Solved How do I find my product key from windows.old?

[garethgkr]

Hi

I recently helped my cousin reformat his laptop and he cannot remember where he put his license key.
Is there a way to find it out through windows.old that was created when laptop was formatted?

Thanks

 

[Lemur]

I think you could use nirsoft or jellybean and point it to the windows.old directory...

ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS-Office/SQL Server

KeyFinder | Magical Jelly Bean

 

[garethgkr]

Thank you so much!!! You're a champ!

 

[Lemur]

That's why we get the big bucks. Oh wait, we're volunteers!

Let us know how it goes.

 

[NoelDP]

Hi

I recently helped my cousin reformat his laptop and he cannot remember where he put his license key.
Is there a way to find it out through windows.old that was created when laptop was formatted?

Thanks

Assuming the laptop came pre-installed, the Key is on the COA sticker on the case (or inside the battery compartment)

 

[garethgkr]

Hi

I recently helped my cousin reformat his laptop and he cannot remember where he put his license key.
Is there a way to find it out through windows.old that was created when laptop was formatted?

Thanks

Assuming the laptop came pre-installed, the Key is on the COA sticker on the case (or inside the battery compartment)

It wasn't pre-installed.

But it is fixed now so, thanks!

 

[NoelDP]

Glad to hear it - good luck!
)Please mark the thread as 'solved' - that helps others either find or avoid it)

 

[thx1139]

I think you could use nirsoft or jellybean and point it to the windows.old directory...

ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS-Office/SQL Server

KeyFinder | Magical Jelly Bean

Hi. How do you redirect Jelly Bean KeyFinder to a specific folder?

 

[tom982]

Hi thx1139,

I don't know how to do it in Jelly Bean, but I do with ProduKey:

Your Windows 7 product key is stored in the software registry hive, located here:

C:\Windows\system32\config\software

Please note, software is the file name, not a directory. It has no file extension. Your drive may have a different letter.

This is a little program that will tell you the product keys of the various software installed on your computer. What makes this different, is the ability to load keys from an external registry hive. Exactly what we want

So if you download and run ProduKey (by NirSoft):

http://www.nirsoft.n...key_viewer.html

Then press File > Select Source, you will be presented with a new menu. On this, select Load the product keys from an external Software Registry hive and you will be prompted to open a file. Navigate to the software hive on the external drive and open the hive. E.g. D:\Windows\system32\config\software. You should now have your product keys

Hope this helped.

Tom

 

[thx1139]

Thanks a lot, Tom! I'd never have managed that without you and you saved me a lot of hassle (and maybe tears!)

 

[tom982]

No worries! Happy to help Thanks for the rep - you've just given me my first medal.

 

[tekn0]

Hi thx1139,

I don't know how to do it in Jelly Bean, but I do with ProduKey:

Your Windows 7 product key is stored in the software registry hive, located here:

C:\Windows\system32\config\software

Please note, software is the file name, not a directory. It has no file extension. Your drive may have a different letter.

This is a little program that will tell you the product keys of the various software installed on your computer. What makes this different, is the ability to load keys from an external registry hive. Exactly what we want

So if you download and run ProduKey (by NirSoft):

http://www.nirsoft.n...key_viewer.html

Then press File > Select Source, you will be presented with a new menu. On this, select Load the product keys from an external Software Registry hive and you will be prompted to open a file. Navigate to the software hive on the external drive and open the hive. E.g. D:\Windows\system32\config\software. You should now have your product keys

Hope this helped.

Tom

Hi Tom,

I ran the application and point it to C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\ "software" cannot see, or am I missing something here.
I reinstalled and just wanted to "key" from "windows.old" folder please.

tek

 

[tom982]

Hi tek,

Command Prompt


Warning: this fix is specific to the user in this thread. No one else should follow these instructions as it may cause more harm than good. If you are after assistance, please start a thread of your own.

1. Click on the Start
   
   button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
2. When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
3. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following commands into it, press enter after each
   
   
   attrib -r -s -h C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\*.*
   dir C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\
   
   
   
4. Right-click on the Command Prompt window and click Select All, this will invert all of the colours by selecting the text, now press enter. All of this text is now copied.
5. Paste (Ctrl+V) it into your next post please.

Tom

 

[Kaktussoft]

produkey.exe /regfile "C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\software"

 

[tekn0]

Hi tek,

Command Prompt


Warning: this fix is specific to the user in this thread. No one else should follow these instructions as it may cause more harm than good. If you are after assistance, please start a thread of your own.

1. Click on the Start
   
   button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
2. When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
3. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following commands into it, press enter after each
   
   
   attrib -r -s -h C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\*.*
   dir C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\
   
   
   
4. Right-click on the Command Prompt window and click Select All, this will invert all of the colours by selecting the text, now press enter. All of this text is now copied.
5. Paste (Ctrl+V) it into your next post please.

 

[tom982]

The software hive is there Try looking again:

05/25/2013 08:17 AM 72,876,032 software

 

[tekn0]

The software hive is there Try looking again:

05/25/2013 08:17 AM 72,876,032 software

I see the "software" and the massive size it is

[05/25/2013 08:17 AM 72,876,032 software]

But I might be running the "app" incorrectly, cause it does not read the key, just says "unknown' on the product key.
But I am pointing it to the correct location which is

C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\

 

[Kaktussoft]

produkey.exe /regfile "C:\Windows.old\windows\system32\config\software"

 

[tekn0]

Just barely made it!

 

[Kaktussoft]

You succesfully found the key?