Magical Jellybean Keyfinder Options

[Former_michaelw_post]

Hello. The people at Magical Jellybean Software have a great little program called Keyfinder which lets you find the product key in Windows 9x and 2k/XP installations. I wanted to use it to retrieve the key from non-operating windows installations, for instance to reinstall. Unfortunately the full version doesnt work that way, it retrieves the key from running OSes, when executed on that OS. I asked Aleks (the author) about it and he wrote a custom version to work with PE-Builder (with some input from me of course . I created a plugin for it and he gave me permission to include the binaries in the plugin and to post it here. Thanks Aleks!

Magical Jellybean Software

Get the plugin here.

[bazz]

Thanks michaelw.
It's nice when you find a program author willing to listen.
I tried this from the running xp and it said it couldn't load hive. I noticed in your inf it mentions 'xpkey.exe' but that file isn't included, is it on the xp cd or did you just forget to include it?
Many thanks.

[Svenska]

Thanks michaelw.
It's nice when you find a program author willing to listen.
I tried this from the running xp and it said it couldn't load hive. I noticed in your inf it mentions 'xpkey.exe' but that file isn't included, is it on the xp cd or did you just forget to include it?
Many thanks.

It's a key generator.

[DigiWiz]

Working great here (with edited inf)

DW

[Former_michaelw_post]

Oops, that xpkey.exe was from an earlier version before the author made the new one. Remove that line from the inf file and it will work correctly. When you run the program, the first line is "Windows installation directory". Just point that at your windows dir, either with the browse button or just typing it in (c:\windows, c:\winnt or whatever). I will send Aleks a new version with the corrected INF file, sorry about the mixup.

Also, dont believe this version works on a running system because it tries to load the hive first and on a running system its already loaded. The full version from the author's site works great on a running system, and it can find ms office keys as well. This PE version is made to work in the winpe environment.

Edit: That xpkey.exe is not a key generator, its part of the program and its the part that decodes the digital product id to the product key. Well, in that sense I guess it is kind of a key generator .

[Tripeforcat]

Work only if you load the program in ramdisk.
all the best.
Tripeforcat

[Former_michaelw_post]

Hello Tripeforcat. Make sure your %temp% environment var points to your ram disk, the keyfinderpe.exe extracts a few files to the temp directory to do its work. It works correctly on my disk and its running from the readonly cd filesystem not from the ram disk.

[Dogboy75024]

So where can we get the xpkey.exe for tha app? I've seen the xpkey keygen before. Is this the same one or is it different

Basing this question on michaelw's edit after his earlier posting.

[Former_michaelw_post]

You dont need the xpkey.exe any longer, its part of this program. Its a little console app that decodes the digital product id in the registry to the original installation product key. All you need is the keyfinderpe.exe thats included in the cab. When you run it, you type in on the first line the path to your installation of xp or 2k (for example c:\windows or c:\winnt) or use the browse button to locate it, and it does all the work.

[GYMSORKEE]

Anyone know the code to put in *.inf
to set the %temp% folder to %ramdrive%

[Former_michaelw_post]

Well by default the temp environment var is set to your ram drive (b:\ by default). You can check by going to a command prompt in the PE and typing "set temp" (without the quotes). This will print out the current value of temp. It probably is already set to your ramdrive.

[acid_zebra]

it didn't work for me (even though my %temp% is set OK) so I repacked it and dumped the whole enchilada on the RAM drive (it's only a few k)
http://www.geocities.com/acid_zebra

hey, now it works for me too!

[mmeierbier]

@acid_zebra
yahoo geocities does not permit the direct linking to files, you should alter the link to point just to your page.
Manfred

[acid_zebra]

Thanks, just updated...
stupid yahoo/geocities

[Former_michaelw_post]

Thats strange, what does it not do when you tried to use it from the CD? Works perfectly for me right from the CD.

[Former_Jon_post]

Keyfinder almost works for me, but I get an error in the program that states "Error loading key'. Any ideas? This is from an XP installation.
Jon

[solara]

I'm also getting the Error Loading key.

Plugin build went fine, the temp is set for the ramdrive, and the ramdrive contains the keyfinderpe folder with xpkey.exe and keyfinderpe.exe in it.

Trying to extract key from my WinXP Home sp1.



Edit: Okay if I manually run keyfinderpe from the command prompt from the ramdrive, it runs fine BUT it gives me the incorrect key! At least it's totally different than the one that I used to install it (my Dell has a sticker with the reg key attached to the computer). Seems like a useless program if it's giving the wrong key. Anyone know of another program that works correctly?

If I try to run the program from the nu2menu, then that's when it has problems loading the key:

<MITEM TYPE="ITEM" CMD="RUN" FUNC="@GetEnvVar('ramdrv')\keyfinderpe\keyfinderpe.exe">Keyfinder PE</MITEM>

[insomniac]

I too had problems loading it from the menu, but when I did run it, it ran as fine. Correct key and all.

[Former_michaelw_post]

I think you guys have the old version. Does yours have 3 text boxes on it, with the top one editable? Also it should have 2 buttons to the right of the first box (where you point it to the installation directory).

As far as it finding a different key than whats printed on your COA (certificate of authenticity), thats actually normal with big OEMs. Microsoft lets them use one key for their preload than the one on the COA, apparently. I notice that mostly on WinME installs though, could also see it on 2k as well. XP might be harder with activation. Someone who is still having problems with this working, PM me please. Im curious since it works completely flawlessly for me.

[solara]

I had done a clean reinstall of my WinXP (formatted/partitioned drive) using the key off my COA sticker attached to the bottom of my laptop. The strange thing is I don't recall having to activate my WinXP. Could the key on my COA be a master key that then installs WinXP without requiring activation? And when you use that key, it actually registers it as another key??

As for the version, it's the latest download from that website...and matches your description.

Is there a way to change the menu entry so that I can run it from the menu instead of having to run it from Explorer off the ramdrive? (see my previous post)

Thanks.