Lost Certificate of Authenticity

Calvin · External Since: Feb 27, 2005 Posts: 13

Sorry to bother you again, but I lost my Certificate of Authenticity for the
Windows 95 Setup! What do I do?

Ben Myers · External Since: Mar 21, 2006 Posts: 270

"Calvin" wrote in message
> Sorry to bother you again, but I lost my Certificate of Authenticity for the
> Windows 95 Setup! What do I do?

If the Windows folder is intact, go to
http://www.62nds.co.nz/cgi-bin/download.pl/diag.exe?sWOtr and download
"diag.exe" to a floppy. Start the problem computer, tap the F8 key repeatedly
until the startup menu appears and select "Command Prompt". Then insert the
floppy, type "a:\diag.exe" and press "Enter".

Ben

Calvin · External Since: Feb 27, 2005 Posts: 13

That's not the problem. I'm running the installation on a PC without Windows!
It says 'Cannot find the WINDOWS directory'.

"Ben Myers" wrote:

> "Calvin" wrote in message
> > Sorry to bother you again, but I lost my Certificate of Authenticity for the
> > Windows 95 Setup! What do I do?
>
> If the Windows folder is intact, go to
> http://www.62nds.co.nz/cgi-bin/download.pl/diag.exe?sWOtr and download
> "diag.exe" to a floppy. Start the problem computer, tap the F8 key repeatedly
> until the startup menu appears and select "Command Prompt". Then insert the
> floppy, type "a:\diag.exe" and press "Enter".
>
> Ben
>
>

Jeff Richards · External Since: Mar 14, 2004 Posts: 1334

Then why are you asking what to do about a lost certificate of authenticity?

What is the labelling for the installation media that you are running the
installation from (exactly)? What steps are you going through to start the
installation, and up to the point where this message appears?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Calvin" wrote in message

> That's not the problem. I'm running the installation on a PC without
> Windows!
> It says 'Cannot find the WINDOWS directory'.
>

Calvin · External Since: Feb 27, 2005 Posts: 13

I started the computer with a Windows 98 Startup disk (I don't seem to have
one for Windows 95). I type 'smartdrv', press enter, go to the D: drive, load
Setup, click Next, it prepares the directory, and then it asks me for the key.

"Jeff Richards" wrote:

> Then why are you asking what to do about a lost certificate of authenticity?
>
> What is the labelling for the installation media that you are running the
> installation from (exactly)? What steps are you going through to start the
> installation, and up to the point where this message appears?
> --
> Jeff Richards
> MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
> "Calvin" wrote in message
>
> > That's not the problem. I'm running the installation on a PC without
> > Windows!
> > It says 'Cannot find the WINDOWS directory'.
> >
>
>
>

Jeff Richards · External Since: Mar 14, 2004 Posts: 1334

Is the D drive your CD drive with the installation CD in it?

Use a Windows 95 startup disk. Get a utility for creating one here:
http://www.bootdisk.com/

Why are you re-installing, and is there anything left of the old
installation? If you have formatted the C drive it might be difficult to
recover the key, but if the files are still there, even if you can't run
Windows, then it might be possible. See (for instance):
http://www.angelfire.com/va3/vic3/winkeys.htm
(towards the bottom, if Windows isn't running).
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Calvin" wrote in message

>I started the computer with a Windows 98 Startup disk (I don't seem to have
> one for Windows 95). I type 'smartdrv', press enter, go to the D: drive,
> load
> Setup, click Next, it prepares the directory, and then it asks me for the
> key.
>
> "Jeff Richards" wrote:
>
>> Then why are you asking what to do about a lost certificate of
>> authenticity?
>>
>> What is the labelling for the installation media that you are running the
>> installation from (exactly)? What steps are you going through to start
>> the
>> installation, and up to the point where this message appears?
>> --
>> Jeff Richards
>> MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
>> "Calvin" wrote in message
>>
>> > That's not the problem. I'm running the installation on a PC without
>> > Windows!
>> > It says 'Cannot find the WINDOWS directory'.
>> >
>>
>>
>>

Calvin · External Since: Feb 27, 2005 Posts: 13

Yes!

If I were to use a different key, would the same CD work with it?

"Jeff Richards" wrote:

> Is the D drive your CD drive with the installation CD in it?
>
> Use a Windows 95 startup disk. Get a utility for creating one here:
> http://www.bootdisk.com/
>
> Why are you re-installing, and is there anything left of the old
> installation? If you have formatted the C drive it might be difficult to
> recover the key, but if the files are still there, even if you can't run
> Windows, then it might be possible. See (for instance):
> http://www.angelfire.com/va3/vic3/winkeys.htm
> (towards the bottom, if Windows isn't running).
> --
> Jeff Richards
> MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
> "Calvin" wrote in message
>
> >I started the computer with a Windows 98 Startup disk (I don't seem to have
> > one for Windows 95). I type 'smartdrv', press enter, go to the D: drive,
> > load
> > Setup, click Next, it prepares the directory, and then it asks me for the
> > key.
> >
> > "Jeff Richards" wrote:
> >
> >> Then why are you asking what to do about a lost certificate of
> >> authenticity?
> >>
> >> What is the labelling for the installation media that you are running the
> >> installation from (exactly)? What steps are you going through to start
> >> the
> >> installation, and up to the point where this message appears?
> >> --
> >> Jeff Richards
> >> MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
> >> "Calvin" wrote in message
> >>
> >> > That's not the problem. I'm running the installation on a PC without
> >> > Windows!
> >> > It says 'Cannot find the WINDOWS directory'.
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

Jeff Richards · External Since: Mar 14, 2004 Posts: 1334

Yes - if it's the same type of installation CD. There may be some OEM CDs
that do not work with a general retail key, and vice versa.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Calvin" wrote in message

> Yes!
>
> If I were to use a different key, would the same CD work with it?
>

Calvin · External Since: Feb 27, 2005 Posts: 13

That's good to hear.

"Jeff Richards" wrote:

> Yes - if it's the same type of installation CD. There may be some OEM CDs
> that do not work with a general retail key, and vice versa.
> --
> Jeff Richards
> MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
> "Calvin" wrote in message
>
> > Yes!
> >
> > If I were to use a different key, would the same CD work with it?
> >
>
>
>