Finding Product Key

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Schmidt - 30 May 2006 01:31 GMT

I purchased WIN 98SE Full Version, WIN ME & XP from an honest private party
on ebay. I was able to install & register both 98SE and ME but the seller
only had the product id # for XP and not the CD Key code. It IS a genuine
copy (due to the hologram on the cd). How do I find the Key code or access
the cd's registry in order to install and setup?

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Shenan Stanley - 30 May 2006 02:23 GMT

> I purchased WIN 98SE Full Version, WIN ME & XP from an honest
> private party on ebay. I was able to install & register both 98SE
> and ME but the seller only had the product id # for XP and not the
> CD Key code. It IS a genuine copy (due to the hologram on the cd).
> How do I find the Key code or access the cd's registry in order to
> install and setup?

It is not necessarily the CD that makes a copy of Windows XP
legitimate/genuine.
It is the CD/Product Key.

The CD key is not stored on the CD.
It is purposely separated because the CD itself is not as important as the
CD Key.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/re/2abf99cd-a5e4-469c-802e-55ca8
ec542d5.mspx

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Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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Schmidt - 30 May 2006 03:57 GMT

I have already tried the "How to tell if it's authentic" link. I answered
yes to the 4 questions. THE CD IS AUTHENTIC. However, that doesn't help me
during installation. I am still being prompted to enter the product key,
which I can't find. I am just looking for a way to find my product key.
After installing the WIN 98SE and upgrading to the WIN ME, I am now trying to
install the WIN XP Upgrade (all upgraded in the same machine).

Thanks,
Tania

> > I purchased WIN 98SE Full Version, WIN ME & XP from an honest
> > private party on ebay. I was able to install & register both 98SE
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/re/2abf99cd-a5e4-469c-802e-55ca8
ec542d5.mspx

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Shenan Stanley - 30 May 2006 04:11 GMT

Shenan Stanley wrote:

> It is not necessarily the CD that makes a copy of Windows XP
> legitimate/genuine.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/re/2abf99cd-a5e4-469c-802e-55ca8
ec542d5.mspx

> I have already tried the "How to tell if it's authentic" link. I
> answered yes to the 4 questions. THE CD IS AUTHENTIC. However,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> 98SE and upgrading to the WIN ME, I am now trying to install the
> WIN XP Upgrade (all upgraded in the same machine).

Let me put it more succinctly..

Without the product/cd key - you have nothing.

The CD is just data - the real meat of a Windows XP install is the
CD/Product key - which you do not have.

You bought this from eBay. You have no one to go to but the person you
purchased it from to give you the key - or they need to provide you with
their proof of purchase of this CD so you can get a legitimate CD Key.

The CD/Product Key is not located on the CD in any form or fashion. You
bought it second hand - so your only recourse is to contact that seller.
They must have the CD Key you need in order to have an actual authentic
Windows XP installation/license. The CD may have been stamped with all the
authority of Microsoft behind it - but the license/installation/activation
revolves around that CD/Product Key.

You could not have answered all the authentic questions in the affirmative..

The big one(s) are:
"Product Key Label" <- you do not have the Product Key/CD Key.
"Certificate of Authenticity (COA)" <- Do you have this?

It does not matter if Bill Gates himself created your CD in his home and
deemed it "Authentic" --> the person on eBay either gives you the Product/CD
Key or you bought "data on a CD".

Signature

Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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Schmidt - 31 May 2006 22:46 GMT

Thank you all for your replies! My ebay contact was unable to locate the key
and has refunded me.

> > I purchased WIN 98SE Full Version, WIN ME & XP from an honest
> > private party on ebay. I was able to install & register both 98SE
[quoted text clipped - 49 lines]
> deemed it "Authentic" --> the person on eBay either gives you the Product/CD
> Key or you bought "data on a CD".

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peter - 30 May 2006 05:29 GMT

On an another note you really do not need to install 98...ME and the XP
upgrade.
XP would have asked for the 98 or ME CD read it and then installed without
you having to install the previous 2 OS.

Good Luck on that "key" thing
peter

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"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others."

>I have already tried the "How to tell if it's authentic" link. I answered
> yes to the 4 questions. THE CD IS AUTHENTIC. However, that doesn't help
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
>>
>> http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/re/2abf99cd-a5e4-469c-802e-55ca8
ec542d5.mspx

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Adam Leinss - 31 May 2006 00:07 GMT

> THE CD IS AUTHENTIC.

Very well. So the seller made a copy, kept the key and give you an
authentic copy. Now what?

Adam

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Visit my PC Tech blog at www.leinss.com/blog

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Michael A. Covington - 31 May 2006 00:45 GMT

>> THE CD IS AUTHENTIC.
>
> Very well. So the seller made a copy, kept the key and give you an
> authentic copy. Now what?

That's exactly it. The seller probably kept the key and a copy of the CD.
(The copy is as good as the original; the key is what's unique.)

It's rather like selling you a padlock and not selling you the key with it.
What you've got to do is get the seller to give you the key.

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