Determine license key used?? (Vista)

[wjogert]

OK, I have several legit copies of Vista. One is in use on my daughter rig. The other 2 are unused.

I just loaded Vista onto my gf's laptop (had XP-MC) and when I went to do activation I got the message that this key was already in use. I am like 95% sure this is NOT the key code I used for my daughter's install... but want to verify before I use the phone activation procedure.

Is there any way to verify which key code was used on my daughter's rig??

 

[Ur_Mom]

http://www.vistakeyfinder.com/

 

[notarat]

keyfinder is a good program.

I used it last month to resolve a situation much the same as yours.

I recommend either writing the product key on a piece of paper and taping it to the inside of the case somewhere or writing the machine name of the computer onto the Windows OS case label so they don't get mixed up.

I just went through this last month and decided on both. That way if I lose the DVD I still have the key and I know which media goes with each machine I have

 

[dr.stevil]

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/


this is what I've used in the past. It works great, especially if you're unorganized and tend to forget where you store serial numbers/keys for your software like myself.

 

[notarat]

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/


this is what I've used in the past. It works great, especially if you're unorganized and tend to forget where you store serial numbers/keys for your software like myself.

That's the one I was referring to in my post.

Good program. It definitely made it into the contents of my Rescue DVD.

 

[Ur_Mom]

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/


this is what I've used in the past. It works great, especially if you're unorganized and tend to forget where you store serial numbers/keys for your software like myself.

I was going to suggestion that one, but I haven't used it with Vista/7 and wasn't sure if it worked for it. +1 on Magicaljellybean.

 

[wjogert]

that worked awesome, TY!

verified that daughter's install was with the license that I thought I used (full version), and the upgrade license that I was trying to activate was in fact one of the unused keys.

strange that a key that hasn't been "activated" in at least over a year, still required phone activation.

 

[munkle]

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/


this is what I've used in the past. It works great, especially if you're unorganized and tend to forget where you store serial numbers/keys for your software like myself.

Use this all the time!

 

[ZYFER]

Also to note, there is another one called ProduKey.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

You can use this one to not only find it on your existing installation, but off of the installation that is on another hard drive. So you can hook up the drive from another computer via USB and find keys for Windows and other stuff.

 

[grss1982cvg]

OK, I have several legit copies of Vista. One is in use on my daughter rig. The other 2 are unused.

I just loaded Vista onto my gf's laptop (had XP-MC) and when I went to do activation I got the message that this key was already in use. I am like 95% sure this is NOT the key code I used for my daughter's install... but want to verify before I use the phone activation procedure.

Is there any way to verify which key code was used on my daughter's rig??

You could call MS at 18009365700 and have the key checked. They have a tool that allows them to check if the key is blocked for activaiton or nor as well as information like how many times has been used or activated,

 

[Canon]

It looks like you found an answer to your question but also of note that you can open a command prompt and type slmgr -dli and you will see a partial product key listed which you should be able to match up easily as well.

 

[ir0nw0lf]

Also to note, there is another one called ProduKey.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

You can use this one to not only find it on your existing installation, but off of the installation that is on another hard drive. So you can hook up the drive from another computer via USB and find keys for Windows and other stuff.

Magical Jellybean also lets you load a hive file from a secondary drive and it will pluck the serial # out. +eleventy billion for MJ, must have program.