Missing Product Keys, Lost Cell-Phone Data
Recover a program's product key: Many programs--especially pricey ones--require you to enter a product key or registration number when you reinstall them. If you lose that key, you lose the ability to reinstall it. Typically the keys are printed on the box that the program ships in, on a disc case or sleeve, or on some loose piece of documentation, so they're pretty easy to lose. (I always write the key directly on the installation CD, using a permanent marker, before installing the program for the first time.)
If you've lost your Microsoft Windows or Office product key, but you still have the program installed on your PC, the free Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder will probe your PC and display or print the key.
If you no longer have an installed copy but you've registered the program with the manufacturer, a quick call to customer service should deliver a product key without too much hassle. If you haven't registered it, expect a rockier road; when asked, Microsoft, Adobe, and Symantec representatives all said that customers could obtain a registration key for an unregistered product, but first they would have to provide verifiable proof of purchase--such as the original CD or an invoice--and jump though various other hoops as well.
Recover cell-phone data: When you lose a critical text message or phone number, Insideout Forensics' $99 SIMCon program and Pro Data Doctor's $69 Sim Card Data Recovery utility may be able to retrieve deleted or damaged data from a SIM card. But you'll have to pay $25 to $50 on top of the price of the software for a USB SIM card reader. Before shelling out for a reader, try baking a plate of cookies for the staff at your local cell phone store; they usually have SIM card readers on hand, and in my experience they respond well to chocolate chips and peanut butter.
Patch a scarred CD or DVD: An unreadable CD or DVD may just be dirty. Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to a large glass of water, and lightly scrub the face of the disc with a lightly moistened, soft, non-abrasive cloth. Always wipe from the center of the disc outward to the edge. If the disc has scratches, put a small dab of toothpaste on the end of a cotton swab and gently rub the scratches out. If these steps don't work, you can turn to one of the many CD and DVD recovery kits available at your local electronics store for between $15 and $30.
If you still can't read data from the disc, run Mitja Perko's CDCheck recovery software (free for personal use, though donations are accepted, $50 for business and government or Jufsoft's $40 BadCopy Pro.
Restore corrupted e-mail messages: Programs for recovering lost e-mail maycost from $30 to well over $100, depending on the features they offer and the mail program you use. For Outlook Express, try Stephen L. Cochran's free DBXtract 4.5 or pay $7 for the updated version 5.
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