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But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

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Okay,

So I build my own PCs, that way, they’re exactly the way I want them. I don’t put the product key sticker on the side of the cases because I don’t want them to be obvious. (Yes, yes, of COURSE I could put them on the inside of the case.)

Anyway, I made a slight mistake in the purchase of my copy of XP Pro. It was sold to me out of a package of software that came with another PC, not mine. I’ve called MS, gave them the number on the inside ring of the CD, they told me they were very sorry, but they couldn’t help me, because it wasn’t “my” copy of Windows.

Barring going out and spending another bunch of cash on a new copy of XP Pro, (I still have to buy heating oil for the winter…) is there any workarounds that you might know about that would help me retrieve the key? I tried the key retrieval from Dagon Design, it gave me clear instructions, but when I decrypted the key and entered it into my Windows installation, it came back as invalid.

Topic

Clarifications

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

Clarifications

Go buy a new one

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

you didn’t mention what type of Windows you bought.

Sounds like OEM software

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

If I am not mistaken, Microsoft OEM software can not be transfered from one PC to another; and is not supported by MS. http://www.newegg.com has decently priced copies of WinXP. If Microsoft can not help you, then we can not.

no no no

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

I cannot believe you asked a question like this on Tech Republic, we are supposed to be professional people here not encouraging software piracy.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

In reply to no no no

It was recommended to me that I ask on TechRepublic.

for the rest of you, I purchased it thinking it was a legal copy. So, when it came, I didn’t question it. I did register it with Microsoft, but apparently, not in the way you expected me to have done.

Okay, I get the message. I asked for help from professionals, I got nasty answers back. My copy was purchased in good conscience, and maybe not from a source you would have used, but then, I’m not as rich as the rest of you, I have worked in IT for over 22 years, I have a degree in IT, but I can’t find work in my area. I’m on a pension and a disability, so my income is limited. I live on the edge trying just to survive.

I have already discussed this with Microsoft, you haven’t told me anything I don’t already know. If those are the only answers you have to give me, please don’t bother. I thought I spelled it out pretty well in my original post, but since I now see that this forum is just for IT Professionals who have lots of corporate money to back them, I won’t waste your or my time coming back.

For all of you sarcastic jerks, take a hike. For those of you who were nice, I apologize for my question if it was offensive, and I suppose I should apologize for the behavior of those who gave sarcastic replies. “Forgive them, Ye Wise Ones, for they know not what they do.”

Goodbye!

Just doesn’t add up

In reply to Yes! Yes! Yes!

The more you type, the more holes appear in your story. I find it increasingly hard to accept that anyone working in IT for 22 years would not know about how software is legally purchased. Guess the scammer that sold it to you really saw you coming when they sold you an illegal copy, huh? Lesson learned and be the wiser for it.

Getting pissed off because you don’t like the that no one will help you to be a thief is more of a reflection on you than us. It shows you’re just a thief with no sense of humor.

If you really are that concerned with making ends meet, run a linux desktop. It is free and legal, which is a hell of a combination.

Your question offensive? Would you be offended if someone asked you to go into the corner store and steal a candy bar for them? Well, a $300 candy bar….. :0 Get the picture?

Hey JD… psst… over here

In reply to Just doesn’t add up

can you go into the store and steal me a $300 candy bar? I never had one (nor seen one) before.
You can email it to my by peer mail…. LOL

It is just amazing

In reply to Hey JD… psst… over here

what they are doing with candy these daze….. :p

Anyone remember a time you could get a PACK of gum for 25 cents? Hell, now most are over $2.

What on earth…….

In reply to Yes! Yes! Yes!

….. would make you think that if you could not get help from Microsoft on this matter due to the legitimacy of the disk you hold in your hand, that asking on TR would get you a different answer? Sorry, but I fail to see the logic behind your thinking.

If you see sarcastic replies, it is because you continue to argue with the replies that came before them which offer no more help than what you received from Microsoft. The fact that you don’t want to believe what you’re told, that you made a mistake and will have to pay for it, isn’t our problem.

Believe me when I say that we wouldn’t help someone with tons of money any more than we would help someone who is broke and can’t afford to purchase the software they seek.

It isn’t logic

In reply to What on earth…….

it is the “oh, poor me, give me special treatment” syndrome, boo hooooooo.

He is not looking for a legal solution and he is fully aware of it.

Who is Offended?

In reply to Yes! Yes! Yes!

You seem to be offended by some of the responses here. Honestly, I’m offended by yours.

We all have personal situations, some better some worse.

But don’t accuse people of things (corporate money) if you don’t know the facts.

I’ll share two facts with you about me.

1) My wife and I had twins about a year ago. They were born 2 months + premature and had numerous health issues (they are completely healthy today:)

Bottom line: I got sacked with about $30,000+ worth of medical bills AFTER insurance paid (total bill was more along the lines of $500,000+).

I missed almost 7 weeks of work and honestly don’t have two nickels to rub together right now.

2) I work in the home building industry. Turn on the nightly news and you’ll see just how much “corporate money” we have right now.

We’re building 30%+ less houses today, have laid off 20% of our staff, and budgets are being slashed.

Taken together, I don’t want or expect pity from anyone. If you don’t want to pay or can’t pay money for a product, DON’T USE IT.

Let me tell you, I’m probably one of the biggest skeptics here on TR about Linux. But I will also tell you this:

Linux is a very viable alternative for Windows and is FREE. If I was in your situation, you bite your loss for purchasing an illegal copy of XP, chalk it up as a mistake and move on.

Alternatives exist, use them. But more important, we all don’t need some sob story about your personal situation.

Trust me, I’d bet there are plenty of people on here that you stereotyped that have or had personal problems as great or greater than your own.

A beautiful mind is one that isn’t or won’t be a captive of financial affairs.

Excellent post, Rickk!

In reply to Who is Offended?

Simple and eloquent.

No pity from here, only my prayers for you and your family.

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger…

In reply to Excellent post, Rickk!

Right?

In the last year, I discovered just how strong a person I could be.

In the span of 3 months, we almost lost both of our twins. One was born 2 lbs and nearly didn’t make it. The other was the “chunky” one at a whooping 4 lbs.

Roughly 8-9 weeks after being born and having survived their initial difficulties coming into this world, both got a severe case of RSV.

The smallest twin actually stopped breathing 4 times the night she “crashed”. Both spent 3 weeks in a essentially a self induced coma.

Details aside, I can say with 100% confidence I am a much better person today. I have had my “I found Jesus” moment.

When you stare death in the face almost everyday for weeks and months on end, money really just doesn’t mean as much.

I can relate

In reply to What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger…

I’m a cancer survivor. Right now I am waiting to find out if I get to be a cancer survivor again.

Premie is tough enough without the twins aspect. I can’t begin to imagine what all you and your wife have been through. But I can tell that you are equal to the task. Fortunately, as premies get older, they get stronger and less susceptible. This is a good thing.

But I agree with you. I have very little patience for people who play the “oh poor me” card. And I have utmost respect for anyone who can take on a trial, recognize it for the growth opportunity that it can be, and come out the other side with the strength of having done so. It seems to me that the character growth that comes from adversity is little valued.

Keep me up on how your little ones are doing. I don’t have children of my own so I live vicariously through the parenting of the people I know.

The only thing I would add Rickk

In reply to Who is Offended?

is it is the people that DO something about their situations that get anywhere, instead of crying in their beer on how life just isn’t fair.

From one father of twins to another, congrats and good luck. Mine were 1 1/2 early, but no health problems other than ear infections on a regular basis. They are now 15 1/2, and the greatest gift I have ever gotten in this life of mine. Oh yeah, boys, and they look nothing alike.

If it helps

In reply to Who is Offended?

I was born 2 months premature in the early 60s, in a small town hospital. My mom was told to expect the worst, and advised not to give me a name….

I had some minor health issues in my childhood years. I ended up fine. I was an athlete (cross country running/cycling/Skiing).

I’m not trying at all to elicit sympathy, or give you pity, but rather to give you perspective – it can work out for your kids, and you will hopefully look back on this 20 years from now the way my parents can now.

James

While posted much better

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

than many of the OS crack/hack requests, it still boils down to the same thing.

You should have known it was not a legal purchase in the first place. Your punishment took a while, but it has come at last in the form of you being out the money AND the OS.

Next time you want something, get it legally and write this off as a lesson learned.

Call the PC Manufacturer

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

Call them and ask if you can get the Product Key for your OEM copy of Windows that you got a too good to be true deal on when you bought it.

Did you not read the post?

In reply to Call the PC Manufacturer

Just in case you missed it, HE/SHE is the manufacturer…. System is home built. That’s not a bad thing, of course, but ther is NO manufacturer to call except themselves.

Yes, I know

In reply to Did you not read the post?

I was an attempt to get the EU to realize that you should have more sense than that.

I think that you may be SOL on the Windows

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

But you might want to consider a Linux distro. I think that PCLinuxOS is the best for folks that are very Windows-centric. http://www.pclinuxos.com/. Try the Live CD before installing.

I’ve also heard a lot of folks liking Ubuntu quite well.

If you want to use Microsoft software, try running it under Wine.

Google open source. There is a rich world out there!

Work with your source

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

The solution to this is to work with the company you bought your software from and get them to pony up with a proper copy for you.

If the company you bought the software from will not make things right, you have no other option but to buy a valid OEM copy of Windows.

Chas

Doubtful it was a company

In reply to Work with your source

but more likely a friend that had bought a Dell or whatever, that shared the software.

Anyone that knows enough about computers to build a pc knows enough about the licensing and how it works.

Windows XP Licensing

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

Software that comes with a PC (OEM) is licensed for that chassis. It is not free to be sold, given away, or even used on another PC you own. Dell\HP\Gateway\Whomever pays next to nothing for it and the restriction is that it cannot be re-used on another system.

It was obtained in violation of the license. if you knew this going in, it was your fault. If you did not and you bought this software from a company and not Uncle Buck, then contact the Microsoft Anti-Piracy Group and they will assist you. Many people who were sold bogus XP licenses got legit ones from MS.

Screw em

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

MS is such a whore about all that stuff. They make a decent (at best) product and charge a ridiculous sum of money for it, then when you get in trouble you get the ‘very sorry but…’. I say screw em dude you already paid for it. Either hack it or go Ubuntu. Or you can Hackintosh if you got a intel based PC.

sad state of IT today

In reply to Screw em

is that people like you are a part of it.

If you do not approve of the product or the cost for windows, don’t use it.

A thief is a thief, regardless of if they steal anything of value or not.

And…. what if was yours?

In reply to Screw em

I see you’re in developement. How would you react if a product that you developed was stollen because someone decided it wasn’t worth the price you were charging for it? Would you let it go because it’s just one “guy”? Or, would you chase down the culprit and have them prosecuted to the full extent of the law in your country?

clearly thumby

In reply to And…. what if was yours?

if the thief had a sob story, it would be ok for him to be a thief, and our dear poster would even give him money for fuel oil….

B-)

Yeah, feeling real sympathetic right about now…. :p

Amen!!

In reply to clearly thumby

I had this discussion in the message boards over MP3s. Why do people believe lack of funds entitles them to steal? I have 3 kids and I’d love to buy them everything they want, btu I can’t. Can I just steal whenever it suits me? Hell no I can’t.

These idiots who want everything to be free amaze me. Apparently they watch too mcuh Star Trek.

And I bought my wife a decent refurb Dell for $250 shipped not that long ago. With Windows XP on it. I know that isn’t chump change and it isn’t an awesome box, but it runs and it does what she needs: Outlook and IE. If this guys box is that old it might be worth it to just make the investment and move on.

running an IBM referb myself

In reply to Amen!!

after you add in WinXP, you can’t MAKE a system for the $250 a referb runs. Got a little netvista and it runs like a champ WITH a legal copy of XP.

No sympathy what so ever for this loser. The word “dregs” comes to mind.

Similarly

In reply to running an IBM referb myself

I bought a off lease Dell Precision workstation about 9 months ago. It was 2 years old and cost orginally $5000. I paid 500.

I got a legal copy of XP Pro. I got a high end computer with a 3.2 Xeon processor (space for one more on the MB), 2GB of Ram etc.

The cheapest I’ve seen XP Pro OEM is $170 (tigerdirect.com).

James

And with the current exchange rate

In reply to Similarly

that is what, $2k USD = $500 Canadian? :0

The funny thing about the OP is he probably spend a pretty penny building up his system in the first place. Bet he also has broadband and a cell phone too.

WATB is such a perfect fit.

Where do you get your off-lease systems from? Mine came from tigerdirect.

I got my previous one – eMachine from Tiger

In reply to Similarly

And its working fine and was cheap, I’ve passed it on to my kids.

I wanted more horepower. I can add a second processor, more RAM etc.

I got my precision from an eBay seller who also lives in the Toronto area – we met in the parking lot of my workplace and exchanged money for computer. I don’t frequent eBay, he also posted on a local forsale newsgroup. He buys in job lots – 20 to 30 at a time. This is a part time job for him.

James

Where did you find it?

In reply to running an IBM referb myself

Where did you find the IBM referb? A local non-profit that I volunteer for purchased one from USANotebook for $700 with OEM WinXP SP2 on it. Has COA and validated just fine, but it didn’t come with the recovery CD. So, if anything ever happens…… When I questioned them about it, they said the notebooks arrive from the factory to them that way and that the recovery CD has to be obtained from IBM. Just currious where you found yours?

Thumbie, link for referbs

In reply to Where did you find it?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=6&name=Desktop-PCs

They start at $200 and go up to about $400.

I got an IBM NetVista with XPpro for $250.

512 Ram
2.4 P4

These do not come with a monitor, nor a recovery disk in many cases, but it does have the product key sticker on the case so I could reload if/when I choose.

There is a directory with all the drivers that I copied off, so I have everything I need because I already have a copy of the media.

I got mine from Dell…

In reply to Where did you find it?

I had to register my machine, but then I got the balance of the 3 year warranty. This despite the fact I wasn’t the original owner, and didn’t buy it from the original owner. The original owner was in the US, and I am in Canada. They sent me the disks for free, by overnight courier.

I do know that for consumer PCs, they will send you the disks for the cost of shipping.

I expect IBM would be the same.

The eMachines refurb I got had the recovery disks and a recovery partition. Which is good since the disk hadn’t been wiped – the first owners user IDs were still there. I wiped and started fresh just to be sure.

James

The manufacturer

In reply to Where did you find it?

Can supply a recovery CD. So will Microsoft on validation of the OEM key on the sticker.

That is really not that uncommon. I have a Dell that I bought second hand and had to buy the recovery disk through Dell. It’s a few bucks for peace of mind.

Oh, I know we can get the media

In reply to Where did you find it?

Yeah, I know we can get the media from the manufacturer. I guess that’s not what really botheres me the most.

My main complaint is really the fact that these resellers/refurbishers are allowed to send PC’s out without one word anywhere stating that they come without that media and there’s no way to create one of your own. One just assumes that when their advertisement says you can order it with or without XP on it, you’ll get the media to go with the license that you’ve paid extra for.

Probably the reason it bothers me so much though, is that when I worked for an OEM 5 years ago (small Mom/Pop Shop), we HAD to provide all original media that was used to install anything on that particular system, new or refurbished, or risk loosing our OEM status. I was floored when I found out that the refurbishers/resellers haven’t been doing that and they’re getting away with it!

I read recently though, that MS is cracking down on this particular company as well as others doing the same thing. So, someday, all will be as it should be…. recovery media of some kind accompanies the license that you purchased, even if it’s on the HDD….. hopefully.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not asking for help here. I’m simply discusted that this kind of stuff goes on out there, everywhere it seems, and unsuspecting people are being duped into thinking they’re buying a complete “package”, only to find out differently when it arrives.

But, that is a topic for the discussion area, so I’ll get off my band wagon now! 😉

When does Winter start in Ohio then ? . . .

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

I’ve been paying out on heating costs for over 8 weeks now!

Mind you, I’m between 57′ and 58′ North.

Winter in Ohio Starts…

In reply to When does Winter start in Ohio then ? . . .

Officially, it starts December 23. However, as far as I’m concerned, in my drafty old farmhouse, it starts around the 2nd week of November.

For those who aren’t sure, it’s XP Pro, and I’ve mislaid the manual that still has the PID sticker on it. All I’m asking is to recover the PID. I legally registered that copy of Windows XP Pro with Microsoft, but they still say they cannot give me the product key.
WARNING: The following is directed to CG IT, not to any other of you who kindly responded to me.

Oh, and for the first reply to my question, from CG IT, did you not understand that I am on a pension and a disability. I can’t run out and buy the latest greatest version of whatever is hot on the market. Obviously, sir, you have a well-paying job that allows you that luxury, while I am struggling to just keep warm. However, I do appreciate the time you took (wasted) to tell me to buy a new copy of XP. Perhaps you’ll be kind enough to buy me $300 worth of heating oil, while I purchase $300 of a product I already have but cannot access.

The facts…..

In reply to Winter in Ohio Starts…

The fact that you are disabled does not entitle you to anything more than those who are not disabled, so leave that justification out of the picture. The fact that you can not afford to purchase a product does not entitle you to use it. All of us must live within our means. Sometimes, we must save for years to purchase something that we want. We don’t go out and steal it just because we want it. The bottom line is that if you can’t afford a computer and the software that you WANT to run it, you shouldn’t have one.

Afterthought: You REALLY should get your facts straight if you wish to argue your point. In your original post, you said:

[i]Anyway, I made a slight mistake in the purchase of my copy of XP Pro. It was sold to me out of a package of software that came with another PC, not mine.[/i]

This is where you made your mistake and you admitted to it.

In the post just above this post, you said:

[i]For those who aren’t sure, it’s XP Pro, and I’ve mislaid the manual that still has the PID sticker on it. All I’m asking is to recover the PID. I legally registered that copy of Windows XP Pro with Microsoft, but they still say they cannot give me the product key.[/i]

How could you have a manual with a PID if your original post is the truth? The PID would have been ON the computer that it came with. They are no longer stuck to the manual like they were in the Win98 days. You couldn’t have possibly LEGALLY registered the product. It wasn’t yours to register. You may have gotten past the product validation the first time, but their cross checks caught up with you.

So, all we can say is….

NICE TRY…. BUT THAT BOAT WON’T FLOAT!!!!

So what is wrong with these posts

In reply to Winter in Ohio Starts…

You get pissed at CG IT for information, and you rant earlier up the thread about all of the nasty answers! Unfortunately, I didnt see much for ‘nasty answers’ just answers that you didnt like cause we wont tell you haw to crack it!

F*CK OFF then, keep your POS whiny ass crap off of the site. We dont need your kind of Sh1t here. If you thought that everyone else was nasty, just think of what you will think of this, dumba$$…

Now, if you cannot afford a proper Win license, and MS will not help, then find your F*cking product key and shut the F**k up already! If you bought it legally, then there are several answers up above with useful information. But since you seem to be a little b!tch just wanting a handout from a sob story, go F**k youself to warm your sorry a$$ up!

You want a free OS, move to Linux, no licensing fee and you may find that you like it!

hey! that could be our new motto for those who lose

In reply to So what is wrong with these posts

XP or Vista products keys!

move to linux….it’s actually far cheaper than Windows…Unbuntu GUI

CG IT, I thought you were going to say

In reply to hey! that could be our new motto for those who lose

“go f#@k yourself” was the new motto….. ;\

So did I actually :)

In reply to CG IT, I thought you were going to say

.

well that did cross my mind

In reply to CG IT, I thought you were going to say

but I live in fear of Beth every day….

😀

Oh…..

In reply to well that did cross my mind

[i]~whispers~ the hangman? we don’t speak that name too loudly around here….. :0

Beth! Over ^^^ here! Jd’s doing it again….. ]:)

In reply to well that did cross my mind

GG

[i]sshhhhhhhhhhhhh! [/i]

In reply to well that did cross my mind

Don’t SAY that so loudly! :0 [i]SHE[/i] might hear…….

Hahahhahahahha

In reply to well that did cross my mind

I can’t begin to tell you how hard I just laughed at this conversation.

I’m actually on vacation today but was stopping in to read posts from my “favorite” members. *evil maniacal laugh*

Oh my gg, what have you done? :0

In reply to well that did cross my mind

Her wrath will be swift and terrible….

[i]
run away! run away!

Sorry all (except the WATB)

In reply to So what is wrong with these posts

I guess I have been too nice with these freaks lately, or I just miss Dans posts like this. But I just had ta do it!!! 🙂

Best laugh I’ve had since I joined up here…

In reply to So what is wrong with these posts

That was the sort of torrent of abuse that was welling up inside the fabric of my being.

…Didn’t realise you could GO quite that far in a retort but hey, WTF – it was deserved.

‘Nuff said.

But how do you REALLY feel?

In reply to So what is wrong with these posts

Tell us tell us how you REALLY feel. Quit hiding your feelings behind such vague statements. It’s ok. Let it out.

hehe…. I’ve read the entire thread and must say I think you’ve spoken for a quite a few people.

JPL()

So try using

In reply to Winter in Ohio Starts…

Some of the good information offered.

As many of my peers suggested, consider a Linux distro. I even included a link to a distro that is extremely user friendly- especially for MS users that don’t want to see a change in their experience.

But don’t you dare come here and tell us that your disability and pension are some kind of validation for cracking a copy of XP.

First- you have no clue who is on the other side of the screen. We may all be disabled and on pensions for all you know.

Second- you were given alternatives that ARE within your budget. Why in the world would you not consider them if your story is as you say?

Finally- don’t you dare try to beat me up with how hard your life is. I am currently going through sh*t that you can’t imagine- why should I have to put up with some ass pushing his hard luck down my throat? You don’t like your life? Try mine.

You have been offered a whole lot more than you deserved to be offered. And believe it or not, there isn’t one of us that has ANY obligation to you whatsoever.

I’ll just bet that you are wondering why you aren’t getting the help and support that you think you deserve. I’ll tell you why.

Because.

Wish I could …

In reply to So try using

… give you thumbs up for that post Tigger.

It was spot on!

You are paying too much for XP

In reply to Winter in Ohio Starts…

If as stated you are building computers, you should be able to use the OEM version of XP Pro. I buy them from legitimate on-line sellers for around $145 per license. I’m sure if you try harder, you can find it for even less.

As to getting your key, most of the keyfinders (such as Magic Jellybean) work by looking for the original key on an existing installation.

If you did register and not just activate XP, I am surprised that Microsoft is not providing you with assistance, if this was a full retail version of XP.

There is no way to get your specific key from the XP installation CD. When you call Microsoft and provide the serial number on the CD, they provide you with a valid key for that batch of distribution CDs. You do need to find the folder and or sticker and go from there.

If Microsoft will not assist you, I wonder that if you find your key if you will be able to activate the installation.

Chas

The good news is…

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

The penalty for software piracy is a fine of up to $250,000 and 5 years in prison.

Kinda makes a $300 OS not look so expensive.

JPL()

That IS good news for the OP

In reply to The good news is…

Just think, 5 years of not having to pay a heating bill! :p

Might even make a new friend or two…… :0

Ok I will treat this one as Real

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

If you paid money for Windows and not for a package of software which just happened to include a windows disk (may have been included by mistake)

Then the sale was illegal
Demand your money back

Then put your money towards buying a legit Windows

You cannot expect people on this or any web site to help you break the law
If they did.
They would then be criminals

Col

A Straight Answer

In reply to But What If……You Built Your PC Yourself, and Don’t Have a PID Sticker?

If the XP installation is still mostly intact, there are 2 options for retrieving product keys.

For a bootable system (Safe or Normal modes):
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

For a mostly intact but not bootable installation:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/howto.htm

There is a key finder included on the UBCD4Win that can read an intact hash.

If you have wiped the XP installation, your only options are to find the sticker with product key or purchase another copy.

[Author]

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