windows xp home activation problems

[ni9e]

Ive got 3 copies of windows xp home edition i had 3 different activation codes which i kept stuck to the cover of the paper disc cover for ease of use until i came home from work and found three discs sitting on my desk minus the covers (small child and new shredder and a joy in shredding every scrap of paper)
Now i dont know which disc belongs to which machine is there an easy way of finding out which disc goes with which pc? Ive heard that you can find the activation code on the disc if this is true does anyone know how.
Thanks in advance.

[PhilEnfield]

I'm sure the 3 codes you had written down were Product keys and not Activation keys.

There are many utilities around that will display the Product Key of an installed system.
Try a Google search for "Windows XP Product Key Viewer".

If however, you are looking for Activation keys ...... this is a totally different ball park and will without doubt be outside of the rules of this forum.

[Neo]

Any you can always "bypass" activation taking consent that you morally paid for the copies.

[ni9e]

Don`t really want to "bypass" activation if i can help it is there any way i can find out the numbers from the actual disc?

[duffy90210]

There are no stored 'keys' on the CD, what it does is to check for any valid key according to version thats on it.

HTH

[handyguy]

Take the pieces out of the shredder & put them back together. But you can also call MS & ask for a new key.

[ni9e]

I`ve tried to put the pieces back together but there in 5mm diamond shapes hundreds of em i`ll keep searching for a "valid key" if i can`t get one i`ll get in touch with m$ thanks for your help.