I got a person who wants me to reload windows on their computer. I got this handy little keyfinder to get their product key. My question is can I use my win98 disk to reinstall windows on their computer legaly? Their computer didn't come with a disk. I'm not fully sure if I can trust reinstalling os's for people using their key but my disk. Does it really matter? Do they need to register it again? I am just curious about when people buy a computer that has the operating system on it do they own the key or do you have to have the disk and certificate of authenticity? I have been given and purchased many computers with 95, 98, and even some with windows 2000 on them. Should I go and purchase my own copies of windows for them or can I default back to the original owners of the computers. Oh yea, Can i extract the files for their sound card, modem, video card etc. from windows so I don't have go searching for them and downloading them?

Can't help or advise on you OS questions, but I assume when you asked about "files for sound, modem...etc." you were talking about the drivers for those items. There is a great little program (free) that will back all the drivers and reinstall them. Of course you would have to store the backup file somewhere other than the HDD you are reformatting. Anyway, if you are interested you can get it here: http://www.jermar.com/wdrvbck.htm Good luck - Ray

Don't worry about it. Go ahead and use your disk. I've found though that OEM numbers only work with OEM disks and microsoft numbers only work with microsoft disks. That will be the only possible problem. You can't tell from the key if it's OEM or microsoft but if the product ID (the 'registered to' item in system in control panel) has OEM in it then it's OEM, otherwise it's microsoft.

The key that you extract from the system will not work if you try to install with your CD. Most OEM systems have a CABs folder on the hard drive that you can reinstall windows from.

The 98 disks don't have a specific key written on them. They have some type of algorithm which defines valid numbers. That is why keys accompanying one disk will work with another. The disk are mass produced. Each disk would have to be different if they each had exclusive keys.