The thread that I responded too concerned finding the product key. Belarc is one way to do that. I have used Belarc because the sticker on the back and bottom of my machine is next to impossible to read. :-). CD cases get lost, and the product key goes with it. It doesn't mean the program is "stolen" it just means it's lost. Our grandson once and spilled Coke on a CD case for MS Word and the key sticker was gone! Long ago when I purchased MS ME the "case" was paper.... it's gone too. Belarc also comes in handy because it gives you all necessary information that you need to know such as memory, lets you know if SP2 is installed and other programs. This could be very handy data on a machine you just brought or plan to buy. If I purchased a pre-owned computer I would not bother to re-register it, but if I did I would contact Microsoft and ask them how to go about doing this. Have the person you purchase the machine from give you a receipt. If the question of software ownership comes up you can honestly say that you did not know where the previous owner got the program. Lance wrote on 6/5/2005, 9:29 PM: > Actually, Joan, the query was about "changing the registered owner" not > about the product key. As you said Belarc will reveal the product key. It > will also reveal the registered owner. It was the latter which John > wanted > to change. > > My warning about the product key was just in case the equipment John was > thinking of purchasing had a pirated version of XP. If the original owner > does not have the product key STICKER, normally on the setup CD case or > pre-coded into the manufacturer's (Dell, HP, etc) setup CD, there is a > good > chance that the copy of XP is not legitimate as far as Microsoft is > concerned. Every legitimate purchased copy of XP comes with a product key > sticker and it can be applied either by the owner or the supplier to the > computer case. Regardless of whether there is a sticker available, there > will be a product key which will show up in Belarc's scan. Whether it > is a > "generated (pirated) key" or a genuine Microsoft key Belarc doesn't > define > that. This note (of warning) from Microsoft (URL below) is worth > digesting: > > [QUOTE] > Windows Update installs an ActiveX control on your computer. Each time > you > visit the Windows Update site, the ActiveX control gets your system's > product key and sends it back to Windows Update servers in an encrypted > format. Your product key is then checked against the current list of > known > pirated product keys. > [END QUOTE] > The last sentence is good enough reason to be extra cautious isn't it? > > A few sites which may help: > http://tinyurl.com/dz44h > http://tinyurl.com/bdx3t > http://tinyurl.com/73m5j > > Lance > > > > P. S. Check out Legacy Family Tree today! This full featured genealogy > program can be downloaded FREE at > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Index.asp?mid=52583ii > -----Original Message----- > From: Joan L. Asche [mailto:jasche45133@aol.com] > Sent: Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:08 PM > To: SENIOR-NEWBIE-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: RE: [SR-NEWBIE] Windows XP > > To get the product key you can download this program and it will give you > all keys and other information regarding the machine. > > http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html > > > Lance wrote on 6/5/2005, 6:13 AM: > > > John, you can change the registered owner name on the computer. This > site > > gives you the steps to do it. It involves editing the Registry so > make > > sure > you back up first: > > http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-5630339.html# > > > > Whether you will be able to obtain updates I can not say. However, > as > > the OS > is still on the original computer you should have no > problem. You > could > always check with Microsoft just to be sure. Make sure the > required > > Microsoft Product Key Number sticker is attached to the case. If it > isn't > > the original owner should be able to supply it. If he can't - > forget > it > as > Microsoft won't want to know about it (or perhaps they will :-)!). > > > > Lance > > > > > > P. S. Check out Legacy Family Tree today! This full featured > genealogy > > program can be downloaded FREE at > > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Index.asp?mid=52583ii > > -----Original Message----- > > From: John Warnock [mailto:twojays@tik.com.au] > Sent: Sunday, 5 June > 2005 6:14 PM > To: SENIOR-NEWBIE-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [SR-NEWBIE] > Windows XP > > I am considering buying a good 2nd hand computer. > Windows > XP is > registered > to the other owner, How do I transfer to myself > or do > I leave it as it is > ?????? > > John from West Aus > > > > ==== SENIOR-NEWBIE Mailing List ==== > To leave the list, click here and send: > mailto:SENIOR-NEWBIE-L-request@rootsweb.com?subject=unsubscribe > To leave the DIGEST, click here and send: > mailto:SENIOR-NEWBIE-D-request@rootsweb.com?subject=unsubscribe > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx >

My mistake, Joan. I thought you were replying to the posting I made in response to John's query about finding the "registered owner". I had not read one from anyone about obtaining the "Product Key". You had posted your reply on top of my message (see messages below) so I assumed that was what you were responding to - my apologies. Lance P. S. Check out Legacy Family Tree today! This full featured genealogy program can be downloaded FREE at http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Index.asp?mid=52583ii -----Original Message----- From: Joan L. Asche [mailto:jasche45133@aol.com] Sent: Monday, 6 June 2005 6:07 PM To: SENIOR-NEWBIE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [SR-NEWBIE] Windows XP The thread that I responded too concerned finding the product key. Belarc is one way to do that. I have used Belarc because the sticker on the back and bottom of my machine is next to impossible to read. :-). CD cases get lost, and the product key goes with it. It doesn't mean the program is "stolen" it just means it's lost. Our grandson once and spilled Coke on a CD case for MS Word and the key sticker was gone! Long ago when I purchased MS ME the "case" was paper.... it's gone too. Belarc also comes in handy because it gives you all necessary information that you need to know such as memory, lets you know if SP2 is installed and other programs. This could be very handy data on a machine you just brought or plan to buy. If I purchased a pre-owned computer I would not bother to re-register it, but if I did I would contact Microsoft and ask them how to go about doing this. Have the person you purchase the machine from give you a receipt. If the question of software ownership comes up you can honestly say that you did not know where the previous owner got the program. Lance wrote on 6/5/2005, 9:29 PM: > Actually, Joan, the query was about "changing the registered owner" not > about the product key. As you said Belarc will reveal the product key. It > will also reveal the registered owner. It was the latter which John > wanted > to change. > > My warning about the product key was just in case the equipment John was > thinking of purchasing had a pirated version of XP. If the original owner > does not have the product key STICKER, normally on the setup CD case or > pre-coded into the manufacturer's (Dell, HP, etc) setup CD, there is a > good > chance that the copy of XP is not legitimate as far as Microsoft is > concerned. Every legitimate purchased copy of XP comes with a product key > sticker and it can be applied either by the owner or the supplier to the > computer case. Regardless of whether there is a sticker available, there > will be a product key which will show up in Belarc's scan. Whether it > is a > "generated (pirated) key" or a genuine Microsoft key Belarc doesn't > define > that. This note (of warning) from Microsoft (URL below) is worth > digesting: > > [QUOTE] > Windows Update installs an ActiveX control on your computer. Each time > you > visit the Windows Update site, the ActiveX control gets your system's > product key and sends it back to Windows Update servers in an encrypted > format. Your product key is then checked against the current list of > known > pirated product keys. > [END QUOTE] > The last sentence is good enough reason to be extra cautious isn't it? > > A few sites which may help: > http://tinyurl.com/dz44h > http://tinyurl.com/bdx3t > http://tinyurl.com/73m5j > > Lance > > > > P. S. Check out Legacy Family Tree today! This full featured genealogy > program can be downloaded FREE at > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Index.asp?mid=52583ii > -----Original Message----- > From: Joan L. Asche [mailto:jasche45133@aol.com] > Sent: Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:08 PM > To: SENIOR-NEWBIE-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: RE: [SR-NEWBIE] Windows XP > > To get the product key you can download this program and it will give you > all keys and other information regarding the machine. > > http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html > > > Lance wrote on 6/5/2005, 6:13 AM: > > > John, you can change the registered owner name on the computer. This > site > > gives you the steps to do it. It involves editing the Registry so > make > > sure > you back up first: > > http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-5630339.html# > > > > Whether you will be able to obtain updates I can not say. However, > as > > the OS > is still on the original computer you should have no > problem. You > could > always check with Microsoft just to be sure. Make sure the > required > > Microsoft Product Key Number sticker is attached to the case. If it > isn't > > the original owner should be able to supply it. If he can't - > forget > it > as > Microsoft won't want to know about it (or perhaps they will :-)!). > > > > Lance > > > > > > P. S. Check out Legacy Family Tree today! This full featured > genealogy > > program can be downloaded FREE at > > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Index.asp?mid=52583ii > > -----Original Message----- > > From: John Warnock [mailto:twojays@tik.com.au] > Sent: Sunday, 5 June > 2005 6:14 PM > To: SENIOR-NEWBIE-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [SR-NEWBIE] > Windows XP > > I am considering buying a good 2nd hand computer. > Windows > XP is > registered > to the other owner, How do I transfer to myself > or do > I leave it as it is > ?????? > > John from West Aus