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Updated Saturday, June 3rd, 2006 at 1:13pm

Windows XP and Vista Product Key Recovery

There are many programs available for extracting the product key from a Windows XP or Vista installation. The only problem is that they generally require the computer to be functional to run. These programs are useless if the operating system is corrupt and the computer will not boot into Windows. Fortunately, there are other options. This article explains how you can retrieve the product key with just the ntuser.dat file from the machine.

Windows Vista/7 Users

I have been informed that this method also works on Windows Vista/7.

Translations

Background Information

While this may not sound very useful to the average user, if you work with computers on a daily basis you have most likely ran into this problem: You have to perform a fresh installation of Windows on a computer with a corrupt operating system, and the product key has been lost. This method makes it easy to find.

Instructions

The first step is getting the ntuser.dat file from the computer. In most cases the easiest method is to remove the hard drive, and connect it to a working machine.

ntuser.dat is generally located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\(User Name)\ntuser.dat
Where (User Name) is the primary account – Most often it is ‘Owner’ or ‘User’

Now that you have the file, you need to be able to view it. I recommend loadhive.exe (Download it here) from matcode.com.

Just run the program and select the file. It will show you a message with more information. It is important that you do not close this program until you are finished viewing the registry, as it temporarily loads the file, and unloads it again when you exit.

Now run regedit. Under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE you will notice a new sub-key called NTUSER. Starting with NTUSER go to Software > Microsoft > Windows NT > Current Version.

In the right window, double-click on DigitalProductID. This is the entry that contains the encoded product key.

We want the information in bytes 52 to 66. You can use the chart below for reference. We need the 15 sets of numbers where the 1’s are located.

0000  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0008  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0010  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0018  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0020  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0028  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0030  00 00 00 00 11 11 11 11  ..
0038  11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11  ..
0040  11 11 11 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0048  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..
0050  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ..

Now that you have the 15 byte encrypted code, you can type it into my decrypter tool:

Web-based version

Windows XP Key Decrypter Tool

Just click ‘Decrypt Code‘ and you will have your 25 digit Windows XP product key!

Troubleshooting

If you cannot find the DigitalProductId key in the file you loaded earlier, try the software hive located here:

\%SystemRoot%\System32\config\software

Load it the same way as before. Under regedit, it will generally create the new entries here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE_00 (although the loadhive program will tell you where it puts it).

Final Notes

  • The decrypter tool ignores spaces and dashes, and is not case-sensitive.
  • If you cannot find ntuser.dat, make sure you can view hidden and system files.
  • If you are not sure which user account to select, I recommend searching for all ntuser.dat files on the drive, and using the largest one.
  • Do not attempt to open your own ntuser.dat file with Load Hive, because it is already in use, and you already have access to your own registry :)
  • If you cannot find the proper key with the data you need, try the alternate hive file, mentioned in the troubleshooting section above.

NOTICE!

Please do not ask me how to retrieve the product key from your Windows CD – it is not possible. Also, please do not ask general Windows questions here. The comments below are only for discussion of this particular retrieval method. If you have Windows questions, or questions about product keys in general, search Google.

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  1. 60
    Peter Smith
    11-3-06 8:50AM

    I have read all through the comments and nothing answers my problem that I can see.My XP Windows won’t logon until I put in a correct key. It won’t even logon in Safe Mode. I know what to do to solve the problem once I get in, but I can’t get in until I solve the problem; a real Catch 22!

    It would be no good putting the drive in another machine, would it? It still wouldn’t boot. Is there any way I can get into the Command Prompt? Or any other way in?

  2. 59
    keikos
    10-22-06 1:29PM

    Hello…i just wanted to say,that i dont have a 15 sets in a digital code..I found only 14 numbers with num. 1 ..So i cant decode product key.. :-( (

  3. 58
    jdb12331
    10-20-06 9:47AM

    Enjoyed reading the comments! I have ave a simular problem reloading a HP Pavilion with XP home SP-2. I know this machine is leget. It belongs to the ultimate eldery “Church Lady”, But she let her grandson us it and he loaded it up with Spyware ect. After many hours of removing this junk something went wrong and I decided to do a repair install, “she has lots of software that she doesn’t want to loose/reinstall”. I pulled the product ID off the barely running xp and noticed that the number revealed by magic jellybean was diffrent than the one on the COA sticker. I used a volume license PID 55274270 to reload neither key worked with the VOL disk. I then used an OEM disk, and only the Key that was actually in the machine worked. The COA sticker must be just for decoration. However It fails the activation. I called Microsoft and they said my produxt ID is invalid and they can’t help me. Send more money to Microsoft is their only advice. They couldn’t/wouldn’t tell me which version or “class” of install disk to use so that one of the product Keys would install and produce an “acceptable” product ID that would then activate “satisfy microsift”.

    Does anyone Know what type install disk to use on the hp pavilion “circa ~2004″

    The restore partition works. I Ghosted a copy of the hard drive before doing the restore so as to save the file structure and registry to work on this problem.

    Any advice would be helpful.

  4. 57
    Eric
    10-17-06 2:43PM

    Hello, this is what I’ve been looking for! Except… I don’t find any digitalProductIDs in the reg. I’m working with a removed laptop HD hooked up via USB (another crap Toshiba as it so happens). I’ve looked in every user account, and in the “software” hive, and in every one all I see under WinNT/CurrentVersion is one key – name “(Default)”, type “REG_SZ”, data “(value not set)”. i do see productID for working XP installation.

    There is no Owner or User account; there is an Administrator, All Users, Default User, and a few people names. The All Users ntuser.dat file, however, loads with loadhive no problem but in regedit gives the error “Cannot open NTUSER: Error while opening key.” I checked ownership but it was the same as all the others. Could this be the one with the elusive productID? Oi vey! Any ideas?

  5. 56
    SOLOHelp
    10-14-06 4:37PM

    I’ve had more problems with Toshiba laptops than any other type. Some toshiba laptops wont boot to a CD that isnt the Toshiba Recovery disc. In theory what you want should work… In the past I have had to start an install on one laptop then pull the harddrive and put it into the toshiba and then continue the installation because I couldnt get it to boot or install any other way. Good luck.

  6. 55
    K
    10-14-06 3:51PM

    I had a dell and a toshiba laptop, same xp version.
    since toshiba doesn’t came with a OS disc, if I want to format the toshiba, can I use the dell OEM disc to do so and type my toshiba cd key in?

  7. 54
    Ghost
    10-5-06 11:27AM

    LOL… No hablo punjab?. Yeah, I’m not sure whats up either. I will tinker with it and post my results, incase anyone runs into the same BS. Thanks for the advice. I am spreading the existence of this site to all I know.

  8. 53
    SOLOHelp
    10-2-06 9:05PM

    Hmm very strange indeed.
    On the product key on the side of the Case it does say Dell OEM? Either way it should be fine. Any OEM key “should” work with any OEM disk. The disc you mentioned is definately an OEM Dell Home XP disc. But you say when You try to use that disc with a key from the side of the Dell computer it doesnt work? Very strange.

    Ok. This is where I start pulling out old discs and and testing with other stuff. I dont know if you are a tech or just ”
    the friend that knows about computers” I would take an OEM “gold” disc and use it. A real OEM xp disc from MS not one from dell.
    ****disclaimer****
    I dont know the legalities of this but I do it when all else fails.

    I have a list of a billion product keys (google groups) and I’ll use one to get the product installed. This DOES NOT defeat Windows Genuine Validation, Or make it a cracked copy etc…

    Then when You get it all up and running its going to ask you to activate. Then you’ll try to activate over the internet and it’ll crap out and tell you to call MS… Blah Blah.

    Then you call them and theyll harass you about what type of computer and what is the product key from the side of the computer. Give it to them and they’ll give you the unlock key. You arent doing anything wrong or bad or illegal. The software is yours.

    K Im going to bed. To many martinis at Roy’s. Lemme know if you need more help. If you want to do this completely “by the book” you should call dell and see whats happening in India these days….

  9. 52
    Ghost
    10-2-06 6:23PM

    *rock*

  10. 51
    Ghost
    10-2-06 6:20PM

    I am new to this site but you guys are rock! Thanks to the Owner and all those who have helped me

  11. 50
    Ghost
    10-2-06 6:18PM

    Hi solohelp Thanks again for your help.

    the only thing the cd says is

    OPERATING SYSTEM

    Reinstallation CD
    Microsoft windows XP Home Eddition (the computer that I was working on acctually had home on it not pro)
    Including Service Pack 1

    It says Dell on the bottom and is in a maroon and white color disk
    has support.dell.com
    http://www.dell.com and the legal”only use the cd to reinstall the operating system on a dell computer blah blah blah” stuff on it.

    I do not see anywhere on the cd that says DELL OEM nor OEM for that fact. The cd has no info on what “kind” it is. I am assuming of course that it is a dell OEM cd.

    On another computer that was having a similar problem, I used the a key finder to see the key. I then used a copy of windows (the same version that was installed on the pc that I am trying to fix).

    *I dont remember what version as in OEM or retail it was, all I know it has a key that i use but it only works for 30 days*

    to use for the “repair option”(not from the repair console)to repair the currently installed windows (none format way).

    Then of course it got to the please enter the 25 digit key prompt, I typed the key that I got from they key finder but it rejected it saying wrongkey/invalid key. I then tried using the key on the sticker on the computer and samething. GRrrr…

  12. 49
    Admin
    10-2-06 6:16PM

    SOLOHelp: I am very happy when others answer questions so I do not have to :) It means less I have to go through every day *grin*

  13. 48
    SOLOHelp
    10-2-06 5:54PM

    Well- Admin usually answers everything here, sorry to step on any toes, but from my experiance that’s not all that common.

    Since dell afaik doesnt use a “recovery cd” in the sense that it isnt and image or ghost with all the drivers etc. Usually you get a real OS cd, although it does have some special dell stuff on it. Then you get an apps and drivers cd. Thats what contains all the bloat. well driver arent bloat but you know what i mean.

    What you are descibing doesnt usually happen. I have seen cases with Dell discs that choked on a product key. But that was almost always when useing a Pre SP1 disc or Product key. Are you positve that the sticker on the side says:
    1: XP Pro
    2: The Disc is XP Pro
    3: The sticker says Dell OEM. Not just OEM. I’ve seen many computers that came with Dell OEM XP Home then somebody buys OEM XP Pro and puts that sticker on, although its a violation of the OEM license. It is $60 cheaper than a Retail version.

    Just for giggles, Ive never seen it work. Use the key you extracted with the Keyfinder with the OEM Dell cd and see if that works.

  14. 47
    Ghost
    10-2-06 5:43PM

    Thanks solohelp for your help. This is a great site.
    If you don’t mind, let me just share an experience with you all.
    I went to a freinds work where he has about 5 dells that he uses. One of them had crashed
    and he did not have the time for me to fix all the Boot.ini and nfts.dll and nftsdetects etc. etc.
    So I figured sense he had 2 of the 5 dells branded windows xp pro on it. I would just reinstall it and use the key that was on the sticker.. In the back of my head though I kinda new something would not be right. When it got to the please insert 25 key message, I typed the key that was on the sticker of that pc. It did not work. I then tryed using every key that was on the back of every sticker in his office, same message. Wrong key/invalid key. I was using the dell windows xp os cd to reinstall it, there was nothing funny or “fishy” going on. He had lost the rest of the cd’s to the pc’s and did not know which one went to which one. I used the second disk (2of5 that he had) and ran to the same senerio. What gives?
    Any ideas? I then tried placing a retail version of windows and using the key (by using a key retriever from a working computer) and got the same message.. Wrong key/invalid key.

    Any thoughts on what was going on here?

    Kind regards

    Ghost

  15. 46
    SOLOHelp
    10-2-06 5:17PM

    Hi, I was wondering…if someone has BAUGHT a computer from a store with windows xp (any version) and they have the sticker key on the computer can they get a copy of the same OS that is on there computer and intall it. The reason for this would be because the individual does not want all the extra garbage they throw in, in most computers now a’days.

    —Yes. It would need to be an OEM disc. Not a Retail or Corporate.

    In short will the key that is on the sticker of the computer work with a copy of the same windows they are using on there pc?

    Yes — Again.. an OEM CD.

    Also why when running a windows key retreiver (any of the many out there) does it show a diffrent number than the key that is on the sticker?

    Because OEMs use a generic key. They dont actually type in each one. That key will most likely not work for anything that you would do to your own computer. The recovery CD/Partition probably has the same key in it. The key on the side of your computer will work with an OEM copy of XP.

    -hth

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