Recover Your Activation Key With ViewKeyXP (XP/SP-1)

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Hi, I have an almost new Sony Vaio laptop. Have just followed Woody`s instructions too with exactly same result. Maybe this is a different number from the one Woody is referring to, but it is the only one on my Vaio of the correct format with 25 digits.
Elaine

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I think, as Woody suggested, a call to Microsoft ( or IBM or Sony ) is in order to find out what’s going on. I tried the little program Woody mentioned and it reported the correct key for my copy of XP Pro. Maybe OEMs are doing something they shouldn’t be, huh?

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You also need to note the 25 character code is the Product Key Code, the Activation code is 50 characters long and is all numbers.
Also do NOT add a label add the code to your CD. If you are using a HIGH SPEED cd reader and you stick a label on it, the CD will not be balanced and can shatter inside of the reader. Do as Woody said, use a permanent marker and write the numbers on the CD itself and NOT on the silver side either.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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Hi Big Al & Dave A
No sooner said than done. Question sent to Sony. Wonder if they will reply. Woody says the 25 character number is the product activation Key.Are you saying that there is another 50 character number? If so, where do I find it.? I am a bit confused now about all the numbers. Advice about writing on CD noted. Thank you very much.
Elaine

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I’ve sent an e-mail to IBM. We’ll see what they say.

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Hi all,

Don’t bother trying to download the ViewKeyXP.exe file anymore. It seems that DigitalDomain have gotten a little upset with Woody direct linking to the file, and have changed the file.

It now is a nifty little exe that basically says “Naughty boy, don’t do that again”.

Cute!

Enjoy
Aj

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Just to clarify this a bit. I just now downloaded the program, for a second time, using the link in Post: 188407 by eastmans, above, without a hitch. I went to the digitalnowhere site yesterday after downloading the program and read a post by an anonoymous unregistered poster regarding the “deep link” that Woody had put in his newsletter. A mod thanked them for the info and that was it. Their site seems a bit unsteady with several page not found errors and was slow to load some pages.

Not sure what all this might mean but I just thought it was information that needed to be in this thread.

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Edited by WyllyWylly to add URL code. See the Quick Guide.[/size]

Today I received Woody’s Windows XP telling about the ViewKeyXP utility. I followed the directions, downloaded the program and got a Product Activation Key for the Win XP on my laptop. Problem is, it doesn’t come even close to the number on the bottom of my almost brand-new IBM ThinkPad, preloaded with Win XP, purchased in April, 2002, from IBM itself. The COA label meets all the requirements of being genuine. Before I get Microsoft excited about the difference in numbers, I’m wondering if they’re supposed to be different in this case. The following link to IBM explains how to recover the O/S on my machine: http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/MIGR-4VPV9X.html%5B/url%5D. Will appreciate some clarification here.

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I came in here to find out the same thing. I have a Dell desktop, and did what the email said and my numbers are totally different as well. The microsoft site seemed mostly concerned if the “tag” appeared to be genuine.

Any advice is welcomed.
Diane

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I tried to reach digitalnowhere.com, encountered an error 00404 but then digitalnowhere appeared. I instituted a search for viewkeyXP and was told that they couldn’t find it. Please let me know where to find and download it.

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Edited by WyllyWylly to add URL code. See the Quick Guide.[/size]

Here’s the URL: http://www.digitalnowhere.com/filelib/winxp/viewkeyxp.exe%5B/url%5D

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I keep getting the cute “you shouldn’t be doing this” pix, and I even joined the site. Do you have the exe file you could send to me?

wdwnds@att.net

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I downloaded the app. Ran it on the new Dell Dimension 8200 I got last month (XP Pro pre-installed). And got a completely different key from the sticker on the case.
Then I ran it on the Dell Dimension 4400 I bought 6 months ago (XP Pro pre-installed). And got a completely different key from the sticker on the case.
Funny thing is the codes reported by ViewKey XP are exactly the same for both computers….

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Explanation of the difference in product keys.

According to ELUA, you can install your Windows OS on only one computer, and the Product key on the genuine sticker on the bottom of your laptop (or on the side of your desktop) IS your valid key that you suppose to use. However, for technology reasons, during production process your Windows OS was activated by your vendor’s multiple installation license key. You are not permitted to use this key, and seemly your computer vendor presumed you will be unable to recover it. Please be kind not to use it.

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When is MS going to figure out that the Registration/Activation code is nothing but a nussance and a potential disaster for honest users. It does not and will not stop the dishonest ones!

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Why not voice your sentiments to Microsoft? Evangelizing here isn’t going to convince them to change their methods. Not to mention that for the here and now, both Windows and Office XP have and use product activation – and I can’t see them suddenly rolling this anti-piracy mechanism out of their current products. If it’s atrocious enough, people will not patronize the producer – but the alternatives to such mainstream products (read: monopoly products) are also slim.

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You will find that TurboTax for the upcoming year is going to require activation and then the next version of Quicken may also. You are going to be left with what you have. It seems to be paying off if others are going to do the same thing.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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This is exactly what IBM said to me when I called them. The recovery of the O/S on my ThinkPad resides in a separate partition on my hard drive. Do I need to do anything else?

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This seems to be right. Here is copy of my answer from Sony.
The fact that these 2 numbers differ is normal.
An image of a standard system is created for every unit and installed automatically on the hard disk drives.
The product key provided on the sticker is a personal product key that you can use in case you need to reinstall the system.

Both keys are valid and you won’t have any problem if you use the one from the sticker.
Elaine

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Hi Sarah–
You can get “View Key XP” problem free from Paul Menard’s Download Site. It is bug free, does not use CPU, and you simply click on it when you want to see your product key.

defrag

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