Product key xp where is it stored

Problem is the license key was on a sticker on the machine - doh! The original manufacturer has gone bust Evesham and I suspect that Microsoft will be of little help. Is there any easy way to get the license key off the hard disk? Can I just find the file with the registry data in it and get the key using a hex editor?

OEM licenses cannot legally be moved from one computer to another one. They die when the computer dies. Load the old registry hive on your new computer and then find the XP key. Apparently Nirsoft's ProduKey can do this:. Load product key information from another operating system on the same computer.

I did it this way about 4 years ago , so I'm really hoping ProduKey works. If you are able to extract the 15 bytes from positions 0x34 and 0x52 in the DigitalProductId Registry Value as a Hex string, you can use the following Python Python 3 script to convert the bytes to a Product Key:. You can see the details about where to find the DigitalProductId Value in another answer, but essentially, look in the Registry Key:. If you cannot access an interface to the machine, but can access the filesystem, find the Registry Hive at:.

If I wanted to expand the script, I could add a Registry or. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group.

Jan 31, 4, 0 22, 0. If your computer is set up in Classic view with the more familiar Start menu, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. Click the General tab. You'll find your current Product ID under Registered to. You're right, that looks like the activation number or at least part of it. Here are 2 things I found. May 11, 32 0 18, 0. Hey, Google Magic Jellybean, its freeware and it will do exactly what you want.

I use it all the time Feb 19, 1 0 10, 0. Instal Belarc Advisor and then run it. It gives lots of info about your pc including the product key and it's free. Just google Belarc Advisor. Post thread. Question Super giving me worse frames than a ? Started by Small-Change Oct 7, Replies: Graphics Cards. News Comments. By verifying your key, you can avoid getting caught in a time-consuming crunch at some indeterminate point in the future.

Microsoft is caught between a rock and a hard spot on this topic: Pirate copies of Windows get infected just as easily as legitimate copies. Restricting access to security patches only helps increase the number of exposed systems, and thus contributes to the spread of malware. Of course, companies are particularly at risk. The Business Software Alliance www. If you want to save yourself a major headache in the future, take a few seconds to check the key.

Start at www. If your sticker really is bad, you got ripped off — and you can help fight against future rip-offs by reporting the offending party. Hunting this one down is well worth your time, because an extra copy of Windows XP is floating around! Chances are very good you just switched around a couple of CD cases, but I know at least one person who discovered he had a long-forgotten legitimate, licensed copy of Windows XP sitting on his desk.