clarkboyo

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Dec 24, 2006
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I'm currently running windows ME (yikes!) And would like to get windows xp on my computer

So I got this one disk of windows xp for free from a friend, who got it from this other guy in the U.S, The disk itself, is just a disk.. And when i turn on the computer and get onto windows me, I put in the disk and it shows me the whole "what do you want to do" thing. So i click 'install windows xp' Then it starts trying to install but then while it's installing this "please input 25 character product key" thing pops up. Not knowing what to do, I mail my friend and he doesn't really know what to do either, so of course i google "product key windows xp" Then it tells me I can find the product using "keyfinder" or whatnot, But what it does find is the product key of my windows me (aww man!) so then I open the disk and find 2 files, prodkey.ht &Prodkey.gi

so these are my questions:

1)Is there any program that would allow me to read the .ht or .gi file to be able to figure out the product key?

2)Is there any program that would find the product key from a cd?

3)Is there any other way to bypass the product key thing so i can just install it?

4)Is any of this illegal and should if it is, should i show my friend to the police and have them throw him in jail for piracy

btw, I'm getting a new computer in a week, with a real "in a box" type windows xp from a very reputable store and this computer is going to be sent to philippines to my uncle but i still want to install windows xp on it so i can test it out and figure out how to partition computers.

thx and p.s.

It's a windows xp pro (i think) with service pack 2 and my computer is 7 years old but has been able to run windows xp pro before.
 

pscowboy

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Apr 24, 2002
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1. NO! They aren't the Product Key.

2. NO! Not Possible because there is no key on the cd.

3. NO! You can't bypass the product key thing.


What you can do is find an acquaintance who has the same flavor of XP you have (do you know if it's Home or Pro???); convince him (or her) to let you borrow their KEY (write it down?) to test out a computer. You don't need their disc. What you must promise him (or her) is that you won't try to activate the XP when you get it up & running. You have 30 days to play around with it. That way - you're not a pirate.

4. NO! You need your friends.


Doing the install on top of ME will result in XP having the FAT32 file system - not what you want for the long haul.

This XP will stop working the 31st day; so I don't know how you want to handle that before you ship it. You can't use the key that you are going to receive in a week. Casual multi-install use doesn't fly with this windows.

Your uncle may be better served if you clear the partitions by using an ME boot floppy & return ME to that machine; (make one now if you don't have one. Start - Settings - Control Panel - Add/Remove. Look for Startup Disk). Format floppies first to find one with no bad spots.
Boot up with it, and at the "A" prompt type fdisk - delete the partitions. Then format the hard drive and re-install ME fresh.