Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Determining Windows Product Key on an external drive

Rathji · 04-09-2009, 09:07 PM

My desktop is dying a very fast death, and I want to salvage what I can from it. Hardware isn't an issue, but I want to recover the product keys, especially the Window XP one before I wipe the drive and put it to good use.

Normally I just run Belarc Advisor, and it spits out the product keys used to install all the software on the computer, but since I have plugged the drive into my external , Belarc doesn't provide the keys for that drive.

Any thoughts as to how I can find the key out? I have long since lost the CD and product key and this is my only (non MSDNAA) copy of XP so I would hate to lose it over something so stupid as this.

Edit: Just realized I didn't mention it but the drive is not bootable, either on the desktop or on my laptop.

04-09-2009, 09:07 PM	#1
Rathji Franchise Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Supporting Urban Sprawl Exp:	Determining Windows Product Key on an external drive My desktop is dying a very fast death, and I want to salvage what I can from it. Hardware isn't an issue, but I want to recover the product keys, especially the Window XP one before I wipe the drive and put it to good use. Normally I just run Belarc Advisor, and it spits out the product keys used to install all the software on the computer, but since I have plugged the drive into my external , Belarc doesn't provide the keys for that drive. Any thoughts as to how I can find the key out? I have long since lost the CD and product key and this is my only (non MSDNAA) copy of XP so I would hate to lose it over something so stupid as this. Edit: Just realized I didn't mention it but the drive is not bootable, either on the desktop or on my laptop. __________________ "Wake up, Luigi! The only time plumbers sleep on the job is when we're working by the hour." Last edited by Rathji; 04-09-2009 at 09:41 PM.