Have you ever been in one of those situations where you needed some key information about your computer quickly? Perhaps you called Microsoft’s Tech Support about an issue and needed the serial number for your operating system, or maybe you need your Windows Vista or Windows XP product key to do a quick re-install. You can find the CD, but that long product key is misplaced. If you don’t have the case with the sticker, chances are, Microsoft won’t tell you the product key, as you could be pirating the software.
Maybe you’re like me, and you keep an inventory of your computers, household items, and other things of value for insurance purposes. Want the serial number for your hard drive? Well, crack the computer’s case open, pull the hard drive, in most cases, and copy the serial number that’s on the sticker on the bottom of the hard driver itself.
Well, all that stuff can be work. If you’re like me, you have all your information stored in archives with multiple passphrases. Even if someone were to get the "archive" file, they still have to get through several layers of unique passphrases before they get to the information they want. That’s the fun. If you use a 128-bit encrypted passphrase that’s 16 or more characters long, well, your information’s probably safe for about 100 years or so, even if the NSA and CIA combined the computing power of both agencies to do a brute force attack to get the file open.
In reality, there aren’t many people who protect their information like that. A friend of mine in the Daytona, Florida area is one of about nine people I know who believe in aggressive fortification (it sounds almost as aggressive as what it actually is) of personal information. Other folks I talk with about encryption, backups, and digital security say, "I don’t really have anything on the computer anyone else would want." Yeah, if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. Cheap. In New York City.
So, if you’re like most of the people I know, what’s the fastest, easiest way to grab your Windows’ product key? How about your hard drive serial number? Do you give up?
Okay, the answer is the Windows Product Key Finder, a free program on the CodePlex site. I included a screenshot above from my system. Yes, I am running Windows Vista Ultimate, and I did a low-level format and re-install of all my programs recently, which is why it shows that the system was installed in August. I did, however, deleted my product key and other information, which is why a few fields are blank.
The Windows Product Key Finder is a handy tool for anyone, and it’s simple to use. The overly simple steps are:
- Visit the Windows Product Key Finder page and download the tool
- Unzip the Windows Product Key Finder
- Open the Windows Product Key Finder directory
- Click the Find Key button (bottom of the screen)
- You’re done. Now copy your information.
The Windows Product Key Finder is a tool anyone can use without issue. Be sure to download it today — before you do need it.
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Technorati Tags: codeplex.com, Windows Product Key Finder, Code Plex, software development, Windows utilities, MS Windows utilities, Windows, Windows Vista, Vista Ultimate
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