Guest lilime Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Okay, so I have this old Compaq Presario that is (well WAS) still running Windows 98. I decided recently to try and sell it and since there was still files and what not on it I figured I would restore it using the QuickRestore cds. I have quite a few computers and I keep everything on them. Disks, manuals, paperwork...whatever. So it restores fine but then it wants the Product Key to Windows 98. I'm thinking no problem...go to get it AND it's MISSING! I have all my other product keys for the other computers but this one has somehow gone MIA! So now I'm stuck with a computer that won't get pass this 'product key' screen and I'm trying to see if there is any way, any way at all that I can somehow either roll back to the previous state or find that key (hopefully in a registry file somehow) I've read that in a normal state you go to your 'regedit.exe' and you can get it from there but I've tried to put in safe mode and of course there's no key to be found there. Is there any hope at all for this?? -- lilime ------------------------------------------------------------------------ lilime's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/lilime.htm View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/troubleshoot-98/1038132.htm http://forums.techarena.in
Guest PCR Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea lilime wrote: | Okay, so I have this old Compaq Presario that is (well WAS) still | running Windows 98. I decided recently to try and sell it and since | there was still files and what not on it I figured I would restore it | using the QuickRestore cds. I have quite a few computers and I keep | everything on them. Disks, manuals, paperwork...whatever. So it | restores fine but then it wants the Product Key to Windows 98. I'm | thinking no problem...go to get it AND it's MISSING! I have all my | other product keys for the other computers but this one has somehow | gone MIA! So now I'm stuck with a computer that won't get pass this | 'product key' screen and I'm trying to see if there is any way, any | way at all that I can somehow either roll back to the previous state | or find that key (hopefully in a registry file somehow) I've read | that in a normal state you go to your 'regedit.exe' and you can get | it from there but I've tried to put in safe mode and of course | there's no key to be found there. Is there any hope at all for this?? It's odd, when I did my own QuickRestore after a hard drive crash in '01, no product key was requested. Something else was requested, & a Compaq phone person said to "hold down CTRL and press 'R' three times"-- which worked. But that was on this Compaq 7470. If you have honestly come by that computer & honestly have mis-placed Compaq's "Getting Started: Microsoft Windows98 Second Edition" manual that has your Certificate of Authenticity with a product key on the front cover-- try one/more of the other product key's you've honestly come by. After that -- if they come looking for you -- I'm sure 98 Guy will add a cot for you in his Afghan cave! | -- | lilime | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- | lilime's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/lilime.htm | View this thread: | http://forums.techarena.in/troubleshoot-98/1038132.htm | | http://forums.techarena.in -- Thanks or Good Luck, There may be humor in this post, and, Naturally, you will not sue, Should things get worse after this, PCR pcrrcp@netzero.net
Guest lilime Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea Wow...thank you for implying that I stole the computer. But HONESTLY it is mine. And I HONESTLY do have the product codes for each computer I own. I was hoping for advice from this forum, not to be accused of wrongdoing. -- lilime ------------------------------------------------------------------------ lilime's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/lilime.htm View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/troubleshoot-98/1038132.htm http://forums.techarena.in
Guest dadiOH Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea lilime wrote: > Wow...thank you for implying that I stole the computer. But HONESTLY > it is mine. And I HONESTLY do have the product codes for each > computer I own. I was hoping for advice from this forum, not to be > accused of wrongdoing. Get a grip. He didn't accuse you of anything and gave you a reasonable answer. -- dadiOH ____________________________ dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
Guest lilime Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea You let me know when you like to be accused of stealing things. I'm a reasonable person and he could've left out all the implications in his answer then if he was trying to be so reasonable himself. And I've tried the different codes from my other computers and they don't work. Probably because my other computers are all for Win XP. This is the only one that still has Win 98 on it. I guess I picked the wrong forum to try and get help from. -- lilime ------------------------------------------------------------------------ lilime's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/lilime.htm View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/troubleshoot-98/1038132.htm http://forums.techarena.in
Guest FromTheRafters Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea "lilime" <lilime.3fr37c@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message news:lilime.3fr37c@DoNotSpam.com... > > Okay, so I have this old Compaq Presario that is (well WAS) still > running Windows 98. I decided recently to try and sell it and since > there was still files and what not on it I figured I would restore it > using the QuickRestore cds. I have quite a few computers and I keep > everything on them. Disks, manuals, paperwork...whatever. So it restores > fine but then it wants the Product Key to Windows 98. I'm thinking no > problem...go to get it AND it's MISSING! I have all my other product > keys for the other computers but this one has somehow gone MIA! So now > I'm stuck with a computer that won't get pass this 'product key' screen > and I'm trying to see if there is any way, any way at all that I can > somehow either roll back to the previous state or find that key > (hopefully in a registry file somehow) I've read that in a normal state > you go to your 'regedit.exe' and you can get it from there but I've > tried to put in safe mode and of course there's no key to be found > there. Is there any hope at all for this?? Contact Compaq Support - unless you are sure this is not an OEM version. Try other keys (use Google "Win98 product key"). Maybe even this one: http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=5&threadID=155727&messageID=1632057 All my Win9x CDs are repurposed (as well as the AOL ones I get by mail) - they bother the crows. Why not sell it with Linux on it?
Guest John Dulak Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea lilime wrote: > Okay, so I have this old Compaq Presario that is (well WAS) still > running Windows 98. I decided recently to try and sell it and since > there was still files and what not on it I figured I would restore it > using the QuickRestore cds. I have quite a few computers and I keep > everything on them. Disks, manuals, paperwork...whatever. So it restores > fine but then it wants the Product Key to Windows 98. I'm thinking no > problem...go to get it AND it's MISSING! I have all my other product > keys for the other computers but this one has somehow gone MIA! So now > I'm stuck with a computer that won't get pass this 'product key' screen > and I'm trying to see if there is any way, any way at all that I can > somehow either roll back to the previous state or find that key > (hopefully in a registry file somehow) I've read that in a normal state > you go to your 'regedit.exe' and you can get it from there but I've > tried to put in safe mode and of course there's no key to be found > there. Is there any hope at all for this?? > > lilime: If the original install of windows is still intact you can use "Magic Jelly Bean" to retrieve the key code for Windows and some other apps. http://magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ Note: since this utility accesses the registery some malware scanning programs will flag it. HTH & GL John -- \\\||/// ------------------o000----(o)(o)----000o---------------- ----------------------------()-------------------------- '' Madness takes its toll - Please have exact change. '' John Dulak - Gnomeway Services - http://tinyurl.com/2qs6o6
Guest PCR Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea lilime wrote: | You let me know when you like to be accused of stealing things. I'm a | reasonable person and he could've left out all the implications in his | answer then if he was trying to be so reasonable himself. And I've | tried the different codes from my other computers and they don't work. | Probably because my other computers are all for Win XP. This is the | only one that still has Win 98 on it. I guess I picked the wrong | forum to try and get help from. I thank dadiOH for getting it right about me. Not all ProductKey's will work for all machines, EVEN if they are of the same OS (or so I've read here). Keys of different OS surely will not work. No -- I'm just saying -- IF you use a stray key & fail a lie-detector test -- they may seek to hunt you down! Pack your bags, is all. I DO have a "Getting Started: Microsoft Windows98 Second Edition" manual from Compaq with a Certificate of Authenticity & a ProductKey on it. But even my own bags are packed & I have a ticket to Afghanistan in my pocket at all times-- because the ProductKey in my Registry is different! But I never put it there! | -- | lilime | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- | lilime's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/lilime.htm | View this thread: | http://forums.techarena.in/troubleshoot-98/1038132.htm | | http://forums.techarena.in -- Thanks or Good Luck, There may be humor in this post, and, Naturally, you will not sue, Should things get worse after this, PCR pcrrcp@netzero.net
Guest ~BD~ Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea "John Dulak" <johnd@Booogus.com> wrote in message news:48ce5873$0$12371$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com... > lilime wrote: >> Okay, so I have this old Compaq Presario that is (well WAS) still >> running Windows 98. I decided recently to try and sell it and since >> there was still files and what not on it I figured I would restore it >> using the QuickRestore cds. I have quite a few computers and I keep >> everything on them. Disks, manuals, paperwork...whatever. So it restores >> fine but then it wants the Product Key to Windows 98. I'm thinking no >> problem...go to get it AND it's MISSING! I have all my other product >> keys for the other computers but this one has somehow gone MIA! So now >> I'm stuck with a computer that won't get pass this 'product key' screen >> and I'm trying to see if there is any way, any way at all that I can >> somehow either roll back to the previous state or find that key >> (hopefully in a registry file somehow) I've read that in a normal state >> you go to your 'regedit.exe' and you can get it from there but I've >> tried to put in safe mode and of course there's no key to be found >> there. Is there any hope at all for this?? >> >> > > lilime: > > If the original install of windows is still intact you can use "Magic Jelly Bean" to retrieve the > key code for Windows and some other apps. > > http://magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ > <snip> Works for me - just like ........... Magic! :) Dave --
Guest philo Posted September 16, 2008 Posted September 16, 2008 Re: Restoring computer not a good idea "lilime" <lilime.3fr37c@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message news:lilime.3fr37c@DoNotSpam.com... > > Okay, so I have this old Compaq Presario that is (well WAS) still > running Windows 98. I decided recently to try and sell it and since > there was still files and what not on it I figured I would restore it > using the QuickRestore cds. I have quite a few computers and I keep > everything on them. Disks, manuals, paperwork...whatever. So it restores > fine but then it wants the Product Key to Windows 98. I'm thinking no > problem...go to get it AND it's MISSING! I have all my other product > keys for the other computers but this one has somehow gone MIA! So now > I'm stuck with a computer that won't get pass this 'product key' screen > and I'm trying to see if there is any way, any way at all that I can > somehow either roll back to the previous state or find that key > (hopefully in a registry file somehow) I've read that in a normal state > you go to your 'regedit.exe' and you can get it from there but I've > tried to put in safe mode and of course there's no key to be found > there. Is there any hope at all for this?? > It would be on the Win98 label affixed to the case... I'm sure it's there as it's made not to fall off. If someone took it off it might work with the number from another machine
Recommended Posts