Lost Win Xp Pro Cd-key

[CorruptedSanitY]

Hi everyone,


I lost my Win XP Pro sp1 CD key.

I recently installed a new motherboard and processor, so I guess I need to format the drive,but I cant find my CD key. What to do now?

thanks

[CorruptedSanitY]

Heres the situation.

My computer would start up then instantly shut down. I would get no screen. So I tested the processor, AMD Athlon XP 2000+ on another AMD motherboard and the same thing would happen. So I looked for a replacement processor, but could not find it here (in the UAE).
So I had to buy another motherboard, the GigaByte K8NsC-939 with AMD 64 3200+ 939 socket.

So the guy who is going to install the new board says he needs to format the OS HD because of the new mobo. I dont have my CD-KEY.

What to do now?

He says if he could get the OS HD to boot, he has s/w to find the CD-KEY, but my OS HD wont boot from my old mobo ASUS a7n8X Delx 2.0 because the processor is dead.

Any help would be much appreciated.

thanks

[AMD]

Im no pro when it comes to computers but im i think that you can call microsoft if you have lost your cd key.
Thats if you have a genuine copy of windows.
But as i said im no pro so i might be wrong.
The guys in here will help you soon.

[CorruptedSanitY]

AMD, Im not in the US, so the call may possibly be expensive and them tellin me in the end I have to buy a new one. It is original and for the life me I cannot remember where I placed it.

I am hoping someone knows a way to find it without needing to boot from the OS HD. I have a HD to USB cable that allows me to connect any HD to another computer via USB 2.0 and browse it. Hopefully this way someone can reccomend a certain location on the disk where it is stored.

thanks everyone.

[CorruptedSanitY]

Desperate bump ~

[Panama Red]

I don't know about reading the key from an extenal drive, but The Magical Jelly Bean is a key finder that will read the key on the os in use. Google for it.

You don't need to reformat and reinstall tho. You can do a repair/install instead.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=151522

You may still need the Product Key during the repair install however.

[CorruptedSanitY]

So I dont need to format or re-install OS XP PRO because I changed mobos?

The tech guy insisted I had to.

thanks Panama.

[Panama Red]

Nope, doing the repair/install will work. You just need the mobo cd to install the correct drivers after the repair is complete. And you'll have to add all the Windows Updates again, inlcuding SP2 if you do the repair with an SP1 XP disk.

[CorruptedSanitY]

thanks Panama.

[Antykain]

I am using WinXP Home atm, but I am wanting to use my WinXP Pro SP1, and do no not have the CD key# as well.. :/ I have a genuine copy as well, but the box it came in, the manual, etc.. is gone. I talked to someone at Microsoft the other day, who I could barely understand, and she was saying I need to purchase a new key.. a new copy basically. She was insisting that for some reason, my copy was a copy included with my system, and the key should be located on the tower somewhere.. I kept telling her my copy of WinXP Pro was purchased seperately and that I was wanting to install it on my home build system. But she was, for whatever reason, not understanding this and kept telling my to buy another copy.. the easy way out. More money for Gates. lol..

Anyhow.. I am gunna try to call Microsoft about it again this week and maybe have better luck.

[glc]

The CD is not what you pay for - it's the license. If you lost it, you are out of luck. Sorry to be blunt, but that's the way it is. First thing I do with any software I buy that needs a key to install is write the key on the CD with a Sharpie.

[CorruptedSanitY]

Originally Posted by glc The CD is not what you pay for - it's the license. If you lost it, you are out of luck. Sorry to be blunt, but that's the way it is. First thing I do with any software I buy that needs a key to install is write the key on the CD with a Sharpie.

Why should I be out of luck?

Shoulndt a customer be able to loose a serial # without having to "be out of luck" ? Where is the "customer loyalty support" ?
If you loose the receipt at BestBuy or CircuitCity, how come you are not out of luck (unless paid with cash and thats logical)? They can pull it up using your phone number or credit card number or home address.

How come Micro**** doesnt implement some kind of way to track it?
Dont they take the hardware serial # to verfiy that you are not distributing the key? So they care about thier profts obviously more than customer satisfaction. I agree its my fault for not having a copy or a backup of it. But I was moving countries not homes. I left the states after havin spent more than half a decade there. During the packing and throwin out garbage and so on, the serial # got lost.

[glc]

What recourse do you have if you lose a $100 bill? Same principle.

[Stuey]

I imagine that if you registered the software with them, they would have your cd key on file with your name.

[CorruptedSanitY]

Originally Posted by glc What recourse do you have if you lose a $100 bill? Same principle.

Its not the same GLC.
If I was not required to verify with them upon installation (over the phone or via the net), then I would agree with your comparison of the $100 bill. But they obligate you to register your serial key, so they should, out of courteousy, keep a copy. If not for thier own records.

[glc]

You are not registering your key when you activate OR register Windows. Registration is optional anyway - activation is not. The key is on the Certificate of Authenticity, which for all practical purposes, IS a banknote. Whoever has it possesses the license to install one copy of Windows.

[Stuey]

Originally Posted by CorruptedSanitY Its not the same GLC. If I was not required to verify with them upon installation (over the phone or via the net), then I would agree with your comparison of the $100 bill. But they obligate you to register your serial key, so they should, out of courteousy, keep a copy. If not for thier own records.

Registration is different than activation. During activation, user-specific information (aside from a hardware profile) is not transmitted. If you register, then you provide them with a connection between your product key and your identity.

Did you register or activate? If you registered, then you *may* be in luck.

[CorruptedSanitY]

glc, oh alright.


Stuey, I am not sure, its been 3 years since I installed it first.

[glc]

There is a way to get the drive to boot on the new motherboard wiithout a reinstall. It involves booting with the XP CD into the console and doing something with the IDE drivers. I can't seem to find the exact procedure for this.

You may also be able to do a repair reinstall of Windows without having to enter the CD key. There is no reason to reformat anyway, a repair reinstall is all you need to do. Keep an eye on this thread.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=151872

[juppy]

Originally Posted by glc There is a way to get the drive to boot on the new motherboard wiithout a reinstall. It involves booting with the XP CD into the console and doing something with the IDE drivers. I can't seem to find the exact procedure for this.

Is this what you're looking for, glc?
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=43654

[Alfie]

If you lose your key,Microsoft will sell you a new key,it's a toll free #,just check to see what # to call.

[glc]

No, Juppy - thats the procedure for doing a repair reinstall - or changing the IDE controller driver in Windows *before* removing the motherboard. He can't do that now, he doesn't have a working processor for the old motherboard. He can only use after the fact solutions now unless he can find a compatible processor for the old mobo. There *is* an after the fact solution using the XP CD and the recovery console which is what I can't find.

[juppy]

Ah. Didn't notice his old system was unusable. My bad.

I'll try one more time though (lucky you, huh? ). I Googled around awhile and found this.
http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windo...nd-new-pc.html
The second post by a guy named Rick is what I'm looking at. Says you can go through the Recovery Console and delete the drivers.cab cabinet file from the C:\Windows\Driver Cache\i386\ area and after a reboot, XP will refind all the new components and take off like its supposed to. Dunno if this is right either though, so if it's not, just tell me to shut up and quit trying.

[glc]

Never tried that - but there is some way to use the console to remove the IDE driver and replace it with the Windows default driver. That's what causes the BSOD when you switch motherboards - different IDE controllers.

[GaryRouth]

I haven't had the time or the need (as yet) to try them - but what about tools like Knoppix or the Bart's PE run-from-CD systems? Since the Bart's PE is based on Windows XP, I wonder if putting the magicjellybean utility on a USB drive (or add it to a Bart's PE) would do the trick?

Just a thought
. . . Gary

[kev7555]

OK, Panama had a good idea back there with Magical Jelly Bean. That or RockXP are excellent key finders. My question is: Can you use them to find a key on a slave drive? Or are they only for finding keys on the disk with the OS booted?

If the former is true, all he has to do is slave the drive to another computer, explore the drive and go look for the key.

-Kev

[CorruptedSanitY]

Originally Posted by Panama Red I don't know about reading the key from an extenal drive, but The Magical Jelly Bean is a key finder that will read the key on the os in use. Google for it. You don't need to reformat and reinstall tho. You can do a repair/install instead. http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=151522 You may still need the Product Key during the repair install however.

You are gold Panama. Did it and it worked perfectly. Did not need to format/re-install. Just did a repair/install and it worked out perfectly!

Thanks for all your input glc, and every one else!!!

[Panama Red]

Thanx for the feedback, CS. Glad it worked without the key. Now do yourself a favor. Download the Magical Jelly Bean and use it to ID your key. Write it down and save it in case you need to do a full install at some future point.

[kev7555]

OK. boyz, so it worked using the drive as a slave? I've always wondered if this was possible....


-Kev

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by kev7555 OK. boyz, so it worked using the drive as a slave? I've always wondered if this was possible.... -Kev

Don't think he used it as a slave. He did a standard repair install and it didn't ask for the key.