Restoring computer not a good idea

L

lilime

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
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View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/troubleshoot-98/1038132.htm

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P

PCR

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
 
L

lilime

D

dadiOH

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
 
L

lilime

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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/troubleshoot-98/1038132.htm

http://forums.techarena.in
 
F

FromTheRafters

"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?
 
J

John Dulak

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
 
P

PCR

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
 
B

~BD~

"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

--
 
P

philo

"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
 
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