Retrieve and Recover Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, Office 2007 Product Key
If you happen to lose your CD or the packaging that comes with the product key printed on, try the following software before formatting your comp. Chances are, you might be able to retrieve the lost license information or product key from the existing registry, therefore allowing you to copy it for safekeeping or for documentation purposes.
Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder
This is by far the most powerful serial number retriever in the market; The Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is a freeware open source utility that retrieves your Product Key (cd key or serial number) used to install Windows from your registry, even from unbootable Windows installations. It works on Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, Server 2003, Server 2008, Office XP, Office 2003, Office 2007, Adobe Photoshop CS4, and many more. Download Magical jelly Bean Keyfinder.
ProduKey
No, that was not a typo error, ProduKey is a small and light utility that recovers the ProductID and the CD-Key of MS-Office, Windows, Exchange Server, and SQL Server installed on your computer. Fairly straight forward program, and its free. Download ProduKey.
CD Key Reader
Another free product key retriever, performs the same task of finding the serial number for Windows Xp, Vista, Office 2007 in your comp. Download CD Key Reader.
I own an Acer Laptop and it comes bundled with Windows XP OEM version, meaning to say, I paid for the license key. When the laptop reaches the end of its product cycle or I decided to upgrade to a newer laptop with no operating system, to my horror I discovered that Windows XP refuses to accept my product key which I paid for together with my previous laptop, from my understanding, the specific key is tied down with the hardware (acer), likewise, a Windows OEM key meant for Dell will only works with dell machines, probably I am wrong. That is so unfair, I paid for the license, and shouldn’t I have the liberty to transfer it to another comp if I choose so?
There got to be a way to work this around.
Tags: Office 2007, Photoshop CS4, Product Key, Recover, Retrieve, Serial Number, Windows Product KeyStop Notebook Thief, Free Software Tracks and Recover Stolen Laptop
Learn how to trace and recover your stolen laptop with Adeona and LocatePC, both of these software are free and has a built in function that email or reveal the thief’s IP address when he or she decided to log online. Now, to retrieve the thief IP address is fairly simple and straight forward, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to perform simple task like this.
Please note that the recovery of your laptop depends on certain situation such as:
- Requires the thief to log online using your laptop with the software installed
- If the thief decided to reformat the laptop, recovery process might not work.
- Installation of software prior being stolen.
- Unlike other paid recovery software, this is a DIY (Do it yourself) software, meaning to say you’ll have to retrieve the IP address without the assistant of a third party.
- Since this is a free software, there is no guarantee of success.
Adeona
Adeona is an open source free software developed by a group of students/researchers in Washington, basically the software does what it says, to track the laptop thief by sending the IP address of the thief and a captured image of the thief with your webcam (mac only, why not PC?). Adeona has three main properties:
- Private: Adeona uses state-of-the-art cryptographic mechanisms to ensure that the owner is the only party that can use the system to reveal the locations visited by a device.
- Reliable: Adeona uses a community-based remote storage facility, ensuring retrievability of recent location updates.
- Open source and free: Adeona’s software is licensed under GPLv2. While your locations are secret, the tracking system’s design is not.
The only drawback is the lack of central system for monitoring the laptop. In order to be able to track your laptop and the IP address, the thief has to log in to the World Wide Web while you run the recovery tool, what are the odds of you and the thief logging online simultaneously?
Step by Step installation guide and recovery process for Adeona
LocatePC
LocatePC is free software and it runs unobtrusively on your computer, unlike Adeona, LocatePC does not display any icons or popups prominently, this is to avoid any suspicious that might prevent the thief from logging online.
As soon as the thief connects to the internet a secret email is sent to you containing the details that you need to track your hardware.
Based on my experience, LocatePC is the better choice; it runs on stealth mode, and emails you the relevant information directly to your designated email address. Unlike Adeona, Locate PC requires some degree of knowledge in computer and the Internet. The only drawback is the lack of Web cam snapshot of the thief.
Since both software is compatible with each other, my advice is, install both in to your laptop.
Laptop Alarm
Laptop Alarm is not a recovery tool, more like a prevention tool. As the name implies, the alarm bell will goes off if:
- When someone unplugs your A/C adapter,
- When someone shuts down or logs off your laptop, or
- When someone unplugs your USB mouse.
More about Laptop Alarm.
Tags: How, Laptop, Laptop Alarm, Locate, Lost, Notebook, Prevention, Recover, Stolen, Track, Where
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