I have lost my product key for Windows XP Home Edition. I have two copies of XP Home 
and no product keys. Does anyone know how to install (and activate) XP home without 
my product key or find out the product key somehow?

Thanks in advance
Clarthom

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If you bought the XP copies legally, then you have to call Microsoft and cast yourself 
on their mercy.

If not, this is the wrong place to ask :-(

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

If you know the last computer is was last installed on you could get the number from there. You could find it using a program like AIDA32 have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDA32


On Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 3:40 am, MartinM wrote:
>

>If you bought the XP copies legally, then you have to call Microsoft and cast yourself
>on their mercy.
>
>If not, this is the wrong place to ask :-(
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

As Andrew posted, if the installation of XP done with that particular CD is still 
installed, there are free downloadable programs that will extract the 25-character 
Product Key.  Google for Magical Jellybean Keyfinder.

If this is a legitimate legal installation of XP that was done by the computer manufacturer, 
either a major brand name or the shop down the street, you should have a Certificate 
of Authenticity (CoA) affixed to the computer's case or if a laptop, usually the 
bottom.  That CoA will tell you what version and edition of Windows is licensed to 
run on that computer, and it will have the Product Key printed on it.  This is called 
an OEM license.

If this is a legitimate legal installation of XP that was done with a copy you purchased 
in a store in a fancy retail box, then you should also have a CoA, but it will be 
on the retail box rather than on the machine, and it will not have the Product Key 
printed on it.  Inside the retail box is the CD-holder folder, and on the back of 
that is a yellow-orange label which has the Product Key printed on it.  This is called 
a retail license.

Microsoft will help you if you purchased a retail software license.  If you purchased 
OEM, they will have you contact the OEM to help you.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Thanks guys for all your help, I just found my COA label hiding at the bottom of 
a drawer. I now have about 500 copies of my product key in various places, including 
written on the actual disc, so I never lose it again. 

Thanks again,
Clarthom

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