My main hard drive went down thanks to a bad SP1 download and now I have
to wipe it and reload windows. For some reason I can't find the product
key. My drive is currently hooked up to another PC in my house as a
secondary. I've read about the programs that will recover your product
key from the registry, but I can't get them to tell me what it is on my
corrupt drive just the main one. Finally my question-

Is there a way to get my product key from my hard drive when its not
hooked up as the primary?


--
Dpad86

Not a direct answer , but maybe a useful one - call microsoft - they are
pretty good about giving a new key when you have hardware disasters.
Since you don't have the key , they will probably need the product
ID,which should be somewhere on the box. Use one of your working
machines to follow the instructions in the Activate Vista by Phone
tutorial - to get the toll free number - believe it is automated with
option to speak to operator.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/84...sta-phone.html


If you want the hassle , you could try looking at some of these
bootable rescue disks to see if they might help - but I would just call
microsoft.

'PC World - Six Downloadable Boot Discs That Could Save Your PC'
(http://www.pcworld.com/article/14539...your_p c.html)

Hope that helps

SIW2


--
SIW2

All i got with my computer was basically a jewel case and the guide. I
can see a part no., so if that's the product ID i will give them a call
tomorrow and pray.


--
Dpad86

On the back of mine is a bar code serial no. - this isn't the same as
the product ID , but if you have one it may be enough for them.

Actually , you can see the product ID easily on an installed version-
it is at the bottom of the system window ( press Windows and Break keys
together on your keyboard - System window will pop up).

They may ask you to install, skipping the product key , so you can find
this.

You can see how skipping the product key is achieved in the first part
of this tutorial , but I should wait to see if they need you to do this

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/68...ade-vista.html

Hope that helps.

SIW2


--
SIW2

"Dpad86" wrote in message
...

My main hard drive went down thanks to a bad SP1 download and now I have
to wipe it and reload windows. For some reason I can't find the product
key. My drive is currently hooked up to another PC in my house as a
secondary. I've read about the programs that will recover your product
key from the registry, but I can't get them to tell me what it is on my
corrupt drive just the main one. Finally my question-

Is there a way to get my product key from my hard drive when its not
hooked up as the primary?


--
Dpad86

If this is the original OEM install of Windows on the computer from a major
manufacturer (Gateway, Dell, Toshiba, etc.) and not an upgrade version of
the operating system, you should find a sticker on either the bottom of a
laptop or the back panel of a desktop that has the product key. For these
types of systems, the product key that would be recovered from the hard
drive wouldn't be able to be used for the reinstallation of the OEM version
of Vista.

Yes , but it's not always straightforward - my pc came with OEM
installed - I got the disk of course and the key on the hard drive is
the correct one. Microsoft will let him know how to proceed.

SIW2


--
SIW2

The sticker has been removed.


--
Dpad86

Call microsoft - they're a pretty decent bunch

SIW2


--
SIW2

On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:16:23 -0500, SIW2
wrote:

Call microsoft - they're a pretty decent bunch


OP: "Hi! I lost my installation key and need to re-install Vista.
Can you give me another one?"

MS: BWAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA click

"SIW2" wrote in message
...

Yes , but it's not always straightforward - my pc came with OEM
installed - I got the disk of course and the key on the hard drive is
the correct one. Microsoft will let him know how to proceed.

SIW2


--
SIW2

I agree that some manufacturers, normally the small system builders but not
the major ones, will install individually on each machine that they build.
Every time one of the major manufacturer machines have had to be rebuilt and
the person tried to use the Belarc or keyfinder found key from a
preinstalled system the installation activation failed. I have had to help
them by letting them know that the key on the bottom or back of the system
needed to be used.

For the OP, it is a moot point as he posts that the sticker has been
removed. Looks like he is DRT (dead right there.)