Finding my W7 product key

[Condi]

I had to put a new HD in my laptop last week. Rummaging around I found a copy of W7 in my draw and so loaded that on. No problems up to now. Then it asked for the product key and for the life of me I cant find it! Its not the same as whats on either of my other 2 machines, as Ive tried both of those.

Can I ring Microsoft and activate it another way? It is a perfectly legal copy with DVD, and not being used on another machine, so I should be fine, but just stuck as to the next step.

Please not Im not asking for someone to send me a product key, Im asking where to find one Ive already got!

[SonicShadow]

What OS was on the machine originally?

[nyt]

Try: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

[nyt]

Try: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

[karona]

nyt said:

Try: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

That'll only reveal a key which has already been entered, if W7 hasn't been registered, and a valid key entered, that program won't help.
OP is it a genuine disk? If it is then rummage in the drawer some more and find the original packaging, there'll be a sticker attached with the key on it. If it's not original, or you can't find the packaging, you're basically screwed.

There are ways around it, for example registry hacks to set back the grace period for activation while you find a valid key, but find the key you must.

[WinstonWolf]

karona said:

nyt said:

Try: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

That'll only reveal a key which has already been entered, if W7 hasn't been registered, and a valid key entered, that program won't help.
OP is it a genuine disk? If it is then rummage in the drawer some more and find the original packaging, there'll be a sticker attached with the key on it. If it's not original, or you can't find the packaging, you're basically screwed.

There are ways around it, for example registry hacks to set back the grace period for activation while you find a valid key, but find the key you must.

Could run it up on the old HDD assuming it's not been flattened.

[karona]

WinstonWolf said:

Could run it up on the old HDD assuming it's not been flattened.

Yep, assuming it's W7 on the old HDD,

OP?

[LooneyTunes]

Condi said:

Can I ring Microsoft and activate it another way? It is a perfectly legal copy with DVD, and not being used on another machine, so I should be fine, but just stuck as to the next step.

Please not Im not asking for someone to send me a product key, Im asking where to find one Ive already got!

Isn't there a sticker on the machine (on base / hidden under battery) with the code on?

Bear in mind that, if it's an OEM copy, whilst it may be "perfectly legal" the license doesn't extend to swapping it to a different machine.

As already suggested, Belarc works if you can fire up from the old drive.

[Condi]

WinstonWolf said:

karona said:

nyt said:

Try: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

That'll only reveal a key which has already been entered, if W7 hasn't been registered, and a valid key entered, that program won't help.
OP is it a genuine disk? If it is then rummage in the drawer some more and find the original packaging, there'll be a sticker attached with the key on it. If it's not original, or you can't find the packaging, you're basically screwed.

There are ways around it, for example registry hacks to set back the grace period for activation while you find a valid key, but find the key you must.

Could run it up on the old HDD assuming it's not been flattened.

Old HDD is a no go, as it was totally corrupt. Also that version of W7 wasnt on that HD. Tbh I dont know where this version of W7 came from. I've obviously bought it in the past, and its not running on any of my other 2 machines. I had hoped there would be a CD key in my emails, but its not there.

It is 100% a genuine disk. It is a retail version, with 3 'rearms' left, according to the MS Genuine Advantage diag tool. It also gave me the final 15 characters of the CD key but not the first 10!

As for being basically screwed, thats the conclusion Ive arrived at as well.

Have to buy a new copy which kinda sucks.

[NPI]

Condi said:

I had to put a new HD in my laptop last week. Rummaging around I found a copy of W7 in my draw and so loaded that on. No problems up to now. Then it asked for the product key and for the life of me I cant find it! Its not the same as whats on either of my other 2 machines, as Ive tried both of those.

Can I ring Microsoft and activate it another way?

Maybe - but you *might* have a problem as the version of W7 you've used won't be the same as the one that the OEM originally installed. The OEM might be able to supply a restore disk?

Funnily enough I installed Office 2010 on a neighbour's computer yesterday while moving him from XP to a refurbed Win7 machine. I downloaded a copy of Office 2010 from Microsoft and unsurprisingly, using the key Belarc gave me off his old machine, online activation of Office failed, but it worked fine using the automatic telephone activation system.

[Condi]

NPI said:

Maybe - but you *might* have a problem as the version of W7 you've used won't be the same as the one that the OEM originally installed. The OEM might be able to supply a restore disk?

The OEM originally installed W8. This is a copy of W7 I found hanging around in a draw and so I want to use that if possible. It took enough hoops to get it installed in the first place, now to loose the key is crap!

[NPI]

Condi said:

The OEM originally installed W8.

Did it come with downgrade rights?

Condi said:

This is a copy of W7 I found hanging around in a draw and so I want to use that if possible. It took enough hoops to get it installed in the first place, now to loose the key is crap!

I think you'll be stuffed unless you can find the key. I guess you can't remember, or still have access to, a machine you've used that disk on before?

[Condi]

NPI said:

Condi said:

The OEM originally installed W8.

Did it come with downgrade rights?

Condi said:

This is a copy of W7 I found hanging around in a draw and so I want to use that if possible. It took enough hoops to get it installed in the first place, now to loose the key is crap!

I think you'll be stuffed unless you can find the key. I guess you can't remember, or still have access to, a machine you've used that disk on before?

Um, downgrade rights? Not sure, I put in a blank HD then had to coax the bios to accept the install of W7. W7 is working as normal, I think that bits fine. How would I know if it came with downgrade rights?

No access to an older machine I dont think. I've racked my brains and are getting nowhere. Will try and contact MS on Tuesday and see if they can help or will just try selling a copy of W8 which is all their website seems to want to do!

[Fort Jefferson]

Press start, computer. right click in the white open space, select properties, and your product key is at the bottom, or at least mine is.

[NPI]

Fort Jefferson said:

Press start, computer. right click in the white open space, select properties, and your product key is at the bottom, or at least mine is.

That's the product ID, not the key.

[Funk]

Condi said:

NPI said:

Maybe - but you *might* have a problem as the version of W7 you've used won't be the same as the one that the OEM originally installed. The OEM might be able to supply a restore disk?

The OEM originally installed W8. This is a copy of W7 I found hanging around in a draw and so I want to use that if possible. It took enough hoops to get it installed in the first place, now to loose the key is crap!

With Win8, the licence key is embedded in the BIOS.

There's a way to read your key from the BIOS using pkeyui (http://www.chip.de/downloads/Windows-8-Product-Key-Viewer_58663752.html) but it will only allow you to reinstall Win8 (indeed, if you reinstall it it will automatically find the key in the BIOS at install, no manual entry needed). This won't help you with Win7 at all though as home editions don't offer downgrade rights.

It's also why machines pester you to create 'restore' disks the first time you boot the new laptop - many machines no longer have restore partitions or reinstall disks 'in the box' any more.

If you were to reinstall the same version of Win8 that the machine came with, it would work.

Edited by Funk on Sunday 20th April 23:06

[karona]

Condi said:

Old HDD is a no go, as it was totally corrupt. Also that version of W7 wasnt on that HD. Tbh I dont know where this version of W7 came from. I've obviously bought it in the past, and its not running on any of my other 2 machines. I had hoped there would be a CD key in my emails, but its not there.

It is 100% a genuine disk. It is a retail version, with 3 'rearms' left, according to the MS Genuine Advantage diag tool. It also gave me the final 15 characters of the CD key but not the first 10!

As for being basically screwed, thats the conclusion Ive arrived at as well.

Have to buy a new copy which kinda sucks.

I believe, tho' I'm happy to be corrected, that the first ten characters are the ''OEM'' bit that identifies the brand of the computer, and is the same for all models of, say, Toshiba. You may be able to get them from another computer from the same manufacturer, or they may even be searchable online.