From: "Rich Gauszka" 

Oops. ViewKeyXP no longers works as of SP2.   You'll have to use
keyfinder.exe or something else. Keyfinder appears to still work. I had
both copies in the same directory and forgot which one I used last

I think you can get a good copy of keyfinder at this link ( even though it
mentions ViewKeyXP it has a link to the keyfinder dl )


http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ViewKeyXP.htm



"John Cuccia"  wrote in message
news:c5ppe1h39qne4l8anbp52v8angliva2uan{at}4ax.com...
> On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 19:21:54 -0400, "Rich Gauszka"
>  wrote:
>
>
>>There are a few programs out there for retrieving the product key (
>>VeiwKeyXP.exe ). Sometimes the key returned isn't the PCs key ( the one on
>>the supposedly readable sticker ) but  the OEM's bulk install key. This is
>>going to be a real F**king mess . Yet another well thought out plan from
>>the
>>clowns in Redmond
>
> OK, I'm confused.  I downloaded the above and ran it on my IBM-imaged
> laptop and it returned a key different from that on the sticker on the
> case, which jibes with your comment about bulk install keys.
>
> But, I then ran it on my desktop, which has a version of XP Pro that I
> bought and installed myself.  It again returned a different key than
> the one I used to install the OS (i.e, different from the sticker on
> the packaging).
>
> Any idea why that happens?  Maybe MS is doing something to defeat key
> retrieval programs?

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