WinXP Key

P

PedroDaGr8

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 17, 2004
Messages
489
I need help, aparently my winXP install is screwed and I need to reinstall. My problem is that I lost the piece of paper that has my XP key on it. (I got it from my University, they give it to all faculty and staff). So they just give you a CD-R copy of the disk and the serial number in an e-mail. So I wrote it down on a piece of paper. Is there anyway to get that number back out of the install? i.e. is it stored in a file etc.
 
Search on the web for a program called "Magic Jelly Bean". It's capable of extracting the Windows key. The only catch is the current installation must allow you to at least boot to Windows in order for it to run.
 
argh I was afraid of that. I hope some one else knows a way to get it without being able to boot into windows
 
ask the IT staff?

I mean i am sure they have someone that could help you and and they would prob ghost your computer over night

 
Duster said:
ask the IT staff?

I mean i am sure they have someone that could help you and and they would prob ghost your computer over night

Click to expand...

Not likely. They won't have a Ghost image for a computer with different hardware. They might be willing to give him a key though.
 
I was hoping to not have to go through the IT dept. They have started cracking down and it can take up to a month to get your key afdter they do all of the background checks etc. eto make sure that you are still elliogible. It may be my only option though. I may try a repair install. Damn M$ (my computer stopped working after the patchupdate two tue ago.)
 
PedroDaGr8 said:
I was hoping to not have to go through the IT dept. They have started cracking down and it can take up to a month to get your key afdter they do all of the background checks etc. eto make sure that you are still elliogible. It may be my only option though. I may try a repair install. Damn M$ (my computer stopped working after the patchupdate two tue ago.)
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That sucks, patch has always worked well for me. What you can try and do is insert CD into some otehr pc and browse for files, I am pretty sure there is a file with key on it, I have not found one bu I saw people say you can get it out.
 
Hehehe.....this has shady stamped all over it. Did the comp 'fall off of the truck'?

1) Need XP Key
2) Can't boot into windows
3) Doesn't wanna use IT dept


Happy ThxGivin
 
It does sound a bit shady, but I digress. If you walk into your IT department's office with your school ID and a printout of your current schedule, and tell them you need the key right away to get the computer up and running for a project, they should be able to give it to you. Definitely go in person though.
 
djnes said:
It does sound a bit shady, but I digress. If you walk into your IT department's office with your school ID and a printout of your current schedule, and tell them you need the key right away to get the computer up and running for a project, they should be able to give it to you. Definitely go in person though.
Click to expand...

At the school I work at, we do not "give" Windows XP copies out to Students, Faculty or Staff. They can go through our distributor for a deep discount though. Some schools offer cheap copies of Microsoft products for personal use, with different codes. I've never schools legitimately GIVE XP or any other MS product away for free.
 
djnes said:
It does sound a bit shady, but I digress. If you walk into your IT department's office with your school ID and a printout of your current schedule, and tell them you need the key right away to get the computer up and running for a project, they should be able to give it to you. Definitely go in person though.
Click to expand...
Yea, my current school will give you a printout of your schedule, but my old was a bitch. They would look at your ID, then look on their pc, then would make your parents come in.
 
It's not shady, I promise. I knew it woudl seem that way, so I have tried to give as much info as possible. Plus, I'm trying to get the key off my HD, NOT trying to get a new key., Aparently, a lot of the staff (especially) were abusing the privelage of free winxp so they have really cracked down hard core. If you don't believe me on the boot into windwos issue from that patch release check out my earlier thread asking if anyone has experienced this problem. Others have besides me.
 
Sir-Fragalot said:
I've never schools legitimately GIVE XP or any other MS product away for free.
Click to expand...
Just about all major colleges and universities do, and if it isn't free, it's like $5 to cover the media.
 
PedroDaGr8 said:
It's not shady, I promise. I knew it woudl seem that way, so I have tried to give as much info as possible. Plus, I'm trying to get the key off my HD, NOT trying to get a new key., Aparently, a lot of the staff (especially) were abusing the privelage of free winxp so they have really cracked down hard core. If you don't believe me on the boot into windwos issue from that patch release check out my earlier thread asking if anyone has experienced this problem. Others have besides me.
Click to expand...
We understand what you're asking for. That's why I said to take your schedule and ID, and go in person.
 
Have you tired the repair install I suggested above.. if you can get it working even a spec you can get in with jelly bean and get your code
 
hulksterjoe said:
Have you tired the repair install I suggested above.. if you can get it working even a spec you can get in with jelly bean and get your code
Click to expand...

Hell safe mode would work enough to use Jelly Bean.
 
There's also a DOS version that could be run from one of the Ultimate Boot CDs. I doubt it would work from a DOS boot disk, especially if your drive is formatted as NTFS.
 
first you will need some things
1 a working xp computer of the same version ie home or pro
2 a bartpe boot cd http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
3 keyfinder.exe from http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
4 LoadHive from http://www.matcode.com/codes.htm
5 some floppy disks

then
6. Put LoadHive on a floppy.
7. Boot dead system from PE CD.
8. Run LoadHive from the floppy in PE, load C:\WINDOWS\System32\Config\software ... it will mount the hive as SOFTWARE_00.
9. Run regedit, find the SOFTWARE_00 subkey and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion, exporte that subkey to the floppy.
10. Move to a working XP machine, back up my DigitalProductId key. Edit the reg file from the floppy to only contain the DigitalProductId key.
11. Merge the DigitalProductId key from the floppy, run Keyfinder (Magic Jellybean Software) and it will pull the key.
12. Merge the backup you made and run Keyfinder again, and it should show your original key.
 
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