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Nuked everything with his "Restore" Disk Monday, October 1, 2007 at 4:50 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) |I ran a restore disk | dan mapes | If those were properly named, they would be called "Nuke Everything disks". If you had come here FIRST, we could have told you how to do this properly. |and now in order to get it to start I must put in all of the original product code, | That's right. Microsoft software is "licenced". The "Product Key" is proof that your licence is legit. Without it, you don't have a valid licence. You'd best reconcile yourself to this RIGHT NOW--especially if you ever plan to use the Y2001-and-later crop of headacheware from Redmond. This is not a warez site. cache of http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/help_forum If you are not willing to spend money, the rules of this site say you are on your own. |which I lost a long time ago. | Reminds me of the story about the 1st time my Mom fixed eggplant. She cooked them then scraped out the insides, threw that part away, and served the purple outsides. If you are going to continue to use MSFT's products, you need to purchase a legit copy of that product WITH the Product Key then treat that number as though it was the most important part of the purchase (which it *IS*). Flea bay is where most people go. Another way to go is *truly* FREE software: cache of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software "gratis AND libre" [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Don't start building that bomb shelter yet... Monday, October 8, 2007 at 7:26 am Posted by Joe Hepperle (73 messages posted) Dan, There is a way to start Windows98 from DOS but not with what you have there. The method comes from all Micro$oft product and does not involve any hacking, Warez, reverse engineering, or any other process which would break the EULA (End User License Agreement). And it takes awhile to get everything together. But, if all you have is a restore disk, we should go an easier, less time consuming method. Some folks might try to make you think that you are up the creek without a paddle. They may (erroneously) tell you that you have "nothing" if you don't have the Product Key number. They may also try to convince you that your only hope is to go on Ebay and buy another copy of the software. Well, you'll be happy to hear that all of that is rubbish. There are at least three easier, LEGAL ways to get a Product Key number. Try one or more of the following and you'll be happier. But it is important to understand this: ANY windows98 product key number will work. Your software did not come with any special number just for that disk... any windows98 product key number will work. This is important to understand so that you understand the first two methods. #1 Go to your local computer repair store, with your legitimate install disk in hand, and tell them your situation. Ask them if they can help you get a Windows98 product key number. They won't have to send off anywhere to get one, they have bunches of legitimate numbers at their disposal right there in their shop. Many, many, many legitimate numbers are actually thrown away every day now that Win98 is an "older" Windows version. They may charge you a few bucks (dollars, Euros, Pesos) or they may give you one for free. (It is legal to give away legitimate software (number)... as long as it is transferred from one person only, to one person only). (N.B. You will carry the legitimate install disk with you to show proof that you have a legitimate copy). #2 (This is my favorite) Go out on your front porch and look up and down your street. If you live in a statistically normal neighborhood, 70% of the houses up and down your street have a Microsoft Windows powered computer in them. Of that 70%, about 10% to 20% of those houses still are running Windows98. You don't want those houses. The rest of your neighbors have computers running WindowsXP, or Vista. Those are the houses you want. A greater majority of those houses have an "old" computer with a Windows98 Install disk that is just sitting there unused. As long as you are not the "hated" guy in the neighborhood, you should be able to talk one of your neighbors into giving you their Windows98 install disk. (Remember: It IS legal to give it away). They may insist you take the old computer too, but that is a minor nuisance because all you want is the Product Key number, and ANY Windows98 Product Key number will work. If all of your neighbors hate you, check with your family to see who has a Windows98 disk that they are no longer using (because they have upgraded to XP or Vista) and I'm sure you could get it as a free gift. #3 Call Microsoft Customer Service. (This is assuming you really do have a legitimate restore disk). Tell them that you have attempted a restore of your Windows98 system with the restore disk, but you have lost the product key. Make sure to also stress the point that you have the restore disk in your hand. Each of those legitimate restore disks have a numerical code on them which you may have to read over the phone to them to prove that you really have a legal copy of Windows in your hand. They have been known to be grumpy and reluctant about it, but if you honestly make your case that you have a valid install disk, and that you have simply lost the number, they have been known to give out generic replacement numbers. Sentences to practice before you call Micro$soft are something like this, "...Look, if I was dealing with pirated software, I wouldn't be calling you... I would have gotten a number from the pirates." And "...If I had gotten a pirated copy, wouldn't I have also gotten the number?" And finally, if your Restore disk is not a Microsoft disk, but rather it is an OEM install disk (Compaq, HP, Dell, Gateway, etc) you may have to call them instead of, or before calling Micro$oft. Joe Hepperle [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Don't start building yet... lesson learned Monday, October 8, 2007 at 9:46 am Posted by Joe Hepperle (73 messages posted) (Repost to get rid of Annoying Ad covering the Information... hopefully) Dan, There is a way to start Windows98 from DOS but not with what you have there. The method comes from all Micro$oft product and does not involve any hacking, Warez, reverse engineering, or any other process which would break the EULA (End User License Agreement). And it takes awhile to get everything together. But, if all you have is a restore disk, we should go an easier, less time consuming method. Some folks might try to make you think that you are up the creek without a paddle. They may (erroneously) tell you that you have "nothing" if you don't have the Product Key number. They may also try to convince you that your only hope is to go on eebbaayy and buy another copy of the software. Well, you'll be happy to hear that all of that is rubbish. There are at least three easier, LEGAL ways to get a Product Key number. Try one or more of the following and you'll be happier. But it is important to understand this: ANY windows98 product key number will work. Your software did not come with any special number just for that disk... any windows98 product key number will work. This is important to understand so that you understand the first two methods. Method #1 Go to your local computer repair store, with your legitimate install disk in hand, and tell them your situation. Ask them if they can help you get a Windows98 product key number. They won't have to send off anywhere to get one, they have bunches of legitimate numbers at their disposal right there in their shop. Many, many, many legitimate numbers are actually thrown away every day now that Win98 is an "older" Windows version. They may charge you a few bucks (dollars, Euros, Pesos) or they may give you one for free. (It is legal to give away legitimate software (number)... as long as it is transferred from one person only, to one person only). (N.B. You will carry the legitimate install disk with you to show proof that you have a legitimate copy). Method #2 (This is my favorite) Go out on your front porch and look up and down your street. If you live in a statistically normal neighborhood, 70% of the houses up and down your street have a Microsoft Windows powered computer in them. Of that 70%, about 10% to 20% of those houses still are running Windows98. You don't want those houses. The rest of your neighbors have computers running WindowsXP, or Vista. Those are the houses you want. A greater majority of those houses have an "old" computer with a Windows98 Install disk that is just sitting there unused. As long as you are not the "hated" guy in the neighborhood, you should be able to talk one of your neighbors into giving you their Windows98 install disk. (Remember: It IS legal to give it away). They may insist you take the old computer too, but that is a minor nuisance because all you want is the Product Key number, and ANY Windows98 Product Key number will work. If all of your neighbors hate you, check with your family to see who has a Windows98 disk that they are no longer using (because they have upgraded to XP or Vista) and I'm sure you could get it as a free gift. Method #3 Call Microsoft Customer Service. (This is assuming you really do have a legitimate restore disk). Tell them that you have attempted a restore of your Windows98 system with the restore disk, but you have lost the product key. Make sure to also stress the point that you have the restore disk in your hand. Each of those legitimate restore disks have a numerical code on them which you may have to read over the phone to them to prove that you really have a legal copy of Windows in your hand. They have been known to be grumpy and reluctant about it, but if you honestly make your case that you have a valid install disk, and that you have simply lost the number, they have been known to give out generic replacement numbers. Sentences to practice before you call Micro$soft are something like this, "...Look, if I was dealing with pirated software, I wouldn't be calling you... I would have gotten a number from the pirates." And "...If I had gotten a pirated copy, wouldn't I have also gotten the number?" And finally, if your Restore disk is not a Microsoft disk, but rather it is an OEM install disk (Compaq, HP, Dell, Gateway, etc) you may have to call them instead of, or before calling Micro$oft. Joe Hepperle [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Nuked everything with his "Restore" Disk Sunday, October 14, 2007 at 4:34 pm Posted by phil (1 messages posted) ok it happened to me also around Oct.1. when trying to boot up I get prompt asking for key code. I tried to start in safe mode will not start. This must be a new virus out there. Now what???????????? can't start. If i enter a new key code will I lose my files???? On Monday, October 1, 2007 at 4:50 pm, gewg_ wrote: >|I ran a restore disk >| dan mapes >| >If those were properly named, they would be called "Nuke Everything disks". >If you had come here FIRST, we could have told you how to do this properly. > >|and now in order to get it to start I must put in all of the original product code, >| >That's right. Microsoft software is "licenced". >The "Product Key" is proof that your licence is legit. >Without it, you don't have a valid licence. >You'd best reconcile yourself to this RIGHT NOW--especially >if you ever plan to use the Y2001-and-later crop of headacheware from Redmond. > >This is not a warez site. >cache of http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/help_forum > >If you are not willing to spend money, >the rules of this site say you are on your own. > > >|which I lost a long time ago. >| >Reminds me of the story about the 1st time my Mom fixed eggplant. >She cooked them then scraped out the insides, threw that part away, >and served the purple outsides. > >If you are going to continue to use MSFT's products, >you need to purchase a legit copy of that product WITH the Product Key >then treat that number as though it was the most important part of the purchase >(which it *IS*). > >Flea bay is where most people go. > >Another way to go is *truly* FREE software: >cache of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software >"gratis AND libre" [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows 98 Discussion Forum