Dell replacement disk & Windows Product Key

A little background before I get to my ?

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 computer. The original XP Pro cd was lost/stolen, since computer was still under warranty Dell sent a new set of disks. The new disks included a new XP product code.

I changed the product code to the original code that came installed on the computer. MS would not activate that code because it was installed on another computer, whose I have no idea, well I have an idea but cannot prove it.

I was told to activate with the new product code from the new set of disks, which I did.

Now the problem. I had to reformat the hard drive and do not have a record of the new product code. I just assumed that the disk I have would work and didn't bother writing down the new code. I am using the new disk supplied to me by Dell with the new product code on it, however, the disk is damaged (scratched) and will not install correctly. I have tried several times and it either says a file cannot be installed or found and at present is hung on installation at 87% for the last hour or more.

I do have access to another XP Pro disk that I could use to install windows but I would need to change the product ID. How do I find the product ID listed on the damaged disk?

I have ISO buster (full version) but I can't find the product ID anywhere. I have googled for answers but instructions such as the ones below do not produce any results.

I also found information on using keyviewer or something like that that will decode the hex #s (assuming I find them) and give me the product key.

I don't find a folder named USWXP32P_ZX or a sysprep folder or unattend.txt file on the CD.

Currently the hard drive has been reformated so recovering the product ID via any software such as Belarc or Majical Jellybean is not an option.

Where and how do I find the product code from my CD? The computer is no longer under warranty with Dell so I can't request new disks.

Please, any information is appreciated.

 

The product key is not on the CD. A valid product key for a retail XP disk will work with every XP retail disk and a valid XP OEM key will work with an XP OEM disk. It's an algorithm sort of thing enabling Microsoft to mass produce the disks.

Your options now are to call Microsoft and see if they'll give you a new key (they might refer you to Dell who also might give you a new key) or to buy another copy of XP.

 

Ok so I don't understand this "algorithm sort of thing ". I'm assuming there is a set of hex decimals that determine the product ID. But according to my google search I can use this keyviewer and enter the hex decimals and it will give me the product ID.

This is so frustrating. Should I just use the orginal code and then call MS and explain the situation? You know sometimes you can't even get past the automated response and never get to talk to a real person to explain, therefore never able to activate a product you actually owed.

 

I Googled keyviewer. I also have McAfee's SiteAdvisor installed.

Given the shady search results on the first couple pages (links to red sites, association with adware, etc.), I suggest you steer clear of keyviewer and consider Miz's suggestion above (unless you don't mind taking a chance on having your computer infected with some nasties).

Looks like the safest route is to suffer through automated telephone menus to find a human to speak with.

Microsoft has a secret way of creating certain, unpredictable (to us anyway) combinations of letters and numbers that are all unique. These letters within a particular key code are related to each other in specific ways that only Microsoft is supposed to know.

For example, if the 3rd letter is K and the 20th letter is V, then perhaps the 14th letter must be Q. If that first necessary condition is met and the 8th letter is T while the 5th letter is W, then perhaps the 1st letter must also be Q. (This example is a simple algorithm. I expect Microsoft's algorithm is much more complex.)

These unique combinations apparently are not related to the individual CD you have in hand (other than differentiation between an XP Pro and HP Home CD, for example). It was probably too expensive for Microsoft to create each individual CD with its own unique embedded code. (We'll see what they do with Vista.) I expect each production run produces IDENTICAL discs....so a valid product key for any one of the CDs in that batch will work for any of the other CDs from that batch.

However, if someone tries to make up their own key code, Microsoft will notice right away that the number is bogus because the bogus key provided does not match their algorithm when the Microsoft representative types the code into Microsoft's computer database. When one activates a Windows installation over the Internet, Microsoft probably checks its database that way too.

Microsoft can assign certain batches of unique letter combinations to Windows XP Home Retail CDs and assign other batches of unique letter combinations to OEM (computer manufacturer/builder) versions of Windows XP Home. Microsoft can (and probably does) make its retail CDs slightly different from the "equivalent" OEM CDs without it significantly affecting Microsoft's production costs because Microsoft creates large quantities of both types.

I hope this helps explain the "algorithm sort of thing ".