Microsoft Office SBE Registration Help

[2ndWard]

First off, thank you in advance for any help.

I've just recently taken over the responsibility (I now have dual duties of nurse and IT) of the entire Information Systems arena for a local (rural) Hospital. We have a aging and neglected network. That is being maintained on little or no budget.
I found a stack of PC's (Dell Optiplec 50,60 & 150's) while taking inventory of equipment,software, etc. Most of these pc's had w2k pro and MSO SBE. Most or all will not boot, for various reasons. I also have a stack of the original OEM MSO SBE disks. I have no clue if these are installed on the broke pc's or on pc's currently in use. We have 40+ machines.
Here's my question.
How do I determine if can install these OEM's on these pc's, I can get going? In other words, How do I find out what/who these OEM's are registered to.
I've been starting from scratch either with new HD's or formatting all the HD's and reinstalling w2k pro. I want to be able to re-use the OEM SBE pro licenses.

Please tell me I don't have to go around to each pc and try and find the product key inside the registry!!!

Again, thanks for the advice/education/help.

2ndWard, EUSA-WV

 

[tf1]

Well there are utilities that can quickly examine a PC and produce a report that includes all the information you could ever wish for including product codes of installed software. However, that is going to be difficult to run if the PCs won't boot!

My favourite utility is Belarc Advisor. I always install Belarc on new PCs and then save the results file externally.



Regards: tf1

 

[2ndWard]

Thanks tf1

Belarc requires me to physically go to each PC, install and run. Correct? This is an older facility...a nightmare to walk around to every location.

I was hoping there was a way to quiery Microsoft and find out if a particular copy was previously registered.



2ndWard, EUSA-WV