Retrieving Windows XP key from outside Windows

[cartman02au]

I am having trouble with a client's machine at the moment - they claim to have lost their install CD and key and it has just totally murdered Windows XP (cant even boot in safe mode).

I have chucked another HDD in, loaded XP to get their documents and the like off the old HDD and was wondering:

1) How do I retrieve their product key?

2) How do I find out what flavour they are running (Home/Pro)?

Thanks in advance,

C02.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Make them buy a new Windows XP it's their fault and they can't prove whether or not they had a legal copy.

[PsiMoon314]

Hi,

This is a tricky one and a lot will depend on the state of the hard drive and the files on it.

Are you aware of any file system or hard disk corruption (bad sectors ect)?

If the drive is readable then the only way I know of to read the registry (where the CD Key would be located) would be to boot the PC from CD to another OS.

I am sure there may be a rescue version of Linux that might do this but for XP I use a CD based on BartPE.

This is an OS build from Windows XP which is similar to Windows PE and allows for recovery of files and such from an unbootable Windows XP. It runs from CD so it doesn't need to be installed.

You can find more information here: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

You would also need a plugin for BartPE called KeyFinder-PE which would allow you to load the registry from the OS partition so you can find the Product Key for their PC.

There is an easier to setup version of BartPE called Retogo-XPE which you can find here: http://www.reatogo.de/

The set-up for this is a bit more automated and might be easier if you are not familier with how Windows PE / Bart PE works.

There is a forum for all of these packages here: http://www.911cd.net/forums/

If this is all too much work then take the dead / dying PC to your local friendly PC Engineer and I am sure they would have the tools to recoved the XP Key for you

Kind Regards

Simon

[cartman02au]

Make them buy a new Windows XP it's their fault and they can't prove whether or not they had a legal copy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's true but they could be telling the truth.

It will be pretty easy to discover. If they have a VLK then it is most certainly pirated.

[cartman02au]

Thanks psimoon

EDIT: It worked a treat, I just used the keygrabber with my WinPE disk

Edited September 23, 2005 by cartman02au