Huge cock-up!

I've messed up and the only option is to reload Windows 98
from scratch - but - I don't have the product key number
anymore (if it ever was on the PC, it's dropped off now!).
Will my current "Registered to ..." number do? HELP!

No, your 'Registered to' number will not do.

If Win98 is still running, get it from the Registry with Regedit.exe
The key is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion
The value is ProductKey

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.win98.setup, "Erika"
wrote:

I've messed up and the only option is to reload Windows 98
from scratch - but - I don't have the product key number
anymore (if it ever was on the PC, it's dropped off now!).
Will my current "Registered to ..." number do? HELP!

Thanks Alan - I'll give it a try but not 100% sure I
understand all of what you've said. Still learning! Erika.
-----Original Message-----
No, your 'Registered to' number will not do.

If Win98 is still running, get it from the Registry with
Regedit.exe
The key is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Cur rentVersi
on
The value is ProductKey

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.win98.setup, "Erika"
wrote:

I've messed up and the only option is to reload Windows
98
from scratch - but - I don't have the product key number
anymore (if it ever was on the PC, it's dropped off
now!).
Will my current "Registered to ..." number do? HELP!

.

Go to:
Start, run and type in regedit, navigate to this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion

Look in the right pane for ProductKey


-----Original Message-----
Thanks Alan - I'll give it a try but not 100% sure I
understand all of what you've said. Still learning! Erika.
-----Original Message-----
No, your 'Registered to' number will not do.

If Win98 is still running, get it from the Registry with
Regedit.exe
The key is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Cu rrentVers
i
on
The value is ProductKey

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.win98.setup, "Erika"
wrote:

I've messed up and the only option is to reload Windows
98
from scratch - but - I don't have the product key
number
anymore (if it ever was on the PC, it's dropped off
now!).
Will my current "Registered to ..." number do? HELP!

.

.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 04:02:40 -0700, "Erika"
wrote:

I've messed up and the only option is to reload Windows 98
from scratch - but - I don't have the product key number
anymore (if it ever was on the PC, it's dropped off now!).
Will my current "Registered to ..." number do? HELP!

The Registered number won't work.
If you are not comfortable using Regedit then do this:

If Windows is installed enter this from the Dos prompt:
C:\windows\command\Find /i "ProductKey" c:\windows\system.dat
(that's an "eye" in /i)
There are 3 spaces, 1 before and after /i and 1 before c:
The ProductKey is 5 groups of 5 letters and numbers.

You can also try this if the System.1st file in the root has not
been deleted.
C:\windows\command\Find /i "ProductKey" c:\system.1st
Not all SE and ME systems have the key in System.1st.

You can also try this from Dos if the System.1st file has not been
deleted and you can't access FIND.
Enter: Edit System.1st
Then use the search feature for ProductKey (one word). Use the ALT
key to access the menus.
Use Alt+F then X to exit the Editor.

Regards,

Bill Watt
Computer Help and Information http://home.epix.net/~bwatt/

MANY MANY THANKS. ERIKA.
-----Original Message-----
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 04:02:40 -0700, "Erika"
wrote:

I've messed up and the only option is to reload Windows
98
from scratch - but - I don't have the product key number
anymore (if it ever was on the PC, it's dropped off
now!).
Will my current "Registered to ..." number do? HELP!

The Registered number won't work.
If you are not comfortable using Regedit then do this:

If Windows is installed enter this from the Dos prompt:
C:\windows\command\Find /i "ProductKey"
c:\windows\system.dat
(that's an "eye" in /i)
There are 3 spaces, 1 before and after /i and 1 before c:
The ProductKey is 5 groups of 5 letters and numbers.

You can also try this if the System.1st file in the root
has not
been deleted.
C:\windows\command\Find /i "ProductKey" c:\system.1st
Not all SE and ME systems have the key in System.1st.

You can also try this from Dos if the System.1st file has
not been
deleted and you can't access FIND.
Enter: Edit System.1st
Then use the search feature for ProductKey (one word).
Use the ALT
key to access the menus.
Use Alt+F then X to exit the Editor.

Regards,

Bill Watt
Computer Help and Information
http://home.epix.net/~bwatt/


.

Glad you got it, thanks for letting us know.

Regards,

Bill Watt

On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 03:18:48 -0700,
wrote:

MANY MANY THANKS. ERIKA.
-----Original Message-----
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 04:02:40 -0700, "Erika"
wrote:

I've messed up and the only option is to reload Windows
98
from scratch - but - I don't have the product key number
anymore (if it ever was on the PC, it's dropped off
now!).
Will my current "Registered to ..." number do? HELP!

The Registered number won't work.
If you are not comfortable using Regedit then do this:

If Windows is installed enter this from the Dos prompt:
C:\windows\command\Find /i "ProductKey"
c:\windows\system.dat
(that's an "eye" in /i)
There are 3 spaces, 1 before and after /i and 1 before c:
The ProductKey is 5 groups of 5 letters and numbers.

You can also try this if the System.1st file in the root
has not
been deleted.
C:\windows\command\Find /i "ProductKey" c:\system.1st
Not all SE and ME systems have the key in System.1st.

You can also try this from Dos if the System.1st file has
not been
deleted and you can't access FIND.
Enter: Edit System.1st
Then use the search feature for ProductKey (one word).
Use the ALT
key to access the menus.
Use Alt+F then X to exit the Editor.

Regards,

Bill Watt
Computer Help and Information
http://home.epix.net/~bwatt/


.