If you're preparing to reinstall Windows NT you will need to locate your copy of the Windows NT product key. Normally this product key is on a sticker on your computer or located with the manual that came with Windows NT.
If you've lost your product key, it's located in the registry but is encrypted and not readable, making finding it difficult. The key was not encrypted in previous versions of Windows like Windows 98.
Follow the steps below to locate your Windows NT product key code.
Important: Please read my Windows Product Keys FAQ for more information.
Manually locating the Windows NT product key from the registry is nearly impossible due to the fact that it's encrypted. The techniques used to locate the product key for operating systems like Windows 95 and Windows 98 only locate the product ID number, not the actually product key used for installation. Luckily, a number of free programs exist to help find product keys.
Choose a free product key finder program that supports Windows NT.
Download and run the key finder program. Follow any instructions provided by the software.
The numbers and letters displayed by the program represent the Windows NT product key. The product key should be formatted like xxxxx-xxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx.
Write this key code down exactly as the program displays it to you for use when reinstalling Windows NT.
Note: If even one character is written down incorrectly, the installation of Windows NT that you attempt with this product key will fail. Be sure to transcribe the key exactly.
