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January 4th, 2004 00:00
Win98 Product Key
OK - here goes -
recently I replaced my Dell XPSB1000 with a Dell 8300 - meanwhile, I still had a Dell XPS300 - well, the XPS300 was my second PC that I used for networking and the grandkids - no longer using the XPS1000. So the 300 is running real slow and I cannot install updates or Media Player 9, since it has Win98 1st edition. Since I am no longer using the 1000 (which now has an upgrade of WinME on it and went to my married son), I decide to format drive and install the Win98SE that came with the XPS1000. It goes well until it asks for product key to start Win98 - I have the product key that belongs to that version of Windows, but it keeps telling me that it's wrong - surely the old key must be in there and it is looking for that - however, the XPS300 came with Win95 and an upgrade certificiate for 98 - so my first edition 98 is only an upgrade edition and I cannot find the product code for that and the product code for Win95 does not work... So I am helpless to continue with the installation ---
Meanwhile, I just odered a Dell 4600 refurb (excellent deal on New Year's Day) to replace the 300 as the second PC in my home - I just hate to toss the 300, my 12 yr old niece could use it for homework - any chance I can get it running again without reinstalling Win95 - or is that my answer?
Many thanks,
Robin
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chuket
1.4K Posts
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January 4th, 2004 03:00
rempson
I'm not sure of what you're looking for but this might be it. If you're looking for the product ID on the machine in question, you can start here:
Go to 'Start/Run/Regedit'. Drill down to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.
Look for 'ProductKey' in the right pane. That's your number.
Denny Denham
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18.8K Posts
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January 4th, 2004 15:00
Since you formatted the system the registry is no longer available so there is no chance of retrieving a product key from there (and since 98 SE was never installed on the computer it would not have been there anyway). If the Product ID on the packaging of the Windows 98SE reinstallation CD will not work, it seems that your only option is to reinstall Windows 95. That should be sufficient for a 12 year old's homework (although certainly not for music and/or the latest games).