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Windows licenses

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Is there a way to find out the license number from a PC that already has a copy of windows installed?

Does the method differ between Win95/98/2000?

Hope u can help :)

10 replies

by gd125962

Go into Control Panel, System and look at the General tab under the "Registered to" section. It should have the license number listed there. If you got Windows with the machine (as opposed to buying Windows and installing it on your own), there will probably be "OEM" somewhere in the license number.

by Member 33712138

Sorry if i wasn't particularly clear about this.

But this isn't the number i enteredwhen i installed windows. For a start, its numeric. The one i entered was alpha-numeric. How do i get the code i would need to reinstall the operating system?

by thechas

Maxwell is correct, you are looking for the product key.

For Windows 95 OEM versions, this is the same as the registration number.

For Windows 98 and later, the key varies at least by the CD revision, and possibly from CD to CD.

by fenaikh

Hi

Finding the CD (Product) Key from DOS

If you can't boot into Windows at all, then you can boot with a Startup Disk (CD support is not required) or into Command Mode Only and type the following command:

For 95:

C:\Windows\Command\Find /I "ProductId" c:\windows\system.dat

For 98/Me:

C:\Windows\Command\Find /I "ProductKey" C:\Windows\System.dat"

The first line of the screen dump will look like this:

ProductKeyXXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX where the X's are your actual CDKey
or
Start the Registry Editor
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion
Look at ProductID. you will find your CD key.Your Windows 95 CD-Key is also displayed on the General tab on System Properties (Control Panel > System).

Good luck

mohamed

by fenaikh

more...

For 98/Me:

Start the Registry Editor
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion
Look at ProductKey. XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX where the X's are your actual CD Key

good luck

Mohamed

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