Finding Serial number while in windows

nova128

Junior Member
Dec 22, 2004
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Hello everybody!

Had a quick question for all of you. I just bought a 300GB hard drive and I want to install a fresh copy of Windows XP on it. The only problem is that I forgot my windows CD at school and im at home. My dad has a CD laying around here though. I was wondering if there was a way to see what serial number (while in windows) I put in when I installed windows 6 months ago on my computer? I want to use his CD and put in my serial number.


Thanks in advance for the help!
 

PELarson

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2001
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Originally posted by: nova128
Hello everybody!

Had a quick question for all of you. I just bought a 300GB hard drive and I want to install a fresh copy of Windows XP on it. The only problem is that I forgot my windows CD at school and im at home. My dad has a CD laying around here though. I was wondering if there was a way to see what serial number (while in windows) I put in when I installed windows 6 months ago on my computer? I want to use his CD and put in my serial number.


Thanks in advance for the help!

OEM or Retail. If it is retail the drive should have a CD with a utility to copy the old drive onto the larger drive. Something like this.
 

nova128

Junior Member
Dec 22, 2004
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The drive is a retail drive. But I dont want to copy over windows. I want to install a fresh copy. All I really want to know is if there is a way to see what serial number my copy of windows is using.
 

nova128

Junior Member
Dec 22, 2004
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whats stopping me is that I dont know where to look to find the serial number while im in Windows.
 

drag

Elite Member
Jul 4, 2002
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Isn't the serial key the same as the product key or whatnot? or am I just confused.
 

nova128

Junior Member
Dec 22, 2004
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Ok...maybe I'm not being clear. You guys know the number thats on the CD case that you have to type in when you install windows? Well im wondering if there is anywhere on the computer that it is stored? Like can I go to system properties and find the serial number?
 

drag

Elite Member
Jul 4, 2002
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Nope.

In Windows 9x you could do that, but not in W2k or WinXP. You have to use a program to extract the key information.