Thread: Missing Windows 2000 Pro Product Key

stock writer wrote:
> I have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Professional. The case and
> documentation were apparently lost during a flood. Is there any way I can
> obtain a new key or extract the existing key from the disk?

There is no key on the disk. The COA is your _only_ proof of license. If you
paid more than a typical media kit (about £17 UK, no idea about other countries)
for that kit, you've been well and truly fleeced by your retailer.
If the kit has been installed, there are ways of extracting the product key from
a running system, but there is no key on the disk (making unique discs for each
copy would be prohibitively expensive)

If your retailer suggested that this kit was a 'full licensed copy', then he's
probably guilty of something, depending on your local legislation.

I obviously did not explain properly. I originally had the jewel case and
instructions with the product key. But my house flooded last year, and I lost
a lot of stuff, including a bunch of items from the bottom of my computer
desk.

This product has already been installed in my Virtual PC. But I had to
reinstall my operating system and lost the virtual machine. I attempted to
reinstall ?irtual PC and discovered my predicament.

Can Microsoft help? Will they help? Is there an alternative? I hate have a
legally purchased original copy of Windows that I can't use.

Thanks,

Bob

"Jim Howes" wrote:

> stock writer wrote:
> > I have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Professional. The case and
> > documentation were apparently lost during a flood. Is there any way I can
> > obtain a new key or extract the existing key from the disk?
>
> There is no key on the disk. The COA is your _only_ proof of license. If you
> paid more than a typical media kit (about £17 UK, no idea about other countries)
> for that kit, you've been well and truly fleeced by your retailer.
> If the kit has been installed, there are ways of extracting the product key from
> a running system, but there is no key on the disk (making unique discs for each
> copy would be prohibitively expensive)
>
> If your retailer suggested that this kit was a 'full licensed copy', then he's
> probably guilty of something, depending on your local legislation.
>

My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
this product key:

DDTPV-TXMX7-BBGJ9-WGY8K-B9GHM

walter donavan wrote:

> My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
> this product key:
>
> xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Posting your license key on a public newsgroup was probably not the
smartest thing to do. Windows 2000 does not, has never and will never
require activation. But to download certain utilities or programs on
the Microsoft site you may be required to provide authentication details.

John

If you are legally entitled to use the disk then go on a hacker's/ware's
site and get a pirated key. You're not breaking the law since you're legally
the owner. You're just getting what you purchased.

"stock writer" <stock writer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:09B5C6AB-688C-4D51-932B-24AB61C9CF34@microsoft.com...
> I have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Professional. The case and
> documentation were apparently lost during a flood. Is there any way I can
> obtain a new key or extract the existing key from the disk?

By publishing your product key, you can expect it to be used for piracy.
Good luck.

"walter donavan" <invalid@nowhere.not> wrote in message
news:eMLhKhgfHHA.4176@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
| My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
| this product key:
|
|
|
|

He can use Walter's, who just posted his key in this thread ;-)

"John" <Me@myhome.net> wrote in message
news:O1FmlqgfHHA.1388@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
| If you are legally entitled to use the disk then go on a hacker's/ware's
| site and get a pirated key. You're not breaking the law since you're
legally
| the owner. You're just getting what you purchased.
|
| "stock writer" <stock writer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
| news:09B5C6AB-688C-4D51-932B-24AB61C9CF34@microsoft.com...
| > I have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Professional. The case
and
| > documentation were apparently lost during a flood. Is there any way I
can
| > obtain a new key or extract the existing key from the disk?
|
|

there is no notice that "publishing" product key may be forbidden?

after you stop using your software [win2k is replaced by new releas few
years ago], yo don't nedd your product key any more...


"Tom Willett" <tompepper@mvps.invalid> wrote in message
news:#ekBDvgfHHA.444@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> He can use Walter's, who just posted his key in this thread ;-)
>

Why would someone want to publish a product key that someone could steal for
their use?

"sali" <gabor.salai@tel.net.ba> wrote in message
news:u5VWTKhfHHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
| there is no notice that "publishing" product key may be forbidden?
|
| after you stop using your software [win2k is replaced by new releas few
| years ago], yo don't nedd your product key any more...
|
|
| "Tom Willett" <tompepper@mvps.invalid> wrote in message
| news:#ekBDvgfHHA.444@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| > He can use Walter's, who just posted his key in this thread ;-)
| >
|
|
|

when you stop using your software, you don't need prod.key any more, and it
is your free will what to do with it, right?
and you may do *anything*, what is not forbidden by the law, right?
so, if you wish [for whatever reason], you may even publish key [if you
don't need it any more]



"Tom Willett" <tompepper@mvps.invalid> wrote in message
news:eRCnuPhfHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Why would someone want to publish a product key that someone could steal
for
> their use?
>
> "sali" <gabor.salai@tel.net.ba> wrote in message
> news:u5VWTKhfHHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> | there is no notice that "publishing" product key may be forbidden?
> |
> | after you stop using your software [win2k is replaced by new releas few
> | years ago], yo don't nedd your product key any more...
> |
>

There seems to be an over-riding assumption that he published his own
personal key and that now it will be pirated.

Much more likely that he was either simply posting a key that was
pirated in the first place or he simply made the key up for "fun".





Tom Willett wrote:
> Why would someone want to publish a product key that someone could steal for
> their use?
>
> "sali" <gabor.salai@tel.net.ba> wrote in message
> news:u5VWTKhfHHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> | there is no notice that "publishing" product key may be forbidden?
> |
> | after you stop using your software [win2k is replaced by new releas few
> | years ago], yo don't nedd your product key any more...
> |
> |
> | "Tom Willett" <tompepper@mvps.invalid> wrote in message
> | news:#ekBDvgfHHA.444@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> | > He can use Walter's, who just posted his key in this thread ;-)

It was my understanding, from a much older post, that the last versions of
Win2k had some sort of validation

"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:uscEilgfHHA.2432@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> walter donavan wrote:
>
> > My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
> > this product key:
> >
> > xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
>
> Posting your license key on a public newsgroup was probably not the
> smartest thing to do. Windows 2000 does not, has never and will never
> require activation. But to download certain utilities or programs on
> the Microsoft site you may be required to provide authentication details.
>
> John
>

No, Windows 2000 has never required activation or "validation". I'm not
sure what you mean by "last version".

John

DL wrote:

> It was my understanding, from a much older post, that the last versions of
> Win2k had some sort of validation
>
> "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
> news:uscEilgfHHA.2432@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
>>walter donavan wrote:
>>
>>
>>>My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does require
>>>this product key:
>>>
>>>xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
>>
>>Posting your license key on a public newsgroup was probably not the
>>smartest thing to do. Windows 2000 does not, has never and will never
>>require activation. But to download certain utilities or programs on
>>the Microsoft site you may be required to provide authentication details.
>>
>>John
>>
>
>
>

Maybe I was thinking about office2k, which ever app, win or office, there
was a thread I was following in which it was stated the final release used
some form of validation
This thread was many moons ago, when I was using Win2k and Office2k - I
still use win2k on my main PC

"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:%23hRAv9hfHHA.1244@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> No, Windows 2000 has never required activation or "validation". I'm not
> sure what you mean by "last version".
>
> John
>
> DL wrote:
>
> > It was my understanding, from a much older post, that the last versions
of
> > Win2k had some sort of validation
> >
> > "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
> > news:uscEilgfHHA.2432@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> >
> >>walter donavan wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does
require
> >>>this product key:
> >>>
> >>>xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
> >>
> >>Posting your license key on a public newsgroup was probably not the
> >>smartest thing to do. Windows 2000 does not, has never and will never
> >>require activation. But to download certain utilities or programs on
> >>the Microsoft site you may be required to provide authentication
details.
> >>
> >>John
> >>
> >
> >
> >

That (Office) would be more likey.

John

DL wrote:

> Maybe I was thinking about office2k, which ever app, win or office, there
> was a thread I was following in which it was stated the final release used
> some form of validation
> This thread was many moons ago, when I was using Win2k and Office2k - I
> still use win2k on my main PC
>
> "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
> news:%23hRAv9hfHHA.1244@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
>>No, Windows 2000 has never required activation or "validation". I'm not
>>sure what you mean by "last version".
>>
>>John
>>
>>DL wrote:
>>
>>
>>>It was my understanding, from a much older post, that the last versions
>
> of
>
>>>Win2k had some sort of validation
>>>
>>>"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
>>>news:uscEilgfHHA.2432@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>
>>>
>>>>walter donavan wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>My copy of W2K Pro does not require activation. However, it does
>
> require
>
>>>>>this product key:
>>>>>
>>>>>xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
>>>>
>>>>Posting your license key on a public newsgroup was probably not the
>>>>smartest thing to do. Windows 2000 does not, has never and will never
>>>>require activation. But to download certain utilities or programs on
>>>>the Microsoft site you may be required to provide authentication
>
> details.
>
>>>>John
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>

Hi,

I also have a legally purchased copy of Windows 2000 Pro but as far as I
remember I never used the key. I even go to MS site and do updates without
problem passing validation too.
In my particular case I was forced to copy the CD content to my HD cause
the CD drive refused to read some files aborting the installation. However
the CD read okay on a newer laptop. After copying the files to the HD I
had no problem to install and as far as I remeber I never had to enter the
key that I already have. Then I burned a CD on the same drive and from then
on it was used the same way, that is no key needed.

However, in order to install all other MS software I need to use the Key.
How comes? Did I purchase a hacked copy?