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"Is There A Way To Find A Lost Windows Product Key Or CD Key?"

By Tim Fisher, About.com

Question: "Is There A Way To Find A Lost Windows Product Key Or CD Key?"

Losing your Windows product key (the CD key is the same thing) can really put you in a bind. You need the product key that came with your operating system before you can reinstall it.

Answer: Yes! There are several ways to find a lost Windows product key.

The easiest way to find a lost Windows product key is to download a free key finder program and have it automatically search your computer for your Windows product key.

These key finder programs are great for finding lost keys from operating systems like Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and more. Many also find lost CD keys from Microsoft Office and other programs.

Most users looking for a way to find Windows product keys are trying to locate the one used for their Microsoft Windows installation.

However, if you're looking for a product key for an older operating system and you'd rather not download unfamiliar software to help with your hunt, there are some manual ways to locate the product key:

If you're using a newer Microsoft Windows version like Windows XP or Windows Vista, the product key is encrypted in the Windows Registry and you'll need to use one of the product key finder programs to locate it.

If you still can't find your Windows CD key, you may need to purchase your version of Windows all over again.

Find the cheapest copy of Microsoft Windows.

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