Product Code to reinstall Win98

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I have a late '90s IBM iSeries 1400 Laptop.

the hard drive crashed and I got a new one on eBay

I installed it and it seems to work. But, not surprisingly, it has
absolutely no software on it.

So, I tried to reinstall software from the IBM recovery CD that came with
the laptop (amazing that I still had this).

Things were going well until the recovery program asked for my Win 98
Product Code. I don't think I ever had this. The software came
pre-installed as I remember it.

Anybody have thoughts on how I can get this?

I don't think this machine has the horsepower to support Win XP.

I do have a Win ME upgrade disk that I'm using. But, that doesn't want to
load up until I get 98 running first.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Call MS. My standard blurb:

The W98 ProductKey is generally found on the Windows user manual, the
certificate of authenticity, a sticker on the PC or a sticker on the sleeve
or jewel case the Windows CD came in. The 25-digit key is 5 groups of 5
alpha/numeric characters. The Key might be available from the system:

If the system is working in either safe or normal mode:

Open regedit.exe to this key and look in the right pane for the entry
ProductKey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

If the system is not working, start the computer with a floppy startup disk.

At the A: prompt, type: C:\Windows\Command\Find /N "ProductKey"
C:\Windows\System.dat
(Note: ProductKey must be typed in upper and lower case letters as shown
and there is a space after: "Find" after: "/N" and after:
"ProductKey"

If the hard drive has been formatted or replaced, US customers can contact
Microsoft at: 1 800 642-7676. They will issue retail and OEM product keys
after verifying data located on the W98 CD.

I suggest writing the ProductKey on the CD with a Sharpie marker.


--
Regards


Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo



"Dave" <Dave@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FBD355F7-EAFC-443C-BE68-EC2BD5E160D5@microsoft.com...
>I have a late '90s IBM iSeries 1400 Laptop.
>
> the hard drive crashed and I got a new one on eBay
>
> I installed it and it seems to work. But, not surprisingly, it has
> absolutely no software on it.
>
> So, I tried to reinstall software from the IBM recovery CD that came with
> the laptop (amazing that I still had this).
>
> Things were going well until the recovery program asked for my Win 98
> Product Code. I don't think I ever had this. The software came
> pre-installed as I remember it.
>
> Anybody have thoughts on how I can get this?
>
> I don't think this machine has the horsepower to support Win XP.
>
> I do have a Win ME upgrade disk that I'm using. But, that doesn't want to
> load up until I get 98 running first.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

If you have the disk, then you probably have the booklet that came with the
system too. The key that you need is on the front.

PattyL


"Dave" <Dave@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FBD355F7-EAFC-443C-BE68-EC2BD5E160D5@microsoft.com...
>I have a late '90s IBM iSeries 1400 Laptop.
>
> the hard drive crashed and I got a new one on eBay
>
> I installed it and it seems to work. But, not surprisingly, it has
> absolutely no software on it.
>
> So, I tried to reinstall software from the IBM recovery CD that came with
> the laptop (amazing that I still had this).
>
> Things were going well until the recovery program asked for my Win 98
> Product Code. I don't think I ever had this. The software came
> pre-installed as I remember it.
>
> Anybody have thoughts on how I can get this?
>
> I don't think this machine has the horsepower to support Win XP.
>
> I do have a Win ME upgrade disk that I'm using. But, that doesn't want to
> load up until I get 98 running first.