find my windows key?

Question

My computer had a network problem long ago so I reboot the whole computer over again like it was new. Though the Windows Key i enter from the side of my computer said it was valid so I call microsoft and they activate it for me. Now my computer is slow as hekk so I was thinking reboot it again for the last time but im afraid I lost my windows key. I dont think Microsoft will give me another one so I decided to find my original key they gave me but i can find it. can someone tell me where to find my key?

Answer 1

If they have activated, you wont lose it, the one that's on the back of the computer, is yours to keep and is for that computer. If your computer is running slow, it is likely due to a virus.

Answer 2

Go to http://www.belarc.com

Download and run the Belarc Advisor

In the report it gives you look in the section titles Software Licenses. Look to the right of Microsoft - Windows XP and you will see the license # but more importantantly you will see within parenthesis your 25 character PRODUCT KEY which is what you are looking for.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

The activation key they gave you is good for one time only if you format you have to call them and get another activation key. I went through that three times.

Answer 4

It's easy, you can see it in your computer, follow those steps:
right click on My PC / Properties / In System Properties you will see a description for your computer, see in Registered to:

Other way to enter to properties is:
Control Panel / System / General

That's all.

Answer 5

What happened to the product key on the side of the computer?

Run "Keyfinder Thing" to find your product keys. Print out a copy and DON'T LOSE IT.

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

====================
Your terminology s@cks.

Reboot:
To turn (a computer or operating system) off and then on again; restart.
===========================
Did you reformat your hard drive and reinstall windows?

After you reinstalled Windows did you reinstall all the drivers?
If you did not it will run very slowly.
Go to your computer manufacturer's site. There will be a support section to download the drivers. Also go to your video card and sound card manufacturer's site and download the latest drivers.

Did you reinstall Virus and spyware protection?
If not it will soon be infested and run very slowly.
============================
BEFORE:
Backup your data. Check each disk and make sure all the files are OK. I have found backup disks that had corrupted files.

Find your product keys, Run "Keyfinder Thing 3.1.6" and print out the results.
http://www.download.com/Keyfinder-Thing/3000-2094_4-10561260.html?tag=lst-0-1

Download and run the Belarc Advisor and print out the results.
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

For Internet Explorer:
Install and run: BackRex Internet Explorer (free)
http://www.backsettings.com/internet-explorer-backup.html
BackRex Internet Explorer Backup is a backup and restore tool for Internet Explorer. It allows you to backup favorites, history, proxy settings, fonts, dialup accounts, autocomplete passwords and cookies.

For Firefox:
Install and run: Firefox Extension Backup Extension (FEBE)
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2109/
"FEBE backs up your extensions, themes, and (optionally) your bookmarks, preferences, passwords, cookies and just about everything else Firefox offers."

Create a directory such as "Firefox Backup" and "IE7 Backup" for each browsers backup data in your "My Documents Folder".
This way whenever you backup you files you will also backup your browsers settings. Repeat logged as each users.

Backup your data. Check each disk and make sure all the files are OK. I have found backup disks that had corrupted files.

Find all your drivers and software and software keys now and develop a plan on how you will reinstall everything.
http://www.thefuhrmans.com/reformat_hd.htm
http://blog.angrypets.com/2006/01/ultimate_prefla.html
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/l0910/32l10/32l10.asp

Reformat and install. (Cleans drive loses all data)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
http://www.whitecanyon.com/reformat-the-hard-drive-in-windows-xp.php
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/l0910/32l10/32l10.asp

Reload Drivers, Spyware/ Virus protection, All Microsoft updates, Programs, etc.

--------------------------------
In some cases some people like to overwrite the entire disk before reformatting and reinstalling windows to prevent any old files from being recovered and/or to eliminate any possibility (rare) of malware still being on the hard drive after formatting and reinstalling windows . Any of the following will accomplish this.


http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102-0.html?forumID=5&threadID=194873&messageID=2115918
"You can find out the manufacturer of your HD and then attempt to download the formatting tool created by that manufacturer for their HD's. Most HD Mnufactuer have a Zero Fill Low level formatting tool available to erase their HD products. This will clean any existing OS files from your system as well as any viruses other files etc.."

Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) free
http://www.download.com/Darik-s-Boot-and-Nuke/3000-2092_4-10165154.html
http://dban.sourceforge.net/
DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

Active@ Kill Disk - Hard Drive Eraser (Free version/ $29.95 enhanced version)
http://www.killdisk.com/
Free version limited to 1 erasure pass and first hard drive.
Active@ KillDisk - Hard Drive Eraser is powerful and compact DOS software that allows you to destroy all data on hard and floppy drives completely, excluding any possibility of future recovery of deleted files and folders. It's a hard drive and partition eraser utility.

WipeDrive by White Canyon $39.95 (no free version)
http://www.whitecanyon.com/
Completely wipe and erase all the information from a computer before selling or discarding it. WipeDrive makes it easy.
============================
VIRUS and SPYWARE PROTECTION

In addition to a firewall you must have full time (active) virus protection and full time spyware protection.

All the following programs are free.
---------------------------------------------
Full Time (Active) Virus Protection
If you do not have active virus protection, install only one. All are excellent.

AVG Antivirus 7.5 Free Edition
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/avg-anti-virus-free/lng/us/tpl/v5
http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10669237.html?tag=lst-0-1
or
Free antivirus - avast! 4 Home Edition
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
or
AOL Active Virus Shield
http://www.activevirusshield.com/antivirus/freeav/index.adp
---------------------------------------------------------
Full Time (Active) Spyware Protection

Windows Defender
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
---------------------------------------------------------
Install the following five programs and run weekly or at least monthly. You need all five. They will greatly increase your protection. They are not a substitute for full time spyware and virus protection.

Ad-Aware SE Personal (update + full scan)
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php

Spybot Search & Destroy (update + immunize + scan)
Do not enable Tea Timer and SDHelper
After installation: update + scan + immunize
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

SpywareBlaster: Update then open and click “enable all protection”.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

SUPERAntiSpyware free version: (update + scan)
http://www.superantispyware.com/

CCleaner: Do not install toolbar option
Removes tracking cookies, unneeded files, history
In options.
Set to run when computer starts.
Place cookies you want to keep in save list
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Answer 6

try to contact your service provider!the company that sold u that computer!