# how to pull the product key from my Microsoft Windows CD?



## spironox (Feb 2, 2007)

how do i pull the product key from my Microsoft Windows CD?


i got the windows xp Porfessional orginal cd, in sort of a messy condition thrown away state.. the user seems to be somewhat furious abt the operating system i guess 

now i have this gleaming org version cd but no keys eventhough i know its fruitless yet i tried tracing the owner but failed at the first step itself...

i dialled microsoft.. they refused bluntly now i am clueless .. 

anyone with any idea what to do with the cd .. the mere sight of a orginal version windows proessional cd and me in a helpless condition is not good site 


can anyone help me ??
suggstions are most welcomed


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## n2casey (Feb 2, 2007)

Illegal stuffs not allowed here.


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## spironox (Feb 2, 2007)

dearest friend 

this the same thing what microsoft said to me but what should i do i mean i am clueless shall i just dispose off the cd !!!

or is there any way to get to the user who brought this software !!!

i am not asking for any favour i am in a fix and just requesting people if they know what to do i mean leagally .. it would be real stupid to put up a FIR or report in LOST N FOUND!!1


can u tell me another way around !!! 

and can u explain what illegal i have done 
i knocked up the legal door but ,,,, nothing worked


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## abhijangda (Feb 2, 2007)

If you have installed your Windows XP with this cd then u can use ViewKeyXP. But remember you can use it if it is without SP2


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## spironox (Feb 2, 2007)

abhijangda said:
			
		

> If you have installed your Windows XP with this cd then u can use ViewKeyXP. But remember you can use it if it is without SP2



dear friend 

my pc is working with winxp home .. i have a license for that
i got this xp -pro -sp1

if i use a pirated key then the viewkeyxp will show me the pirated key of my pc see the software cant acess the cd for the key generation 


what do u suggest now


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## n2casey (Feb 2, 2007)

I have already told u that illegal talks not allowed here.

Thread reported.


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## ECE0105 (Feb 2, 2007)

n2casey said:
			
		

> I have already told u that illegal talks not allowed here.
> 
> Thread reported.



Maybe u didn't understand the question. He was not talking illegal. He just wanted to know whether he cud find answers to his question. 

AFAIK, there is no way to know the Serial Number from the Windows XP CD (or any OS CD for that matter).


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## n2casey (Feb 2, 2007)

ECE0105 said:
			
		

> AFAIK, there is no way to know the Serial Number from the Windows XP CD (or any OS CD for that matter).


Who told u that it is not possible to know the serial number from WinXP CD, the only difference will b, the key & also the way is illegal.
Every s/w can generate a valid serial so that it can compare with one provided by user.



			
				ECE0105 said:
			
		

> Maybe u didn't understand the question. He was not talking illegal. He just wanted to know whether he cud find answers to his question.


I understand the thing which he asked, the which is illegal in his post is, to ask a way to know the KEY from WinXP CD.


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## man_in_black (Feb 2, 2007)

@ n2casey

hey ! we know that microsoft people r not that smart but they r not fools (after all they r the biggest software company). Extracting the key from the genuine (or pirated) XP CD is as impossible as cracking the NTFS encryption. Of'course softwares do exist which can check a small database of pirated keys against ur CD on trial-n-error basis.

@ spironox

just break the CD and throw it in the bin. That's possibly the most legal thing u can do now as u've failed to find the entitled user. 
aahemmmm...!!!   and don't use google to find some pirated keys, that'll be the most illegal thing to do (perhaps u got what u wanted)
and chant this infront of ur PC 108 times:
"PIRACY IS ILLEGAL"


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## iMav (Feb 2, 2007)

well just posted so tht u can see my avatar


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## n2casey (Feb 2, 2007)

mAV3 said:
			
		

> well just posted so tht u can see my avatar



Baahar se kuchh aur, andar se kuchh aur.


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## it_waaznt_me (Feb 3, 2007)

In your Windows Cd, find a file called Winnt.sif .. Open it in notepad and find a string called "ProductId" .. Thats your installation key .. 

You should be knowing that you cannot use someone else's product key with your installation disk as the product version may be different .. so you cannot install WXP Pro with an OEM key and so on ..


And now to your actual query, you cannot find the owner of the disk with the key .. Its not a phone number that you can dial and ask ..


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## spironox (Feb 10, 2007)

man_in_black said:
			
		

> @ n2casey
> 
> hey ! we know that microsoft people r not that smart but they r not fools (after all they r the biggest software company). Extracting the key from the genuine (or pirated) XP CD is as impossible as cracking the NTFS encryption. Of'course softwares do exist which can check a small database of pirated keys against ur CD on trial-n-error basis.
> 
> ...


 

thanks my friends

i mean i really thought of returning the cd to the person/organization to whom it belogned but the thing is my thread got some serious threats from some one who thinks he is the admin any how i am relaxed and may be i will keep the cd with me in safe hand with out any googled keys or keygens 


thanks friends


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## bugmenot (Feb 12, 2007)

it_waaznt_me said:
			
		

> In your Windows Cd, find a file called Winnt.sif .. Open it in notepad and find a string called "ProductId" .. Thats your installation key ..
> 
> You should be knowing that you cannot use someone else's product key with your installation disk as the product version may be different .. so you cannot install WXP Pro with an OEM key and so on ..
> 
> ...



quite interesting ... i didnt know this... does it really work man... lemme try and if it does you gain a rep point


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## Siddharth Maheshwari (Feb 12, 2007)

Click on the start button 
Click on run 
Type regedit(inbuilt registry editor of windows)
Navigate to key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion]

a>Find the value "productid" 
b>Open it by doubleclicking on it
c>The value present there is the key of ur XP


For the full tutorial of windows ownership tips visit my this tutorial


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## Vishal Gupta (Feb 12, 2007)

^^
Its product-ID not the serial key, which is required to install windows.


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## Siddharth Maheshwari (Feb 12, 2007)

Did nt understood plz tell in details.
Thanks in advance Vishal bro


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## sakumar79 (Feb 12, 2007)

Okay, so you have a legal CD, but the product ID is not visible... You are wondering what to do with it... Simple... Use the CD, install XP, use a different Product ID (you will have to find out how to get that elsewhere, we cannot discuss it here)... Now, technically, you have a legal copy even though it is activated differently...

Arun


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## casanova (Feb 12, 2007)

it_waaznt_me said:
			
		

> In your Windows Cd, find a file called Winnt.sif .. Open it in notepad and find a string called "ProductId" .. Thats your installation key ..
> 
> You should be knowing that you cannot use someone else's product key with your installation disk as the product version may be different .. so you cannot install WXP Pro with an OEM key and so on ..
> 
> ...



I think this will be available only if the cd is for unattended setup.


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## it_waaznt_me (Feb 13, 2007)

Most OEM Cds are setup for unattended installation.


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## Vishal Gupta (Feb 13, 2007)

it_waaznt_me said:
			
		

> Most OEM Cds are setup for unattended installation.


True!


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## n2casey (Feb 13, 2007)

Someone has repu me with comment *Silly & Illogical* for my post on this thread.  
Thx for repu  but will u plz tell me, who r u?


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## ECE0105 (Feb 19, 2007)

n2casey said:
			
		

> Someone has repu me with comment *Silly & Illogical* for my post on this thread.
> Thx for repu  but will u plz tell me, who r u?




Hey... How do you check that?


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## Vishal Gupta (Feb 19, 2007)

^^ Click on User CP and it'll show u last 5 reputations given to u.


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## spironox (Feb 20, 2007)

so i am in mess i guess again .. i mean i get threats in form of talking illegal over here ... anyhow i continue to fight for my right .. the right to information .. RTI sure stands out here .. so i am with this cd (discarded ) but the real fun is that the cd is not of any supporting company like dell/compaq/wipro etc its just the real glemaing windows xp i mean the stuff u get when u pour in u hard earn money to the software vendor and walk back home with a cd which is more pricey that the gift u gifted to ur gf last valentine's day

i am still hope ful that some one will help me in any form i mean u can leave msg to me or u can simply scrap on ...


intersting is the fact that i am getting so many reponce but the saddest part is only one solution is listed ..

i hope that u people can do much better after all impossible is nothing in this world of 0 and 1

Be in touch


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## ECE0105 (Feb 23, 2007)

spironox said:
			
		

> so i am in mess i guess again .. i mean i get threats in form of talking illegal over here ... anyhow i continue to fight for my right .. the right to information .. RTI sure stands out here .. so i am with this cd (discarded ) but the real fun is that the cd is not of any supporting company like dell/compaq/wipro etc its just the real glemaing windows xp i mean the stuff u get when u pour in u hard earn money to the software vendor and walk back home with a cd which is more pricey that the gift u gifted to ur gf last valentine's day
> 
> i am still hope ful that some one will help me in any form i mean u can leave msg to me or u can simply scrap on ...
> 
> ...




That is another example that "Piracy Rocks" !!!!

Anyways, have you tried doing a google search about this? Cos, this forum has a lot of Hypocrites (Or Very Rich People) who only install Genuine Software... Be it an A-V costing around Rs. 1200/- or a Vista Ultimate, that costs 20k.

I thought that there was no way to get the Serial, but since someone says that it can be done. Go ahead and do it.....  As long as u have paid good money to buy the software, I don't see any reasons as to why people have objections wat u wanna do with it....

All the Best in your quest for achieving it...


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## spironox (Feb 23, 2007)

thanks for your support my friend ... yeah i agree with the fact that there are many who run around with a flag of antipiracy but as reality is quite bitter for them.... they dont accept


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## ECE0105 (Feb 25, 2007)

Hey dude... I have asked this question in another place... Lets see if we get a better response there... I will let u know once I get a satisfactory answer....


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## DukeNukem (Feb 26, 2007)

have  a hammer and hide it 
then put the cd on floor
then show the hammer to the CD and ask for the key in it and tell him/her that you'll kill it if he/she does not. (unfortunately you might end up killing the CD/DvD lol )


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## caleb (Feb 28, 2007)

This is an interesting thread for more than one reason.


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## Shasanka_Gogoi (Mar 1, 2007)

If xp is installed on ur PC already, their is a tool that can display u ur product key, I got it (its a freeware) from the net. I will search for it and post it.


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## Darthvader (Mar 1, 2007)

Nope He has Home version installed as he already said


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## spironox (Mar 2, 2007)

i wholeheartly thank all those people who responded to my question and helped me in one way or another and i wish to give out best wishes to all for supporting me all the times thanks indeed my friends


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## alok4best (Mar 3, 2007)

this is an interesting situation..first of all whoever said that its piracy needs to prove it..its nt the case that he is trying to use a pirated CD..I say that he hit a kind of jackpot..Its a situation in which u r walking down a road,and u get a Vista Ultimate DVD fallen somewhere..now u take it and try to install...is it pricay?I dnt think so...
However there are tools which can retrieve the key once u have installed the OS.but in this case we r trying to retrieve a key from a CD before installing..it'll be really informative if someone cud find a solution..And Mind it..
its not piracy..even u can fall in a situation where u misplace the cover of ur cd and dont remember the product key..now can u say that u r pirating.
And even I suspect how many of us really use legal softwares everytime( many of us claim they use)   
as of now I m using legal Vista RC2...I got 5 different keys for free from Microsoft so that I dnt run out of the serials for a while..


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## spironox (Mar 10, 2007)

alok4best said:
			
		

> this is an interesting situation..first of all whoever said that its piracy needs to prove it..its nt the case that he is trying to use a pirated CD..I say that he hit a kind of jackpot..Its a situation in which u r walking down a road,and u get a Vista Ultimate DVD fallen somewhere..now u take it and try to install...is it pricay?I dnt think so...
> However there are tools which can retrieve the key once u have installed the OS.but in this case we r trying to retrieve a key from a CD before installing..it'll be really informative if someone cud find a solution..And Mind it..
> its not piracy..even u can fall in a situation where u misplace the cover of ur cd and dont remember the product key..now can u say that u r pirating.
> And even I suspect how many of us really use legal softwares everytime( many of us claim they use)
> as of now I m using legal Vista RC2...I got 5 different keys for free from Microsoft so that I dnt run out of the serials for a while..


 


dear friend i surely agree with you in the matter as i wonder if there is any tool anywhere which could help me or the people having similar conditions to resolve their problem ..


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## Rollercoaster (Mar 10, 2007)

FYI the windows setup disks or any other program having serial key protection does not contain the keys in it. It only contains the algorithm to verify that the key is issued by the company.


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## Ambar (Mar 10, 2007)

something between legal and illegal!!!...u decide..lol!


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## Rollercoaster (Mar 11, 2007)

you cannot get the product key anyway unless u can reverse engg the verification algo. and i am pretty sure that these algos are reverse engg proof


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## rajasekharan (Mar 12, 2007)

@spironox....PM send to you...


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## kirangp (Mar 12, 2007)

Rollercoaster said:
			
		

> you cannot get the product key anyway unless u can reverse engg the verification algo. and i am pretty sure that these algos are reverse engg proof



agree with u Rollercoaster...I wonder what does any company do when the user has lost his product key...I think they will only help when the user has registered with the company...Same thing had happened to me with Tally..I had lost the key & those fellows gave it to me after a full detailed verification ofcourse


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## spironox (Mar 12, 2007)

hey thats great news ... any reverse engg here kya ?


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## rajasekharan (Mar 12, 2007)

check your pm that i have send you . . it may help mate


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## Rollercoaster (Mar 13, 2007)

spironox said:
			
		

> hey thats great news ... any reverse engg here kya ?


 well 1st u would need to locate that algo in the setup disk then think abt reverse engineering


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## spironox (Mar 14, 2007)

errrr.... algo stuff is alien to me my friends ...thanks rajashekharan... i hope it would be helpful in all ways ..regards


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## spironox (Mar 24, 2007)

any one with any solution yet friends ??

or the argument over legal illegal goes on??


what say


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## Rollercoaster (Mar 25, 2007)

dude. there is no way to get the product key from the disks. loose all hopes. that is the finak word, leagal or illigal does not matter. 

The whole point of the 'validation key' process is that people can only get them from the developer. forget it. If u had put this much effort on searching for existing solutions for ur problem on google then probably u would have found some answer.


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