XP licence is saved in a cab file - can't access during install - help

[andyjharris]

I need help. I'm trying re-install a copy of XP onto my machine after it started acting up. I saved the licence key in a .cab file on the machine as I knew I'd lose the bit of paper - which I have.

It is saved on a seperate partition of the drive, my backup, to the one XP is re-instaling on but I now can't get at it as I have no idea whether it is possible to boot to dos and look at a .cab file?? I thought I'd written it down but I must have copied a didgit wrong somewhere along the line and it's telling me it's the wrong license key.

Anyone know how to either:
a) Boot to dos and look in a .cab file or
b) bypass the request for a key during the install process so that I can fill it in later once xp is installed and running it's "trial period"?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[iss]

Build a BartPE disk and recover the files you need.

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

[andyjharris]

Thanks mate - I posted this question on a few other boards and thats the simplest best looking answer I've got - I'll try it :grinthumb

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

If you just saved a textfile with .cab extension, it's still a textfile, you can see it from DOS (or recovery console) with type command.