If you're like many average Joe's, you probably installed your Windows XP and/or Office software, and then put away your CDs, along w/ the cover that had the activation codes.
After awhile, you moved, and you have to reinstall the software for some reason. But you can't find them! Do you have to buy new software? No!
Just do the following:
- Borrow a friend's copy of XP or Office – this in itself is not illegal. But make sure you don't have the OEM versions that come w/ the computer like Dell or IBM. You need the retail version.
- Download Keyfinder (freeware), and then run it. It will find both the Windows activation code, as well as the Office activation code. Write this down and keep it safe!
- Pop in your friend's XP or Office CD, and when it asks for the activation code, user your own code that you just wrote down. Voila!
FYI, always as a safe measure, you should burn a backup copy CD for every major software CD that you buy. And keep it at a different place where you have easy access, and won't forget.
i received a forbidden error when i tried to download key finder whats that
it’s probably w/ your network. perhaps you are doing this at work, and your work’s firewall is blocking this, thinking it’s illegal software, but it’s not.
just google “keyfinder” and download it from somewhere else.
I have an OEM version of windows xp and the product key. I have been trying to reinstall the program, but a message appears that says activation cannot be completed since the product key is not correct. No one seems to be able to help. Am I going to have to buy another windows xp.
Jim, your product key is probably one for a non-oem cd. That happened to me once. you need to get either an OEM CD key, usually on the computer itself that it came with, or yes, buy a new copy of windows xp. But if you have a friend that has a retail copy, you can use that to install, but just use your own code. This should be legal to my knowledge.
http://www.pctipsbox.com/did-you-lose-your-windows-xp-or-office-activation-key-and-cd%E2%80%99s/
http://basictech.wordpress.com/2006/06/08/did-you-lose-your-windows-xp-or-office-activation-key-and-cds/
Article Similarity much?
thanks for the heads-up on the plagiarism!