Adding Reply Archived Topic: It will not be bumped to the top of the forum. Topic Windows XP SP2 Key Membername   Not a member? Sign Up Free (takes 20 seconds) Password   Forgotten your password? Post Font: Verdana Arial Black Georgia Comic Sans Impact   Size: Tiny Normal Big Huge   Color: Default Dark Red Red Orange Brown Green Olive Cyan Blue Dark Blue Indigo Black [ Check Spelling ] [ Post Preview ] [ LiveTags ] FAQ Keyword Search: Post Options Favorites Manager Notify me of new replies to this topic by email Notify me of new replies to this topic by private message Original Post The Dark Prince Posted at 5:38 am on June 23, 2008 I have a few questions regarding Windows XP Keys. Is the Key built into each CD, and a certain key will work with a certain CD?? And is there any legal way around putting in the Key. What has happened is my uncle's computer needed reformatting, so I started doing it yesterday with a SP2 CD I had around here. The thing is I forgot all about the key issue until I was prompted for it. I basically misplaced the key that came with the CD and his daughter took the one off his computer. I tried using the key that came with my computer but it keeps saying Invalid key. So is there anyway around this??

Replies rand0mguy Posted at 11:35 pm on June 26, 2008 with a limited licence key u can use it once every 6 months. and it dosent matter what cd u use as long as u have a key marshmellowman Posted at 6:33 am on June 23, 2008 Basically there are three types of Windows keys. OEM These are given by the original equipment manufacturer such as Dell or Sony and these are the keys that is placed on the sticker on the bottom of the laptop. These keys will only work with the recovery disks that the OEM sends to you and won't work with retail copies. Retail These keys are the ones you get when you physically go out and buy a copy of Windows from the shelves or order one online. These keys will only work with DVDs that you get in the box. Volume Licensing These are the keys that will allow businesses and institutions to install Windows on their PCs whilst only having to use one key. Similarly this will only work with Volume Licensing DVDs that they purchase from Microsoft. These limit you to the specific keys you can put in, and you have to be aware that Microsoft keep a blacklist for the ones available on the Internet so that users don't use the same ones over and over again. If you want to install XP on your friends computer, and you want to use the Dell install disk, this should work on his computer most likely as long as you use the key that is on that computer's casing. However there may by incompatibilities as Dell might restrict the hardware that the OS can be installed on, so make sure you have made backups before going through with this. Furthermore, it is possible to use keys with different versions of the install disk, however this involves slipstreaming a Service Pack onto an Install disk and using some tools to change the types of keys that can be used. It's not too hard but takes a bit of time to figure out. Al Legator Posted at 6:24 am on June 23, 2008 Quote: from Rhapsody at 6:07 am on June 23, 2008 Okay lets assume, that I have a Dell Recovery Disk, and he has a Dell Computer. Would it allow me to install that OS on his computer without any problems?? I think so unless their firmware keep them incompatible. It's worth a try assuming you have data backups made. I've tried to install Dell version of XP on a  non-Dell computer and it wouldn't work but what have you got to lose by trying it on another Dell? The Dark Prince Posted at 6:07 am on June 23, 2008 Okay lets assume, that I have a Dell Recovery Disk, and he has a Dell Computer. Would it allow me to install that OS on his computer without any problems?? Al Legator Posted at 5:57 am on June 23, 2008 I doubt you can retrieve it after a format but I've never tried it then . But it's worth trying. Download a free utility called jelly bean http://magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ and it will report the xp key to you. If it doesn't work this time, at least use it later and anytime before formatting.   You might try a legitimate number from a friend who is no longer using it. Running two copies with the same number is illegal. As a last resort, assuming all else is legitimate, you can contact microsoft by phone. I had to do this a couple of years ago but I can't remember where I found the number. DefaultTo0 Posted at 5:53 am on June 23, 2008 Your Windows CD / DVD will, if genuine, come with a unique license key.  However, this key is not in any way 'tied' to the CD.  The CD itself is exactly the same as every other Windows CD sold, so there is no way for Microsoft to ensure that an individual key will only work with an individual CD. Therefore, in theory, you could take a serial key from a different copy of XP and use it in yours, and it would work fine (as long as the key had not been blacklisted, i.e. reported stolen or used on too many different computers). XP Home and XP Professional will have different sets of keys, so a Windows XP Professional key could not unlock a copy of XP Home. In XP, I believe that you must enter the key upon installation.  Alternatively, with Vista, you are given a time period after installation (some number of weeks, can't remember for sure) within which you can enter a key and activate your copy of Windows. DaveH Posted at 5:45 am on June 23, 2008 I've had to reformat about 10 times, if that. When i bought my computer it came with a valid windows XP service pack 2 operating system installed. Although it came with no disk or a serial. none the less i just downloaded one and it came with about 10 different serial keys. which i assume all work. (i doubt i used the same key everytime) Are you using home or pro? scottyrob Posted at 5:43 am on June 23, 2008 Sent you a PM! Id my post deleted if i typed it in here All 8 previous replies displayed.