufacturer could have issued a new COA
sticker along with the upgrade CD along with instructions to affix
it to the PC. I doubt it, but it is within the realm of possibility.

Good point.
I withdraw the statement. However if he threw away the CDs and
pamphlets, what makes you think he had the sense to slap a two inch
sticker on the ass end of his machine? If such a sticker was
supplied, it got tossed within the first week.

I wouldn't bet against it.



But if you ask him how much he paid for his 2001 F150 CrewCab - he'll be
able to find the original sales slip.
Next to the TV guide and tickets.

"Justin" wrote in message
...
Pegasus [MVP] wrote:
"Justin" wrote in message
...
Mark Adams wrote:
"Sonny" wrote:

Hello - Turned off my Sony Viao 3 weeks ago all was working fine,
turned it on and got a flash of a blue screen & then the computer
gives a bunch of loading options - I tried all combinations no good

So tried installing my Windows XP Home CD - Note Sony gave this CD as
a free upgrade from the Millennium Operating System-
Well the computer wants the Product Key Number for the XP disk - which
I can't get as the computer won't load

any ideas? Should I try a Registry from an earlier date? Have no idea
how to do this or where to look - we (my wife) needs files from this
computer & I threw out all the boxes that had all the info etc for the
computer - yeah I know you Ain't Suppose to do that!
Hope someone can help Please

Sonny
Use your Windows XP CD to construct a Bart PE or an Ultimate Boot CD 4
Windows with a keyfinder pluggin. Run the disk on the computer that
won't boot and use the keyfinder to extract your product key from the
machine. Write the key on your XP disk so you won't lose it, you
knucklehead. Now reenter the key when prompted by the install routine.
Google "Bart PE" and "Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows" for instructions for
constructing the disks.
I have yet to find a Windows keyfinder that actually works.

Your search must have been very superficial. Both of the following work
while Windows is active:
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml.
http://www.gtopala.com/ (siw.exe - look under "Secrets" in the left
column).

I have tried both on two separate Dell machines - when I tried to
reinstall with the key provided it didn't work.

This is probably due to you using an installation CD that is different from
the CD originally used by this installation. To say with confidence that a
key extractor works or does not work, you would need to compare its output
with the key that you *know* was used to install Windows.

Justin wrote:

Pegasus [MVP] wrote:

"Justin" wrote in message
...

Mark Adams wrote:

"Sonny" wrote:

Hello - Turned off my Sony Viao 3 weeks ago all was working fine,
turned it on and got a flash of a blue screen & then the computer
gives a bunch of loading options - I tried all combinations no good

So tried installing my Windows XP Home CD - Note Sony gave this CD
as a free upgrade from the Millennium Operating System-
Well the computer wants the Product Key Number for the XP disk -
which I can't get as the computer won't load

any ideas? Should I try a Registry from an earlier date? Have no
idea how to do this or where to look - we (my wife) needs files
from this computer & I threw out all the boxes that had all the
info etc for the computer - yeah I know you Ain't Suppose to do that!
Hope someone can help Please

Sonny

Use your Windows XP CD to construct a Bart PE or an Ultimate Boot CD
4 Windows with a keyfinder pluggin. Run the disk on the computer
that won't boot and use the keyfinder to extract your product key
from the machine. Write the key on your XP disk so you won't lose
it, you knucklehead. Now reenter the key when prompted by the
install routine. Google "Bart PE" and "Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows"
for instructions for constructing the disks.

I have yet to find a Windows keyfinder that actually works.


Your search must have been very superficial. Both of the following
work while Windows is active:
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml.
http://www.gtopala.com/ (siw.exe - look under "Secrets" in the left
column).


I have tried both on two separate Dell machines - when I tried to
reinstall with the key provided it didn't work.

You can't scan and use the number from the factory install. You will
need to have installed using the number from the PC case or the CD case.

On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:48:14 -0400, Justin
wrote:

Pegasus [MVP] wrote:
"Justin" wrote in message
...

Use your Windows XP CD to construct a Bart PE or an Ultimate Boot CD 4
Windows with a keyfinder pluggin. Run the disk on the computer that won't
boot and use the keyfinder to extract your product key from the machine.
Write the key on your XP disk so you won't lose it, you knucklehead. Now
reenter the key when prompted by the install routine. Google "Bart PE"
and "Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows" for instructions for constructing the
disks.
I have yet to find a Windows keyfinder that actually works.

Your search must have been very superficial. Both of the following work
while Windows is active:
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml.
http://www.gtopala.com/ (siw.exe - look under "Secrets" in the left column).



I have tried both on two separate Dell machines - when I tried to
reinstall with the key provided it didn't work.


Using a program like magicaljellybean on your OEM computer is
generally not useful. It shows the key that Windows was installed
with, and that's a key that was used by Dell (in your case) to put
Windows on many thousands of machine. It is *not* your key and you
can't use it to reinstall.

You can find *your* key on a sticker on your case--usually on the back
of desktops and the bottom of laptops).

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:48:14 -0400, Justin
wrote:

Pegasus [MVP] wrote:
"Justin" wrote in message
...

Use your Windows XP CD to construct a Bart PE or an Ultimate Boot CD 4
Windows with a keyfinder pluggin. Run the disk on the computer that won't
boot and use the keyfinder to extract your product key from the machine.
Write the key on your XP disk so you won't lose it, you knucklehead. Now
reenter the key when prompted by the install routine. Google "Bart PE"
and "Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows" for instructions for constructing the
disks.
I have yet to find a Windows keyfinder that actually works.
Your search must have been very superficial. Both of the following work
while Windows is active:
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml.
http://www.gtopala.com/ (siw.exe - look under "Secrets" in the left column).


I have tried both on two separate Dell machines - when I tried to
reinstall with the key provided it didn't work.


Using a program like magicaljellybean on your OEM computer is
generally not useful. It shows the key that Windows was installed
with, and that's a key that was used by Dell (in your case) to put
Windows on many thousands of machine. It is *not* your key and you
can't use it to reinstall.

You can find *your* key on a sticker on your case--usually on the back
of desktops and the bottom of laptops).


Usually, you're correct.
However I have known people to take those stickers off. Those same
people are usually not the same people O choose to hang around with.
Nor do they qualify as Rhodes Scholars.