xp product code

RedBern

Hi, I bought and installed windows xp - still have the disc but don't have the sticker with the product code on. My son has recently put in a new hard drive and reinstalled xp - but now the machine is asking for the product code.... is there any way of getting this from this disc please?

alanrowell

If you'd asked BEFORE reinstalling the disk then something like Belarc Advisor would have told you in a flash.

You could always reinstall the old disk and try it

Belnahua

If the old HDD is still bootable you could try this :-
http://www.tech-recipes.com/windows_tips243.html

superscaper

As mentioned you'd have to get it from the current installation. The discs are mass produced and are identical, i.e. they aren't unique and don't have a serial number associated with them.

nephilim

however, each CD (if legit) should have a code AND a barcode on it, saying to the effect of "End Item Part No. XXX-XXXXX , and then the barcode of XXX-XXXXX to which you can use if you ring up microsoft and ask them for the key. Every CD has this and it is used for identifying each CD, so it has a seperate key to others.

If you call up microsoft and say you have misplaced your CD key, and would like another, and give them the details, they should be able to give you a new one! I hope that helps.

Belnahua

I'm not 100% sure on this one! I think you'll find that's just MS's product code. And each CD of that version will have the same product code. I doubt very much it's a unique code and think you'll be on a hiding to nothing on this one.

Your best best is to try and find where and when you bought the software, and try and get a receipt, and then ask MS to reissue a valid code, but again very unlikely, about 0% chance!

You might just have to bite the bullet and fork out for a new copy, and put it down to lesson learned.

tweeter

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/beta/

bainy

If it was me I'd reinstall the old hard drive in place of the new one which would take all of 5 minutes and then run belarc advisor (http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html) as mentioned above it will retrieve all your software licenses which you may also require especially if you've paid for them and maybe mislaid their product keys also. All in all it should take about 10/15 mins max to do the complete job and be up and running with the product key ready to install.