Solved Find product Key in Wix XP on registry or from CD?

[DragonPoet]

First I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. OK.... how do I explain this without getting anyone lost... *scratches head*... I am just getting into virtualization. So, I thought it would be nice to have Windows XP on a vm (virtual machine). So my solution would have been to convert a physical drive into VirtualBox or just install from the installation CD. And this is where I ran into a problem for each of my solutions: 1) I cannot figure out how to convert the drive into VirtualBox (track progress HERE <this is just a link to another post I made in the virtualization ). I've been able to convert it into a VMWare file type, but that's about it. 2) I have two Windows XP installation CD's, one is Home and the other is Professional. I do not have the product key for the Home CD and the Professional only activates a product key when installed on a DELL machine. I do have a DELL Inspiron 6000 laptop.

So, back to my original question: How do you find the product key in Windows XP via the registry or the installation CD.

PLEASE NOTE: I have tried the method where you explore the installation CD and then go into the System32 folder and look under the UNATTENDED.txt and it seams to me that this is ONLY a guide that shows how to install it over several machines.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and Reps for anyone who helps! Have a great day.

 

[JDobbsy1987]

If i remember rightly, Speccy - System Information - Free Download can tell you the product keys for programs installed on a computer.

not used it for a while though

Regards,
JDobbsy1987

 

[JDobbsy1987]

If i remember rightly, Speccy - System Information - Free Download can tell you the product keys for programs installed on a computer.

not used it for a while though

Regards,
JDobbsy1987

Sorry, this software doesn't do what I thought although it can provide some helpful info

I will take a look for another solution.

Regards,
JDobbsy1987

 

[JDobbsy1987]

I have not used any of these pieces of software but there is a list located here - Key Finder Programs - Top 13 Free Product Key Finder Programs - Keyfinder Software

Feel free to stick around though as i'm sure someone here will have done this before

Regards,
JDobbsy1987

 

[outlawed]

If you have a computer that came manufactured with XP, look for the labels if they are still there and not scratched off. Microsoft puts a Genuine Product label on computers that usually comes printed with the product key for said OS.

It will usually look like this:

I know this isn't what you were asking, but I am just providing another alternate means of finding your product key incase you can't find it via registry or CD.

 

[DocBrown]

Magical Jelly Bean


SIW | System Information for Windows by Gabriel Topala

 

[johnnya]

Hi Dragonpoet. If the product key you are trying to find is on a machine that actually has the XP installed, you can find that key as follows.
Download and install Belarc Advisor and run it. It produces a report outlining your entire machine including hardware and software. Under the software section you will find your product key for Windows XP
Belarc Advisor description, System Resources Tune-Up. Downloads List By 30 Day Change | PCWorld | PCWorld
Let us know how you make out.
Regards
JohnnyA

 

[DragonPoet]

@ JDobbsy1987 and DocBrown: I have tried the top 4 keyfinders (the first one on the list is Magic Jelly Bean) from the list and they all have the same key, but when I try to activate my virtual machine it says that it's not a registered product key.

@ outlawed: I know about the product key sticker, but the problem is that the sticker was attached to my RAM cover and the cover has been lost. Thanks for trying to help though. ^_^

@ johnnya: I think this is the best keyfinder so far. But unfortunitally the key that it found did not activate my copy of Windows XP.

Thank you all for trying to help thus far.

 

[DocBrown]

The Key is not on the XP Disc, it would be on the HD that XP was installed on.

 

[richnrockville]

FWIW: Microsoft provides a free copy of windows xp for those using their virtual pc.

Windows Virtual PC: Home Page

give that a shot for the free xp version and virtual pc.

Rich

 

[DragonPoet]

@ DocBrown I know the key is in the registry on the hard drive. But if you google how to find it off the CD, you will come up with what people claim is a method of view a unattended.txt file under the System32 folder on the CD. All the unattended.txt file is is describing how to set it up to self install.

@ richnrockville Is there a way to convert it to a Virtualbox? I am a little bit weird and hate using different applications when I have to option to use only 1.

Once again, thank you so much for the help!

 

[jimbo45]

FWIW: Microsoft provides a free copy of windows xp for those using their virtual pc.

Windows Virtual PC: Home Page

give that a shot for the free xp version and virtual pc.

Rich

Hi there

You have to have W7 PRO or higher -- it's no good for W7 Home premium.

IMO the solution is to install XP as a VM either under vbox (or IMO - better) - vmware PLAYER(FREE) -- this now can create VM's so you don't need to get vmware workstation.

The other good thing about using vmware is that the FREE vmware converter (download it from vmware's site
http://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/datacenter_downloads/vmware_vcenter_converter_standalone/4_0


can actually convert your running physical XP machine into a Virtual machine.

This process is known as P2V -- Physical to Virtual conversion and can save you having to re-install all your applications again in the vm.

You might be able to re-activate by changing the product key to the one it SAYS exists in the registry and then re-activating.

Note you need to run your product key finder against THE ORIGINAL PHYSICAL system not on the VM and use THAT ONE. If it fails on activation you should be able to activate by phone unless it is an OEM copy -- then you are "in plain English : Stuffed".

Cheers
jimbo

 

[DragonPoet]

Thank you so much Jimbo, but I figured it out.

 

[jimbo45]

FWIW: Microsoft provides a free copy of windows xp for those using their virtual pc.

Windows Virtual PC: Home Page

give that a shot for the free xp version and virtual pc.

Rich

Hi there -- not trying to be a real "Grade A ...." here but the statement is a bit misleading.

The link here refers to XP MODE which is NOT a separately installable XP system.

The OP needs a separate Retail type XP system which he can then use to create his XP VM for use under vmware or vbox.

If he has a running physical XP system then a conversion using vmware's converter will also work.

Cheers
jimbo