Best Way to Recover Lost Windows XP Serial(s)?

ztrain727

ztrain727

New Member
Hi Everyone,

First post in the OS section! Too bad its not a happy post.:o

Anyway, just built a nice, shinny and blazing (kind of) PC thanks to the help on this forum.

I installed Windows XP from a Dell disk that came with my dimension 4700 desktop. It worked fine. Everything installed properly.

We have had a number of Dell PC's and have like 4 XP Home disks and two XP Professional Disks. (I installed home because that's what was on my HDD).

Anyway, after it was all done, the activation/registration message popped up. I went to go get the little package the XP disk comes in with any Dell computer, and it was nowhere to be found. Turns out, my mom, in all he intelligence, threw out all the packaging and kept only the CD's (gotta love it:rolleyes:). This means I don't have any serials...

To be brief (if you don't want to read all that ^). I don't have the packages/cases with the serials, only the disks.

How should I go about retrieving the serials, if possible? Can I retrieve the serials from the actual disk, could I call Dell or MS and give them my old dell 4700 service tag? Can I slap my mother several times (no, not really)?

Thanks in advance.
 
I believe there is a program called Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder that will tell you what your number is. Just google it.
 
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well i dont think he has it anymore...

It is worth calling dell and telling them it. i dought they will give you a new one (they may!) but it is 100% a waste of time calling ms. they will only give you only a 50$ bill :P
 
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memory said:
I believe there is a program called Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder that will tell you what your number is. Just google it.
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Funny you mention it. I just tried that before posting! Downloaded it, installed it and it gave me a key, but the key did not work for activation. :( No surprise I guess, since I wouldn't HAVE a key in the registry with a fresh install...

brian said:
it is 100% a waste of time calling ms. they will give you only a 50$ bill :P
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LOL! So true!

Sometimes Dell can actually be quite helpful. I've heard of them giving out keys...
 
brian said:
well i dont think he has it anymore...

It is worth calling dell and telling them it. i dought they will give you a new one (they may!) but it is 100% a waste of time calling ms. they will only give you only a 50$ bill :P
Click to expand...

lol, wrong, i called and got a product key for xp pro, office 2003 and officexp for free no questions (damn, im a good liar):P
 
pc-tech said:
lol, wrong, i called and got a product key for xp pro, office 2003 and officexp for free no questions (damn, im a good liar):P
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Hmmmmmm...What was your reasoning/excuse for needing new keys? (besides being a dirty little thief of course ;) HAHA).

Were the copies of XP, Office you requested keys for from a bundled package with a PC, or did you buy them separately (or not at all...:rolleyes:)
 
Great. Thanks for the help.

BTW, what are the advantages of XP pro over home. I could use either. I mainly use my system for gaming...
 
ztrain727 said:
To be brief (if you don't want to read all that ^). I don't have the packages/cases with the serials, only the disks.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

install a program called "PC Wizard". this program allows you to monitor you temperatures, voltages, and overclocks. there is also an OS tab in there that allows you to see the serial number. if you already have the windowsXP CD, then i'm assuming this is legal, so install PCwizard on an old machine that you used the windowXP disc on, and take the serial number off that machine
 
I believe with pre-made machines that you cannot install them on to other machine, it is b/c the OS on these machines are cheaper hense the package.
 
Ashdavid is right, that version of XP is bound to the Dell, because this PC isn't a Dell it's not legal to use the key on any other machine, if you look on the registration panel it'll say it's registered to Dell and that 1 PC it's on. I doubt Dell will give you a fully working serial key for any machine apart from theirs.
 
the copy of XP that im running now was only supposed to be for my sister's PC.
i had a copy of xp sp1 but i was tired of having to download all my updates just to get to SP2 when i formatted.
i just install it, then i call up india and tell them "as far as i know, this is the only machine its installed on" or "i changed my motherboard" and they give me a key :D
 
WhiteFireDragon said:
if you already have the windowsXP CD, then i'm assuming this is legal, so install PCwizard on an old machine that you used the windowXP disc on, and take the serial number off that machine
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Problem is, I took the HDD out of the Dell I had XP installed on and reinstalled XP (I didn't reformat however). :(
jimkonow said:
the copy of XP that im running now was only supposed to be for my sister's PC...i call up india and tell them "as far as i know, this is the only machine its installed on" or "i changed my motherboard" and they give me a key :D
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Yeah, I would get the key "for my old Dell" because I had to reinstall the OS and reformat the drive...
Think of it this way: No matter which PC I'm using the OS on, the key for thoses OS's are rightfully mine, so I should be able to get them back. Liscense issue might arise later on, but I OWN those OS CD's. Right?:confused:

Btw, again, are there advantages to XP Pro over home?
 
ztrain727 said:
Problem is, I took the HDD out of the Dell I had XP installed on and reinstalled XP (I didn't reformat however). :(


Yeah, I would get the key "for my old Dell" because I had to reinstall the OS and reformat the drive...
Think of it this way: No matter which PC I'm using the OS on, the key for thoses OS's are rightfully mine, so I should be able to get them back. Liscense issue might arise later on, but I OWN those OS CD's. Right?:confused:

Btw, again, are there advantages to XP Pro over home?
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I have noticed Windows XP Professional boots up faster than Windows XP Home. Windows XP Professional also supports Active Directory domain clients. Windows XP Home does not support Active Directory domain clients.
 
You didn't even look on the side of your dell or any other computer with an XP Serial # and just use that one?
 
it is perfectly legal to transfer a windows license to another machine, one time, as long as you remove it completely from the old machine as well
 
First, if it's a Dell the product key is ALWAYS on the case, not on the packaging, so I believe the OP to be a lie.

Secondly, it is NOT legal to put a Dell OS on any other computer. It is also not legal to take an OEM copy from one computer and put it on another, regardless of whether or not it has been uninstalled on the first computer. A Dell package is an OEM packaged, licensed ONLY for the Dell machine it came on.

Posting the OP is violating the AUP of CF, as is helping him.
 
SirKenin said:
Secondly, it is NOT legal to put a Dell OS on any other computer. It is also not legal to take an OEM copy from one computer and put it on another, regardless of whether or not it has been uninstalled on the first computer. A Dell package is an OEM packaged, licensed ONLY for the Dell machine it came on.

Posting the OP is violating the AUP of CF, as is helping him.
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http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/eula.mspx

see section 13. it doesnt matter how you purchase the license, whether it is OEM, Retail, or from bill gate's butt crack. you own the license, you agree to the EULA, and the EULA says it is ok to move it from one computer to another.
 
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