Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
We'll look at where to find your Windows CD Key.
How do you find the CD Key of the Windows CD you have? I have a Windows XP Pro SP2 installation disk but I don't know the CD Key. Can you locate it on the CD? I do not have this installed on any other computers so I can't search the registry for it either.
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There's a lot of confusion about CD or, more properly, "Product Keys", those long strings of numbers and letters you need to type in when you install Microsoft Windows.
One source of confusion is where the CD Key comes from.
One hint: it's not on the CD.
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The fact is that for any given version of a Windows CD, the CDs are all the same. The key to unlock the CD is not stored anywhere on the CD. If it were, each CD would have to be slightly different - it's not quite a manufacturing nightmare, but it's at least a bad dream.
The product key is typically printed on a label on the product packaging containing the CD when you purchase it. If you look closely at several copies of the same product, you'll see that the key is different on each label.
You may think you're purchasing a CD, but in fact, it's more like you're purchasing that product key. Any CD will do, but it's your possession of a unique product key that verifies you as having purchased a legitimate copy of the product.
A CD without a product key? Without your unique product key? Not worth very much.
One of the reasons that the product keys are unique is to prevent piracy. Each person should receive a unique product key, and thus that product key should be used to install on only one machine. Microsoft is fairly vague on the details of "product activation", but it's likely that one of the things it checks is that the product key you entered is unique, and not already in use by someone else, or on another machine.
Now, if you have a legitimate, working installation of Microsoft Windows, you can, in fact, get the product key without the sticker. There's a free tool: KeyFinder, that will report your product keys for Windows, and several other installed programs.
So in case you haven't guessed, those product key stickers are valuable, and should be saved. Or at least make sure to save the product key information somewhere. If you ever need to reinstall Windows, you'll need the product key again. I've actually collected all of mine and placed them in a spreadsheet for safekeeping.
And, I'm sorry to have to bother most of you with the following, but I know I'll get the questions if I don't:
- I cannot retrieve your product key for you.
- I cannot activate a product for you.
- I cannot give you a product key or activation code for any product.
Article C2490 - December 15, 2005
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
i have and old hp paillion a1243w moldel and lost the cd , with home edition on it i tryed getting one from hp no luck don't have them any more. So made recovery disk from my buddy but can only load to were you enter keys please Help Ty Barry
Posted by: barry at July 22, 2011 10:59 AMIt was fantastic! ... i used a key on my computer and it worked. Both methods should work but my key worked too.!
Posted by: Liam at December 13, 2011 11:04 AMI dont understand, the product key in the 'unattend.txt' file is the same on all the discs i've looked at.. but if the key is not on the cd, then when you enter the key during set up how does the system know if its correct or not !?!?
07-Jan-2012
Used "keyfinder" to find my product key code for my installed version of XP. when I try to reinstall XP it tells me that this product code is incorrect. The shop did the last reinstall - could they have used a different Genuine Advantage kit disc?
Posted by: kaptain krunchie at March 27, 2012 5:40 AM@kaptain krunchi
Posted by: Mark J at March 27, 2012 1:20 PMIt might be that the XP you had on your computer was an OEM version (factory installed and made to run only on that specific computer), and the XP version you tried to install was a retail version. In that case the retail version of Windows wouldn't recognize the product key.