ML
    • Recent
    • Categories
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Groups
    • Register
    • Login

    Extracting Windows Key

    IT Discussion
    6
    25
    2.5k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • W
      wirestyle22 @black3dynamite
      last edited by wirestyle22

      @black3dynamite I don't know anything which is frustrating. I assume it is but I want to be prepared.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • R
        RojoLoco @wirestyle22
        last edited by

        @wirestyle22 I'm not sure how it finds the key, but IIRC it didn't work on win 8/8.1, so I have basically abandoned the program.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • W
          wirestyle22
          last edited by

          bleh. I really don't want to just hope this works. this company has no documentation at all and are literally incapable of following direction

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • D
            Dashrender
            last edited by

            If the machine originally came with Windows 7, it's really time for the company to replace it instead of fixing it.. the cost of fixing isn't worth it.

            That said - Personally, if Belarc can't get it itself, I'd consider it BIOS based and wouldn't move any harder to retrieve it. Also make sure it's not on the box/laptop, under a battery, etc.

            Then reinstall - assuming this is the goal.

            W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • W
              wirestyle22 @Dashrender
              last edited by

              @dashrender said in Extracting Windows Key:

              If the machine originally came with Windows 7, it's really time for the company to replace it instead of fixing it.. the cost of fixing isn't worth it.

              That said - Personally, if Belarc can't get it itself, I'd consider it BIOS based and wouldn't move any harder to retrieve it. Also make sure it's not on the box/laptop, under a battery, etc.

              Then reinstall - assuming this is the goal.

              I don't get to decide unfortunately. I was just told to go there tomorrow and was given basically zero information.

              D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • D
                Dashrender @wirestyle22
                last edited by

                @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                @dashrender said in Extracting Windows Key:

                If the machine originally came with Windows 7, it's really time for the company to replace it instead of fixing it.. the cost of fixing isn't worth it.

                That said - Personally, if Belarc can't get it itself, I'd consider it BIOS based and wouldn't move any harder to retrieve it. Also make sure it's not on the box/laptop, under a battery, etc.

                Then reinstall - assuming this is the goal.

                I don't get to decide unfortunately. I was just told to go there tomorrow and was given basically zero information.

                Perhaps while you're finding out how to recover a key (you're billing for this time, right?) ask who has the authority to approve replacing the PC as well.

                W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • W
                  wirestyle22 @Dashrender
                  last edited by

                  @dashrender said in Extracting Windows Key:

                  @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                  @dashrender said in Extracting Windows Key:

                  If the machine originally came with Windows 7, it's really time for the company to replace it instead of fixing it.. the cost of fixing isn't worth it.

                  That said - Personally, if Belarc can't get it itself, I'd consider it BIOS based and wouldn't move any harder to retrieve it. Also make sure it's not on the box/laptop, under a battery, etc.

                  Then reinstall - assuming this is the goal.

                  I don't get to decide unfortunately. I was just told to go there tomorrow and was given basically zero information.

                  Perhaps while you're finding out how to recover a key (you're billing for this time, right?) ask who has the authority to approve replacing the PC as well.

                  I always recommend it but all of our contracts are cheap. It's insane how cheap.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • B
                    black3dynamite
                    last edited by

                    https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

                    W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
                    • W
                      wirestyle22 @black3dynamite
                      last edited by wirestyle22

                      @black3dynamite said in Extracting Windows Key:

                      https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

                      Q: Can I retrieve the product key from a non-booting Windows installation?
                      As long as both Windows versions are 2000, XP, 2003, or Vista, you can use the Load Hive function. You will have to slave the drive and point the Keyfinder to the non-booting Windows directory.

                      I'm making the assumption that this is a worst case scenario

                      D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • D
                        dbeato
                        last edited by

                        It is usually in the BIOS but you can use this tool as below:

                        http://neosmart.net/OemKey/

                        W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                        • W
                          wirestyle22 @dbeato
                          last edited by

                          @dbeato said in Extracting Windows Key:

                          It is usually in the BIOS but you can use this tool as below:

                          http://neosmart.net/OemKey/

                          For all I know they could've had these PC's built and pro is installed on them. No idea. It would be nice if they have a windows 10 machine.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • D
                            Dashrender @wirestyle22
                            last edited by

                            @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                            @black3dynamite said in Extracting Windows Key:

                            https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

                            Q: Can I retrieve the product key from a non-booting Windows installation?
                            As long as both Windows versions are 2000, XP, 2003, or Vista, you can use the Load Hive function. You will have to slave the drive and point the Keyfinder to the non-booting Windows directory.

                            I'm making the assumption that this is a worst case scenario

                            If you can't boot the machine - yes, this would be a worst case scenario. This is a case where you slave up the drive to another PC, then you have side load the registry off the old drive.

                            W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • W
                              wirestyle22 @Dashrender
                              last edited by wirestyle22

                              @dashrender said in Extracting Windows Key:

                              @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                              @black3dynamite said in Extracting Windows Key:

                              https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

                              Q: Can I retrieve the product key from a non-booting Windows installation?
                              As long as both Windows versions are 2000, XP, 2003, or Vista, you can use the Load Hive function. You will have to slave the drive and point the Keyfinder to the non-booting Windows directory.

                              I'm making the assumption that this is a worst case scenario

                              If you can't boot the machine - yes, this would be a worst case scenario. This is a case where you slave up the drive to another PC, then you have side load the registry off the old drive.

                              I'm betting those are all things I will have to do

                              D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • D
                                Dashrender @wirestyle22
                                last edited by

                                @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                                @dashrender said in Extracting Windows Key:

                                @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                                @black3dynamite said in Extracting Windows Key:

                                https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

                                Q: Can I retrieve the product key from a non-booting Windows installation?
                                As long as both Windows versions are 2000, XP, 2003, or Vista, you can use the Load Hive function. You will have to slave the drive and point the Keyfinder to the non-booting Windows directory.

                                I'm making the assumption that this is a worst case scenario

                                If you can't boot the machine - yes, this would be a worst case scenario. This is a case where you slave up the drive to another PC, then you have side load the registry off the old drive.

                                I'm betting those are all things I will have to do

                                Again, you are so far into the cost of a new machine at that point - you shouldn't be repairing this one. I hope you've already talked to all powers that be so you know how to proceed.

                                I can send you a bill for $500 and you'll have a 10+ year old machine that's fixed for now.. or we can spend $1200 and get a NEW computer and get it setup for the user.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • gjacobseG
                                  gjacobse
                                  last edited by

                                  Just went through this with a system my brother was working on. Non bootable. This product will pull it from the Registry Hive. just have to pull up the drive as an external.

                                  https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

                                  W D 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                  • W
                                    wirestyle22 @gjacobse
                                    last edited by

                                    @gjacobse thanks very much

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • D
                                      dbeato @gjacobse
                                      last edited by

                                      @gjacobse said in Extracting Windows Key:

                                      Just went through this with a system my brother was working on. Non bootable. This product will pull it from the Registry Hive. just have to pull up the drive as an external.

                                      https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

                                      Though it doesn’t work with Windows 8 or 10 as far ad I know if VL and on Windows 10 is hit and miss.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • W
                                        wirestyle22
                                        last edited by

                                        So I arrived today and the motherboard was bad. Typical user not understanding what ransomware is.

                                        D R 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • D
                                          dbeato @wirestyle22
                                          last edited by

                                          @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                                          So I arrived today and the motherboard was bad. Typical user not understanding what ransomware is.

                                          Destroyware 😉

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                          • R
                                            RojoLoco @wirestyle22
                                            last edited by

                                            @wirestyle22 said in Extracting Windows Key:

                                            So I arrived today and the motherboard was bad. Typical user not understanding what ransomware is.

                                            Bullet dodged. Are you going to replace the Mobo or clone the system to a new box?

                                            W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 2 / 2
                                            • First post
                                              Last post