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reinstall windows vista, need product key
candygurl
Posts: 70 Forumite
in Techie Stuff
Hi all
just wondering if you can help.
i am trying to 'clean' a friends' computer and the best way is to reinstall their windows vista with the cd. i have that, and unfortunatly i only have half the 25 digit product key, as it was partly torn off the side of the computer.
is there any way i can recover this key from the computer itself?
i see some programmes do it, but they need to be downloaded and i can download nothing because unfortunatly one of their kids logged themselves in as an administrator and then forgot the password..
i suppose another question i should ask is will cd re install cancel all administrators and their passwords and take us back to square 1?
many thanks
cg
just wondering if you can help.
i am trying to 'clean' a friends' computer and the best way is to reinstall their windows vista with the cd. i have that, and unfortunatly i only have half the 25 digit product key, as it was partly torn off the side of the computer.
is there any way i can recover this key from the computer itself?
i see some programmes do it, but they need to be downloaded and i can download nothing because unfortunatly one of their kids logged themselves in as an administrator and then forgot the password..
i suppose another question i should ask is will cd re install cancel all administrators and their passwords and take us back to square 1?
many thanks
cg
0
Comments
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i suppose another question i should ask is will cd re install cancel all administrators and their passwords and take us back to square 1?
many thanks
Depends on what type of reinstall you carry out; an in-place upgrade (re-installation) will leave your past Administrator passwords intact (as they were).0 -
I would first restart the PC and keep pressing F8 until you get the OS Choices menu, select "Safe Mode". When safe mode is loaded click on Administrator and it should go to the desktop but this depends if the Administrator account is enabled. Change/set login accounts & passwords etc.
Then go looking for a free windows vista product key finder/viewer.
You're ready to re-install windows.more dollar$ than sense0 -
thanks. i need to get rid of the passwords cos we can download nothing, not even a tool to find the key, because one of the kids has somehow made himself the administrator and no amount of torture or intimidation will help him remember the password! lol.0
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I've previously used ophcrack to recover Windows passwords, you can download a LiveCD to recover the Vista passwords so that might be worth a go.
http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/0 -
Download the 'product key finding tool' to a usb memory stick on another computer.
I'll leave you to work out what to do next...
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