How do you find Product Key on Windows XP Disc?

[mattman18t]

Hi. All.  Newish member.  Love the eager support on this site.

But got a question:

I just built a new computer with the help of a couple of this board's members.  And I am trying to install WIndows XP on this machine, with the original Windows XP install disc that came with my son's computer.  We don't have the plastic package that the disc came in, as it was several years ago. But I have read you can find the Product key on the disc somewhere.  I tried this method, but the product key it gave me did not work.:

Find Windows XP Product Key from the Windows XP CD:

1) Insert Windows XP cd into a working computer.
2) Exit the Autorun introduction.
3) Open "My Computer"
4) Right Click on the Windows XP cd-rom drive and select explore.
5) Open the USWXP32P_ZX folder.
6) Open the sysprep folder.
7) Open unattend.txt

Your CD's product key is contained within the unattend.txt file.

I am confused as to why this method did not work, and I am tempted to just go a buy another copy of XP at the store, but would prefer to save some coin and use the OS that our household has already purchased.

Any other ideas?

[geezerdave]

Hello mattman, I have tried this on several occasions with different computers. The product key is actually on the computer itself. It is a 25 digit code. Look at your installation disk, does it say "only for use with a dell, hp, gateway, etc. "? It will only work with the appropriate manufacturer. However, you can contact microsoft and tell them what you are trying to do and they may send you an installation disk at a reduced cost. Usually cheaper than purchasing one at a big box store. I've done it. Give it a try. Good luck.

[Dias de verano]

You won't find the Windows product key on the install disk. It doesn't work like that. Think about it. If Microsoft included the key on the disk they'd have to make each disk (of millions) unique. Also it would be like printing the PIN on a bank card. Anyone who got hold of the disk could find the key and install the OS.

To install, what is needed is not "the" unique product key for that CD, (there isn't one), but rather "a" product key that would work with that disk. Microsoft make the disks so that they will work with a number out of a range, so that there is a range of valid XP Home numbers, another range of valid XP Pro numbers, etc. The numbers go on the stickers that get stuck on the packaging, and sometimes on or inside the computer case if the machine is bought prebuilt from a retailer.

As Geezedave says, once the OS is installed, the product key that was typed in by whoever installed the OS is stored on the system. Prior to XP, this was in the registry and could be easily seen, but XP and later you need a tool such as Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder, which you can find by using Google. If Windows XP came packaged with the computer and was not the retail version (with box), the key recovered by such a tool may not be your own machines key but the OEM's bulk install key. If you have manually entered a product key this will be the one returned.

You should be aware of certain issues. If your son's computer still has XP installed from that disk, it would not be "legal" for you to make a duplicate install on another computer. It is not the policy of Computerhope to give advice on breaking Microsoft's End User Licence Agreement, other than to say "Don't do it!" So that's one issue.

Another is if you use a key which although valid technically (i.e. it works) for that OS install, the machine might fail a Windows Genuine Advantage check when you tried to apply to download a Service Pack or security updates from Microsoft. You can read about WGA on Wikipedia. Again, such an issue would be outside the scope of this forum. Disabling WGA is also something we don't advise about, I think. Service Packs and security updates are really important so this is something to think carefully about.

[mattman18t]

This Issue has been fully resolved.  Thanks to all who lended a helping word.