computer question?

Question

Hi, can anyone tell me how to activate windows... i reformated my comp. but i didnt have the original disc to use so i had to use another xp disc, now i have to activate windows but dont know how, cheers if anyone can help.

Answer 1

If the computer came from its manufacturer with XP preinstalled, your genuine XP Product key is located on the MS Certificate of Authenticity (COA) affixed to the computer's case. On laptops it will be on the bottom of the laptop.
http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=979856&SiteID=25

How to replace lost, broken, or missing Microsoft software or hardware
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326246/en-us


You should have thought about this BEFORE you formatted your computer. Any of the programs below can determine the product keys before the drive is formatted.

Keyfinder Thing 3.1.6
http://www.download.com/Keyfinder-Thing/3000-2094_4-10561260.html?tag=lst-0-1

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v1.51
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

XP CD Key Extractor 1.0.1
http://www.download.com/XP-CD-Key-Extractor/3640-2094_4-10518413.html

Product Key Finder
http://www.product-key.com/

Answer 2

Not going to happen. Here's why:

When you buy Windows XP in a shrink-wrapped box, you are allowed to install one copy on one PC. When Windows comes pre-installed on a new PC, it stays with the PC. You cannot transfer it from the bundled machine to a different machine. MS uses a technique called “BIOS locking” to make sure the copy stays ties to that specific PC forever.

Windows installer makes you type the 25-character code that’s printed on the case. The Product Activation program looks at various serial numbers inside your PC – the processor, network card, disk drives, etc. – mixes them together, and produces a second 25 character code that identifies your PC. These 50 characters, together, are called the Installation ID.

When you activate XP, you give MS the 50-character Installaton ID. If nobody else activated that 25-character code or if it has been activated with that specific Installation ID (which means you activated this particular copy of XP from the same PC twice) MS send back a 42-character Confirmation ID. The Installation ID and the Confirmation ID are stored on our PC.

If that 25-character code has been already been used on a different PC you will be notified that the number of times you can activate Windows with this product key has been exceeded.

Source: paraphrased from p. 18, Windows Gigabook for Dummies, by Peter Weverka et al.

Answer 3

call the 800# and talk to microsoft