Re: How to recover product Key from a previous installation ?

From: Jim Macklin (p51mustang[threeX12)
Date: 07/02/04 

Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 07:34:55 -0500

If you buy a used car and the jack is missing from the
trunk, is it General Motors fault? 

-- 
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
"Dave Moore" <novalves@Crudspamdatasync.com> wrote in
message news:e6vd%23$CYEHA.1152@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
|
| "Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" <mikebran@online.microsoft.com>
wrote in message
news:ub4pUPCYEHA.3664@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
| : "Dave Moore" <novalves@Crudspamdatasync.com> wrote in
message
| : news:O4QSGW8XEHA.3644@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
| : > Hi Mike,
| : >  The Computer is a Compaq and most likely came from
| : > Compaq with Win 98 as there is a Win 98 sticker on the
front.
| : >
| : >  I really suspect that the computer might have had a
bootlegged copy of
| : > XP put on it by someone, only I don't know that for
sure. There's
| : > absolutely no way of knowing what the original owner
did before they
| : > donated the Computer to the Goodwill ( charity store)
| : >
| : >  I  had before looked for an OEM sticker and found
none, but it could
| : > be a legitimate transferable version and for all I
know, the owner might
| : > have given the CD to Goodwill and they might have lost
it.
| : >  IOW, it could well be a legitimate and transferable
| : > copy of XP on there. I'd hate to see this guy lose it
because I blew it
| : and
| : > took the wrong approach to getting his system back up
and running.
| : >
| : >  Too bad more people don't know about the importance
of retaining the
| : > paperwork. Only, this seems a bit odd to me. After
all, that's one thing
| : > computers are good for,,, storing data and eliminating
a lot of paperwork.
| : > Surely MS could utilize this ability and save the
title information on the
| : HD
| : > so that it is always with the computer and not so
easily lost.
| : > (providing the HD don't die of course:-)
| : >
| : >  Wish list; :-)
| : >
| : > 1.  MS saves the keys in a non upgrade destroying
history file
| : >       on the HD somewhere. ( hidden file perhaps)
| : > 2.   Or, MS modifies the repair or install code to
warn that
| : >      the old key will be overwritten if user proceeds
with repair
| : >      or install, and then offers an option to exit the
repair or install
| : >       before this happens. Or, why not have repair
just access the key
| : >       from the hidden history file.
| : > 3. MS spends as much time thinking about all of the
scenarios and
| : >      situations legitimate users migh encounter as
they do thinking
| : >      about how to stop piracy.
| :
| :
| : Dave,
| :
| : If the machine came with Win98 and has had the OS
changed at some time in
| : the past, but your friend has not paperwork, CDs ,
Certificates of
| : Authenticity or anything else to prove the correct
ownership of a valid
| : license the to all intents and purposes he bought a PC
but did not buy a
| : copy of Windows XP.
| : (You should also consider all the other software on the
PC - if any - may
| : also not be legally transferred).
| : In light of this your friend should go out and purchase
a copy of Windows XP
| : and install it.
| :
| : As regards your suggestions.  They are actually not
valid if the user is
| : properly licensed as they will have the key and media.
|
|   Not if they lost it, or someone stole it.
|
| : The requirements for legal transfer of license are
covered in he End User
| : License Agreement (that you see and Agree to during
install) that is
| : available at any tine as a link on winver.
|
|  Another suggestion,, MS change the EULA :-)
|
| :
| : > 1.  MS saves the keys in a non upgrade destroying
history file
| : >       on the HD somewhere. ( hidden file perhaps)
| :
| : This would increase the ease of key copying and piracy.
|
|
|  The ease of key copying  ?,,, how hard is it get a key
from someone
| that has one.  Piracy?  even with a key, you would still
have to activate.
|
|  In this guys case, had I been able to retrieve the key,
then he could proceed
| to re-activate,, at that point in time he could be refused
activation if the key
| isn't legit. I mean
|
|  My gripe is that is that under the circumstances, the guy
won't even get
| chance to find out.
|
|
| : > 2.   Or, MS modifies the repair or install code to
warn that
| : >      the old key will be overwritten if user proceeds
with repair
| : >      or install, and then offers an option to exit the
repair or install
| : >       before this happens. Or, why not have repair
just access the key
| : >       from the hidden history file.
| :
| : Not necessary as you would be repairing with your
properly licensed media
| : and have a valid activation key to do the repair or
install.
|
|  Another gripe,, why should someone even need a key to do
a repair?
|
| :
| : > 3. MS spends as much time thinking about all of the
scenarios and
| : >      situations legitimate users migh encounter as
they do thinking
| : >      about how to stop piracy.
| :
| : We did. Legitimate users have the media and the key.
|
|  Well, this guy bought a computer that someone may have
well paid
| for a legitimate transferable license for.
|  What in essence you're saying is,
| if someone loses the paperwork, then to frikken bad.
|  MS has better things to do than be bothered with
considering
| how users might become the victims of unfortunate
circumstances.
|  After all, doing this and
| rewriting the EULA to accomidate these exceptions might
take a
| few man hours away from devising *redundant* methods to
stop
| piracy. Besides, the computers themselves
| aren't as easily lost, so certainly we can't store the
value there.
| ( debateable with viruses and bad Chinese capacitors and
such)
|
|  I certainly don't run my company like that.
|
|  I realize that it's all in the EULA, only I guess you're
missing the
| point of what I'm getting at which is: the EULA sucks.
|
|  I mean, think about it,, someone could have well paid for
it,
| but just because of some technicalities,, a possibly "paid
for"
| item is going to be trashed.
|
|  Yeah I know, if you don't like the EULA, you don't have
to
| click I accept.  Well that's exactly what he's going to
do,
| not click. He's asked for the pooter back with some form
of
| Linux on it. He paid for the computer once, and he's not
about to
| pay for it again just because the OS got virused.
|
|  yeah yeah yeah, right, he should have never bought it
without
| the disk and papers. Poor Schmuck, too bad nobody ever
told him.
| Maybe he should do the right think and report Goodwill to
the
| police so MS can prosecute them for software piracy. :-)
|
|  I guess I'm perhaps a bit pissy as I just paid full price
for XP Pro,
| and it can't even manage the taskbar items properly, and
it
| can't even properly pass the settings from Explorer to
| Internet Explorer,,, *#%^#,,,  apart from that XP's pretty
cool :-)
|
|
| Thanks for the advice.
| Even if it does piss me off :-)
| --Dave Moore---
|
|
| :
| : -- 
| :
| : Regards,
| :
| : Mike
| : --
| : Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
| :
| : This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no
| : rights
| :
| : Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions,
please use these
| : newsgroups
| :
| : "Dave Moore" <novalves@Crudspamdatasync.com> wrote in
message
| : news:O4QSGW8XEHA.3644@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
| : > Hi Mike,
| : >  The Computer is a Compaq and most likely came from
| : > Compaq with Win 98 as there is a Win 98 sticker on the
front.
| : >
| : >  I really suspect that the computer might have had a
bootlegged copy of
| : > XP put on it by someone, only I don't know that for
sure. There's
| : > absolutely no way of knowing what the original owner
did before they
| : > donated the Computer to the Goodwill ( charity store)
| : >
| : >  I  had before looked for an OEM sticker and found
none, but it could
| : > be a legitimate transferable version and for all I
know, the owner might
| : > have given the CD to Goodwill and they might have lost
it.
| : >  IOW, it could well be a legitimate and transferable
| : > copy of XP on there. I'd hate to see this guy lose it
because I blew it
| : and
| : > took the wrong approach to getting his system back up
and running.
| : >
| : >  Too bad more people don't know about the importance
of retaining the
| : > paperwork. Only, this seems a bit odd to me. After
all, that's one thing
| : > computers are good for,,, storing data and eliminating
a lot of paperwork.
| : > Surely MS could utilize this ability and save the
title information on the
| : HD
| : > so that it is always with the computer and not so
easily lost.
| : > (providing the HD don't die of course:-)
| : >
| : >  Wish list; :-)
| : >
| : > 1.  MS saves the keys in a non upgrade destroying
history file
| : >       on the HD somewhere. ( hidden file perhaps)
| : > 2.   Or, MS modifies the repair or install code to
warn that
| : >      the old key will be overwritten if user proceeds
with repair
| : >      or install, and then offers an option to exit the
repair or install
| : >       before this happens. Or, why not have repair
just access the key
| : >       from the hidden history file.
| : > 3. MS spends as much time thinking about all of the
scenarios and
| : >      situations legitimate users migh encounter as
they do thinking
| : >      about how to stop piracy.
| : >
| : >
| : >  I have no problem with MS deploying anti-piracy
strategies, after all
| : > I'm part owner of a software development company and
we do the same.
| : >
| : >  Only, I think they need to take a good look at their
system and take
| : >  precautions that the anti-piracy doesn't snare a few
innocents along the
| : way.
| : >
| : >   I feel like this guy who's pooter I worked on might
possibly have
| : >  been innocently snared, and I'm only taking 50% of
the blame :-)
| : >
| : >  Thanks
| : > -- Dave Moore---
| : >
| : >
| : >
| : > "Mike Brannigan [MSFT]"
<mikebran@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
| : news:uDppOy1XEHA.1128@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
| : > : Dave - there should be no need to find the original
key.
| : > : The license to use the copy of Windows XP on that PC
is transferred to
| : the
| : > : new user by giving them the CD and all associated
documentation
| : (including
| : > : the CD Key).
| : > : If this machine came with a preinstalled copy of XP
then it was an OEM
| : > : install and the license just moves with the physical
PC,  but you are
| : also
| : > : still required to transfer/have the certificate of
authenticity. ( and
| : the
| : > : OEM provide method of restoring the PC to as shipped
from the factory.
| : > :
| : > : You friend will need to establish if he actually has
a legitimate
| : license to
| : > : use Windows XP on that PC.  If the copy of Windows
XP was a retail copy
| : then
| : > : he must have the CD and key - if not then the
license has not been
| : > : transferred correctly.
| : > : If it was an OEM then the key should be affixed to
the case somewhere
| : > : (internally or externally with the key on it) and a
COA
| : > :
| : > : see
| : > :
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/ww/windows.mspx
| : > : for details of how to tell you are licensed
correctly.
| : > :
| : > :
| : > : As regards your question about getting the previous
key from your
| : partial
| : > : repair on the original disk - I am not aware of
their being anyway to do
| : > : this.
| : > :
| : > :
| : > : -- 
| : > :
| : > : Regards,
| : > :
| : > : Mike
| : > : --
| : > : Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
| : > :
| : > : This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
and confers no
| : > : rights
| : > :
| : > : Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions,
please use these
| : > : newsgroups
| : > :
| : > : "Dave Moore" <novalves@Crudspamdatasync.com> wrote
in message
| : > : news:%23vlvhp1XEHA.996@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
| : > : > Well, not exactly a previous installation,
| : > : > here's what happened.
| : > : >
| : > : >  An acquaintance had a computer he got from
Goodwill
| : > : > some time ago, and he calld me up because it
wouldn't boot.
| : > : >
| : > : > You couldn't run any of the F8 options either.
| : > : > So he begged me to make it work any way possible
and
| : > : > quick since he desperately needed some files.
| : > : >
| : > : >  So, being he didn't have a CD for it, I used my
XP Pro CD to
| : > : > run a a repair on his now defunct XP Pro. I was
thinking that
| : > : > if the repair asked me for a key, I'd simply exit
the routine.
| : > : >
| : > : >  It was worth a shot in a pinch I thought.
| : > : > Well, lo and behold, I was never presented with an
option to
| : > : > "quit" the repair, so when it got to the
| : > : > point where repair asked me for the key, I shut
her down and
| : > : > decided to look for a keyfinder and try to
retrieve the origional key.
| : > : >
| : > : >  I never did find a keyfinder that would run out
of DOS, but I did
| : > : > find an article that mentioned where I might find
the old key.
| : > : > When I looked there, there was nothing there to
find. I'm afraid that
| : > : > repair might have already wiped out the old key.
| : > : >
| : > : >  So,, my question is,, anyway I can find out what
the original key
| : > : > was for his system? To make matters worse he
begged me to finish
| : > : > the repair just so he could boot up and  retrieve
his files.
| : > : >  I warned him that it would only run for 30 days
after that, but he
| : > : >  was willing to live with that.
| : > : >
| : > : >   However, after the repair, all was well, until
the next boot,, no
| : boot.
| : > : > Well, at least he got the data he wanted. After
that I put the HD in
| : > : > another pooter, and did a virus scan. Over 255
files infected with
| : > : > the Vallah virus and also a couple of Trojans
thriving.
| : > : >
| : > : >  After cleaning up the infections, it's running
well, only with my key
| : > : > and due to expire soon unless activated.
| : > : >
| : > : >  So, again,, is there anyway to retrieve his old
key from the HD ???
| : > : > ( keeping fingers crossed it's legit)
| : > : >
| : > : >  Or any way else I can possibly rescue his
original installation?
| : > : >
| : > : >  Of course Goodwill gave him the pooter as is, no
CD or info
| : > : > on paper about the key.
| : > : >
| : > : >  Thanks
| : > : > --Dave Moore--
| : > : >
| : > : >
| : > :
| : > :
| : >
| : >
| :
| :
|
|