Discussion on:

Find your Windows XP Product Key with ViewKeyXP

As stated in the article, ViewKeyXP only reveals the product key for Windows XP. After writing this article, I discovered a product from Magical Jelly Bean called KeyFinder which does the same thing, but also will reveal keys for Windows 2000, 98, and some Office products. I'll be posting and updated article in two weeks about Magical Jelly Bean's KeyFinder.

I am assuming that these products only work once you are in Windows, but is there a program that will work in DOS mode or at the initial setup screen? I had a problem where I had to reinstall, and was prompted for a key, but was only able to get asfar as the screen for entering the key. Any help here?

sorry to point this out but, reread the post you replyed to - he says keyfinder will work in dos.

Later

Sorry - glad i didn't flame ya! Cos' i would look like a jerk instead of just a idiot.
LOL
Think i will go get some sleep now.

This is a neat tool and a Nifty one ..but if u wnna really reinstall the OS and Format it then if u boot frm the CD and then go abt installing Windows...it wud nt ask for Serial Key...atleast for Braded system.

I ran across this freeware prog on Majorgeeks site & was intrigued, but haven't needed it yet. Just wondering why no one else has mentioned it.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/WinKeyDOS_d4628.html

the name of this app is a bit misleading; it will only run from windows. It opens a DOS window and runs from there. It doesn't run in what I would call 'true' DOS (ie: a Win98 boot disk) and doesn't run from recovery console.

I'm new to this site, but wondered if you IT experts could offer help. I bought a Gateway laptop with Windows XP Professional already installed, from a friend who never bothered to set up a password for the Administrator, when logging in, and for years I could just hit ok when logging on and the window went away. Now it won't go away and I am unable to log on.

Any suggestions without buying a whole new Windows product (or a new laptop)?

Visit http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/ for an offline password reset tool. Very useful.

Just this morning, I was reinstalling Windows XP on a friend's computer. Everything was going well until I was prompted for the product key. I typed the key but it was not accepted. I checked for any typos but the key was correct. I have reinstalled Windows XP on this machine many times, using that same key.

Not to be defeated, I got on the the internet, found a bunch of other keys and tried them all. None worked. Tried reinstalling again, but again no key would work. Both the Windows XP disk and product key I used are legal.

Any idea how to solve/debug this?

For the mean time, the solution was to download a cracked illegal copy of Windows XP and install that.

Thanks Microsoft!

While my organization has only purchased a few already setup computers, the XP machines had the sticker from MS with the code on it next to the serial number. Likewise, the Win 2000 machines we've purchased and the Win ME I purchased for home computer.
I don't need any special software to read those numbers. (Maybe a magnifiying lense perhaps.)

Paul Douglas

While this is true for any new machine you buy with Windows XP already on it, you won't find such a sticker if you upgraded an already existing OS to XP. That's where this tool would come in handy.

The problem with this tool is that it seems only to be useful if your system is up and running. If you can't start XP, does it work from a DOS prompt?

This tool has to be used from windows. If you are reinstalling xp and have gotten to the point where it asks you for the key it's to late, the drive has been formated at this point unless you did a custom install. Plus for it to work from DOS you would have to create a boot disk to Read NTFS since most xp Installs use this format. If you used a boot disk that reads NTFS then you would still have to be able to access the registry since that is where the program gets the product ID from.

The XP keys are in the registry, I expect. The registry keys that contain the data are readable by several non-Windows methods including a linux boot disk & linux-based registry key reader.

I'd like to see a couple of additions to this product type, including:

1. Command-line Win32 console version for login scripts, and
2. Windows GUI app that accepts the hash values read from another registry & reports the product key.

Windows registry does not contain the original key!

OK, to make sure that people know this, you can locate the product key using something like a BartPE disk and loading a registry hive. dagondesign.com has a program that can let you view the key based on the registry entry. It IS NOT just sitting there, but with the right tool, you can convert it to the key. I've tested it multiple times, and it does work.

As far as I know, there is no way to retrieve the
Product Key (PK) from DOS or recovery console. It
is stored in several locations (encrypted) on the
PC: in the registry it's listed as Digital Product
ID in 2 or 3 different places. It's also in the
system32\config\software folder in the windows or
winnt folder. If the OS won't load, there are at
least 2 ways of retrieving the key. One is easy,
the other not so much. Both methods require another PC with a working XP. First method is to
locate on the web and download an app called
'ProduKey'. Slave the HD in question to the work-
ing PC. View the read me file in ProduKey and type
the needed command into the Run line. The other
method invloves the importing/exporting and temporary replacement of registry keys, the use
of ERD Commander, UBCD4Win (BartsPE), or somethings similar, and a PK viewer such as Magical Jelly Bean, RockXP, ProduKey, etc and is
a royal pain in the arse! BTW- the PK viewer
mentioned elsewhere (ViewKey XP I think) only reports the correct key about half the time and
is not recommended as the wrong key will only mess
things up even worse! And Magical Jelly Bean can
trigger certain antivirus programs and it won't
run correctly either in that situation. So, use
either ProduKey or RockXP3 (which can also find
MS Office PK's!!!)

When you leave those nice numbers on the outside of the case you offer them to all those who are so inclined to "borrow" them for personal use

At the least remove the sticker and place the number on the inside case panels and add a tag to the hard drive. I use a fine line permanent marker to inscribe the OS key and service pack date to the side of the drive self adhesive sheets are useful as an altinate method.

It tends to make reinstalations very easy and inventory licence control simple to maintain.

When you need to pull the drive(s) you can verify that the drive has been reformated and cleared to an empty original status by using the check list on the drive for conformation

Not a good idea if it's a leased machine.

Those numbers (the key) can only be used on the orginal system so it's unlikely anyone can "borrow" them.

Also if it's a leased machine and you remove the COA (or move it to the inside), you've just removed about $100 from the value of the machine and you will probably get charged for the missing COA when you return the unit.

Jeff DeWitt

What if the sticker falls off, gets ripped off, or is rubbed to death by the tons of junk under the desk/next to the box??? Answer: ViewKeyXP or collect them before they are lost. I.e. in a spreadsheet and print and binder them. I do like volume licensing.

There is just one small issue with the find XP key Serge has made:
The number it reports with is incorrect.

Be VERY careful about using "free" ware

Patrick Burwell
Network Engineer
New Jersey

This program get's its information from the registry. How do you know you got a wrong key? Most pre-loaded systems, like from Gateway, Dell, IBM and so forth, load the system from the factory from an image pre-created. I have a mixture of Dells, both Home and Pro editions that are all using the same CDKEY because of preloading. If you have one of these OEM computers, the sticker on your system is the one to use when reloading, if you need to. That number hasn't been activated with Microsoft.

Pre SP2 the featured program did show the right numbers. Not anymore.
However, the other mentioned program does get the right numbers.

Apologies if someone else has already posted this, but....

Quote
The utility "ViewkeyXP" showcased by the web page title no longer works with
XP SP 2 and has been removed
EndQuote

source: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ViewKeyXP.htm

However the site gives other links to things that might help, I have only tested one, a BETA product and got an unexpected error message

KeyFinder has been out a while and works great! Search it out and enjoy!

I tried it on 2 different machines in different locations and it worked correctly on both of those.

ive used this many times and every time it shows the wrong number ....

Why wasn't a good clean copy put out on CNet/TechRepublic's Download page?

If the author is just a contributor, then you are not at fault. But ZD/CNet/TechRepulic, shame on you!

It seems to me if you are recommending a product (which is how I take favorable verbiage in your Newsletters) ESPECIALLY since you knew it was easy for someone to download an infected copy, then it was your DUTY to make it easy for your readers to get a clean copy. You have a Download page, for goodness sakes!

Thankfully, the author did remind his readers to save and scan first.

Note: And since this was a repost from 5/03, you had two opportunities.

I feel this is even more evidence of ZD?s spiral decline. Too bad. It used to be the premier source of info.

Look a little further down the posts, to the "Crackers - Can you point me to" thread. Can you believe that a TR staffer with the moniker fixit@techrepublic.com wouldn?t be able to do a simple Google. Sheesh.....

Hiya
Try a Dogpile search(www.dogpile.com) for
RockXP3 - this tool will recover all MS software Keys ... worth keeping on the memory stick ...
Arthur

Another app that gives the product ID key of all MS OSs and Office, with the exception of Office 2k. It also let's you edit.

RockXP4 works excellent!

Download: http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/RockXP/1076256606/1

I downloaded ViewKeyXP and tried it on my Dell 8300 with an OEM Windows XP install. I got a "module #1" error, "Do you want to send this to MS?"
MagicalJellyBean KeyFinderworked flawlessly.

Its AIDA32 System Information for me
it gives Product ID.Product Key
Motherboard ID and Name. Cpu.
plus 101 other things about your system setup

Belarc advisor, another free tool will give the number and much more about the system. I wonder if any of these tools will run from the Ultimate boot disk. The Windows UBCD is one of the greatest tools of all time. It boots the machine to XP and you can do many things with it. This tool has saved the day many times for me.

I downloaded UBCD and hadn't used it yet. My virus program says it includes a trojan horse. So I deleted it from my downloads and am afraid to use it. I really need to find a program that will let me access a HD that got screwed up - corrupted MBR and NTFS.

You'll just have to install the tools you need manually.

I have done a lot of Googling to try and find BartPE lately and everyone who recommends BartPE points to the same non-functioning web site: www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ Is there another source for this software?

the reason it's reporting a trojan is because of the software it uses to pull up the info on your system - I've gotten the same result from avg, norton, and mcafee

Thanks for the input. I have been told that the error message occurred because the program has the capability of changing the MBR. However, since my original post I have downloaded the newest version (v103) and the AV program is not reporting any discrepancy.

RockXP lets you view & change your WinXP product key. It also shows your other MS product keys.

If you buy a WinXP upgrade, it still comes with a sticker, you just have to afix it yourself.

You don't need a tool to get the product key from the Windows 9x versions (this includes ME) It's available from the registry.

Click Start then Run: Type "regedit" into the dialog box. Expand the menu trees for HKey Local Machine, Software, Microsoft, Windows then click the "Current Version" folder itself, not the plus sign and your product key is right there

Wasn't this thread about XP?

Marcel

There ia Easier way : Right click "My computer"
Then click properties

It seems like the key is the same for the drive that is running and the dead slave drive
What i did is went to the e: which is were the dead drive is and followed your instructions but it gave me a the same key
if i doit on the C: drive and follow your instructions????

Windows wont even start up for me, so I attempted to download the Serivce Pack 1, and It's installing, except it wants the Product ID for my computer, and I can't even get it...What should I do?

I've posted this numerous times here.... view elsewhere in a post called "...key from trashed XP" or something similar. It's very simple. Just read that post. You'll need a BartCD or UBCD4Win or a 2nd PC that boots into Windows OK.....

There is a much better FREE program available called AIDA. This free program can be installed on a thumb drive and run from there ( only 4 MB). It will give the key for most registered programs and is an excellent diagnostic program.It is also much easier to use than SiSandra. It goes into much more detail than Device Manager and includes all items in your computer and gives links to websites for updates of hardware.

This program was dropped by the vendor as of the beginning of 2006. Only commercial products now available.