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[Need key for reinstall of Me - MS say 'borrow one']
Yes, this is about product keys for Windows ME...I have been on the phone all morning with Mircrosoft (USA & Canada) and the only solution they can provide me for lost keys is to "borrow" someone else's or upgrade my system as they no longer support ME.
Problem is, I don't know anyone else utilizing ME and I don't want to upgrade my system as I recently purchased an HP/Vista system and I merely wanted to put the old computer in my 7 year old's room to play her games on. She will not be online or using ME software - except the operating system. I hate to get rid of a perfectly good computer because of this. I know I did have the product key on the back of a disk sleeve, but being unaware of the importance, I threw it out years ago when I put my disks in plastic cases...duh!
Anyway...does anyone have a solution that won't cost me a fortune and where I don't have to "hijack" someone else's key??? I'm ready to throw this computer out my window!
Thanks for any help!
PS...I've already done the clean/reinstall "thing" before I was aware of the product key issue, and cannot get passed the product key screen to do anything on this computer....aaahhhh
Last edited by jt08; 26th May 2008 at 19:22.
Reason: need to add further info
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The advice given by MS is clearly legit coming from the horse's mouth
If you can't get hold of an Me CD key as they suggested do any of your friends have a Win 98 CD which you could install? Strictly speaking illegal if it is already installed on another computer, but ....
Thanks PeteC...guess I might have to try an upgrade, tho I would prefer to just have a key as I'm not too "tekkie" literate for much else!
Checked out that site & saved it for future reference. Unfortunately, I cannot do anything on my system until I enter product key...I was using an MDG recovery disk (win.me) which came with my computer and which was doing fine until I got to the product key window...until I enter a valid key, it will not reinstall/recover the software for me to utilize. I can see now that I probably never should have initialized that disk....
Any chance that the product key is on a sticker on the computer case?
Checked that - no such luck. Also sent an email to MS and their reply was the same...ME is obsolete and they cannot provide a key. After cruising the net for resolution, it's apparent that there are many people with various OS who have encountered the same difficulties. I'm amazed that the importance of something with such apparent relevance (product key) is not made more appropriately known to people such as myself who are not very computer literate. I will certainly know for "next time", but once again, I've learned the hard way.
I will keep checking back here, however, in hopes that someone has a key which I might utilize and or another solution. Thanks for all the input.
