Last Updated: May 6, This article was written by Jack Lloyd. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 3, times. This wikiHow teaches you how to bypass the trial version of Windows XP, either by using a stock product key or by using software to display your own product key. Note that you should only use the following information if you are unable to activate even though you have a legally-purchased copy of Windows XP.
Download Windows Keyfinder. Unzip the file. Double-click the WinKeyFinder program. Find a key next to "Product Key. Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods.
Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Note: The three methods presented here may need to be used together depending on the situation: Changing the Windows XP Product Key Manually - includes instructions for how to use a stock product key to activate Windows XP. Using the Windows Key Finder - provides the detailed steps to get the product key from your device using Windows Key Finder.
Fixing the Windows Activation Loop - is only required if you windows xp professional locked out free download already reached the time limit for activation and need to reset the loop.
Method 1 of This will open the "Run" program from which you can access your PC's registry. Doing so will launch the Registry Editor windows xp professional locked out free download. Review the options tree on the left side of your screen.
You'll need to navigate through several of the folders listed here in order to reach your destination. Since the registry holds most of your computer's sensitive system information, consider clicking File and then Export in the top left corner of your screen to back up your registry before proceeding. Click the "WPA Events" folder. Don't expand this one.
You should see its contents listed in a window on the right side of the Registry Editor page. Click Modify. These should be several pairs and sequences of random numbers. Tap Delete. This should remove the values listed here. Type in new numbers. It doesn't matter what you put here, but you'll need to keep the format consistent for example, if you deleted four characters, windows xp professional locked out free download need to replace that section with four characters.
Click OK once you're done. This will save your changes. Open the Run tool again. Exclude the quotation marks. Entering this command opens the Windows XP activation wizard.
For best results, simply copy and paste this text into the Run field. Click OK. Select the telephone option. This option should say "Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows" windows xp professional locked out free download there should be a clickable check box to the left of it. If you see a note that says "Windows XP is already activated", changing your key manually isn't working. Please proceed to the Windows Key Finder method. Click Next.
Click Change Product Key. This is at the bottom of the "Activate" window. Enter a Windows XP product key. Note that you may have to attempt this step a few times with different keys.
If you don't know the version of Windows XP your computer is currently running, consult your computer's manual to verify before you proceed with trying the linked product keys. Click Update.
After this process completes, you'll need to confirm your windows xp professional locked out free download of Windows XP. Click Back. Check the "Activate Windows over the Internet" option. This will allow you to activate your version of XP quickly. Note that calling Microsoft using the "telephone a customer representative" option likely won't work since Microsoft discontinued support for Windows XP on April 8th, Follow the on-screen instructions. After you've completed your Windows XP activation, you should be windows xp professional locked out free download to use it without getting locked out of the system.
Method 2 of Open the Winkey Finder website. Winkey Finder is a free, no-install program that can locate and retrieve your Windows XP product key. Click on the latest version of Winkey Finder. As of Januarythis is version 2. Since this version is currently in beta, you can also download the final version of 1. Click Download Winkey Finder. You should see this button at the bottom of the Winkey version page.
Right-click the Winkey folder. It should be wherever you chose to save it when you clicked Download e. Click Extract All. Doing so will extract the locked file's contents onto your desktop. Double-click the Winkey Finder folder. This is the one you just extracted. Double-click the Win Keyfinder program. It should be the only executable ". View your product key. Running the Winkey Finder program should immediately display your Windows XP product key, allowing you to apply the key to the Windows XP activation wizard the next time Windows asks you to update.
To be safe, be sure to write down the product key when you see it. Method 3 of Restart your computer. You can choose this option from the Start menu, or you can simply hold down your computer's power button until it turns itself off and then press the button again.
Tap F8 as soon as your computer logo appears. You'll need to do this during the first time the logo appears after rebooting. Keep tapping F8 until you see the advanced options menu pop up. Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Command Prompt. Starting up your computer in this mode will bypass the Windows activation loop long enough for you to reset the timer for your XP trial. You'll need to wait a minute or so for Safe Mode to load.
Type " explorer. You should see a dialogue window pop up after doing so. You may need to wait for a minute or so before windows xp professional locked out free download window comes up.
