Solved Determine Product Key From Unbootable Hard Drive

[boweasel]

My brother bought a tower a few years ago from a small computer shop in the area. The shop is no longer in business. My niece has been using the computer without problem since they first set it up for her.

Now the computer won't boot, giving a 'bad hard drive, replace immediately' type of message. They are all pretty sure that it's a Windows 7 PC, but nobody will swear to it. I can find noting on the outside (or inside) of the case to indicate the operating system or manufacturer. There is no 25 character Windows key sticker to be found.

I have removed the drive, slaved it to a Windows 7 tower and copied all her music, pictures and favorites to an external drive, but what's next? I have another 500GB SATA drive that I can put in the tower, but to what end? Is there some method to determine the OS and product key from the slaved hard drive? With that information I should be able to install Windows on the new hard drive although, without the manufacturer I'd be in the dark about where to find the necessary drivers.

 

[Layback Bear]

Their should be a sticker on the computer with the COA key and which Microsoft operating system is installed.

This should help. From Microsoft.

COA and Hologram

More pictures.

https://www.google.com/search?q=win..._lHpGUyATyr4KIAg&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=960&bih=418

 

[gregrocker]

Yes but since its encyypted it takes a special tool to extract from unbootable HD which someone will likely know and post since the title is so descriptive. I'll search for it if not when I get home.

Have you confirmed the HD is bad using the makers bootable diagnostics or test from Windows while slaved. The tests are in Troubleshooting tutorial link in picture below.

If HD is good then work through the steps for http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

 

[boweasel]

I managed to extract a little more information from my sister in law... The tower was apparently constructed by the little out-of-business computer shop with Windows XP on it. The shop purchased Windows 7 Home Premium and installed a legitimate version on the tower prior to selling it to my brother. At one time there was a hand lettered sticker on the tower that gave the product key. That sticker has disappeared.

Since it was a homemade assembly I should be able to get the drivers from ASUS, who made the motherboard. My only problem now remains determining the 25 character product key that I would guess is still somewhere on the old hard drive (encrypted or not). They don't want to have to purchase a new product key (in addition to a new HDD) for a computer that was originally XP.

 

[whs]

Since the 'bad' HDD is apparently functioning as a slave on your Windows 7 system, I would image all partitions from that drive with your Windows 7 system. Then you can restore the image on the 500GB HDD that you have available and install that in the system of your niece. It's worth a try.

If that works, you should immediately run the Belarc Advisor to get a record of the the product keys.

 

[boweasel]

Since the 'bad' HDD is apparently functioning as a slave on your Windows 7 system, I would image all partitions from that drive with your Windows 7 system. Then you can restore the image on the 500GB HDD that you have available and install that in the system of your niece. It's worth a try.

If that works, you should immediately run the Belarc Advisor to get a record of the the product keys.

Sounds great..... however the phrase 'image all partitions from that drive with your Windows 7 system' is Greek to me. What tools do I need to do that? Are there step-by-step instructions? And once that step was done how would I go about restoring that image to the 500GB HDD?

And I don't completely understand Belarc. I have used that on several perfectly running PCs and the product key that it returns is NOT the product key on the Microsoft COA.

 

[gregrocker]

The key on factory installed Win7 is a batch key used to mass activate at factory until the COA key is used

Kari's idea is best but I'm not confident the barebones Win7 imaging can handle it. So I'd use Macrium Reflect freeware explained here: http://www.sevenforums.com/software/43219-image-your-system-free-macrium.html.

You can install it to image only the attached failing HD now while it lives. Then replace it with new HD - or better yet an SSD which is the best upgrade you can do for lightning speed - and apply the image. Be sure to include Active flag, MBR and Track 0 from the old drive if prompted.

I'd still want to know exact condition of HD. Install Crystal Disk Info app to read SMART data for a quick check. CrystalDiskInfo - Software - Crystal Dew World

If you'll post back a screenshot of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html we can advise you better.

Edit: I see SIW2 has arrived below with the required keyfinder. Work with him to get your key, but I'd have the backup image just in case since I always prefer two key confirmations and in this case it is unlikely.

Small shop or not, it's not legal to resell Win7 without the COA sticker attached.

 

[AddRAM]

If the shop installed Windows 7 on the pc, why didn`t they give you the packaging containing the dvd and the activation key, it`s totally illegal and just wrong to sell a pc with a hand written sticker on the pc case.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

 

[SIW2]

Run Produkey from your working system. Tick as below, then click OK.



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

 

[boweasel]

If the shop installed Windows 7 on the pc, why didn`t they give you the packaging containing the dvd and the activation key, it`s totally illegal and just wrong to sell a pc with a hand written sticker on the pc case.

From the first two sentences of my thread: My brother bought a tower a few years ago from a small computer shop in the area. The shop is no longer in business.

 

[AddRAM]

I read that, it was a rhetorical question.

Actually more of a statement then a question

As far as the manufacturer it should be written on the motherboard, (the make and model) the #1 driver to worry about is the network (ethernet) drivers. Just install windows, then worry about the drivers, Windows may just take care of a lot of them for you.

 

[boweasel]

The key on factory installed Win7 is a batch key used to mass activate at factory until the COA key is used

Thanks, but I don't know what that statement means in regard to a product key displayed using Belarc. If I have to reinstall Windows 7 on a custom built PC I'll need a product key. I've already stated that the keys I've gotten by running Belarc on functioning computers do not always match the product key on the PC's COA sticker.

While I was waiting for some responses I initiated a chkdsk /r /f on the failing hard drive that is now slaved to another Windows 7 tower. It has now been running for close to 20 hours. I'll download your suggested Macrium product when it finishes. I'll post back a Disk Management screen grab for the ailing drive as well. And thanks again.

Kari's idea is best but I'm not confident the barebones Win7 imaging can handle it. So I'd use Macrium Reflect freeware explained here: http://www.sevenforums.com/software/43219-image-your-system-free-macrium.html.

You can install it to image only the attached failing HD now while it lives. Then replace it with new HD - or better yet an SSD which is the best upgrade you can do for lightning speed - and apply the image. Be sure to include Active flag, MBR and Track 0 from the old drive if prompted.

I'd still want to know exact condition of HD. Install Crystal Disk Info app to read SMART data for a quick check. CrystalDiskInfo - Software - Crystal Dew World

If you'll post back a screenshot of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html we can advise you better.

 

[boweasel]

I read that, it was a rhetorical question.

Actually more of a statement then a question

And I did not know it was illegal. I have known computer shops to purchase operating systems and product keys online. They'll get a link to download the OS followed by an email containing the product key. Without an official Microsoft sticker they'd have little recourse beyond printing out the key and taping it to the case.

 

[AddRAM]

Right, so that means if the case does not have a COA on it, with a readable key, which you state it doesn`t, then you will have to buy Windows.

$99 for Home Premium.

http://www.newegg.com/Operating-Systems/SubCategory/ID-368

 

[gregrocker]

I was trying to explain why the Product Keys do not match sometimes. Activation at factory uses a batch key which is not the same. The COA is to reinstall and activate in MS computers which is different. Until then you are activated by a factory batch key.

The Disk check is not encouraging but what really tells the story is the diagnostics which tests the physical condition of the hard drive and not just the file system thereon. That's why I suggested you run that instead of Disk Check.

A legit shop would paste the COA sticker on the box as required by law before reselling you Win7. But sometimes they don't for various reasons including possibly using a cracked activation or perhaps a retail key they had extra. So it is worth using the finder SIW2 linked to see where it goes. At worst you'd have to buy it again.

But if you successfully image it to the new HD, or repair the old one, it may not need reactivating and you can continue with what you have. We can then tell you if its genuine if you care to know.

 

[boweasel]

Run Produkey from your working system. Tick as below, then click OK.

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

Thanks. I'm unfamiliar with this product. I'll give it a try and report back.

 

[boweasel]

Right, so that means if the case does not have a COA on it, which you state it doesn`t, then you will have to buy Windows.

$99 for Home Premium.

Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows OS - Newegg.com

I'm going to try two of the suggestions I've received here - first the ProduKey, followed reimaging of the old drive and restoring the image to the new drive suggestion. I'd never get my brother to pony up the 99 bucks.

 

[boweasel]

I was trying to explain why the Product Keys do not match sometimes. Activation at factory uses a batch key which is not the same. The COA is to reinstall and activate in MS computers which is different. Until then you are activated by a factory batch key.

Oh, now I see. Up until the point that you reinstall, the PC is not using the product key on the COA sticker. But isn't this a catch-22 situation? If your COA wears off the bottom of your laptop and you use Belarc prior to a reinstall, you won't get the proper key. You have to actually do a reinstall for Belarc to spit out the proper key, but you can't reinstall without it. Or am I missing something?

The Disk check is not encouraging but what really tells the story is the diagnostics which tests the physical condition of the hard drive and not just the file system thereon. That's why I suggested you run that instead of Disk Check.

I'd already started the disk check before you posted your suggestion

A legit shop would paste the COA sticker on the box as required by law before reselling you Win7. But sometimes they don't for various reasons including possibly using a cracked activation or perhaps a retail key they had extra. So it is worth using the finder SIW2 linked to see where it goes. At worst you'd have to buy it again.

I have a defunct Windows 7 HP tower with a bad motherboard and a completely readable product key. If all else fails, can I use that? And if so, how does Microsoft know that a product key is from a non-working PC?

But if you successfully image it to the new HD, or repair the old one, it may not need reactivating and you can continue with what you have. We can then tell you if its genuine if you care to know.

One step at a time...

 

[gregrocker]

No you've got it. But I doubt you have OEM because they come with peel and stick stickers which no legit outfit would not affix.

Once you image your old OS over you can see this right away at Computer>Properties by looking if there's an "OEM" in the Product ID string (not the same as Product Key). That means it's Factory OEM which a small shop wouldn't use or Retail OEM which a builder uses so it might be that.

You cannot move OEM to another motherboard.

The image is your best option if HD is shot and if it will complete on a failing drive, because then you can reimage to new SSD or HD and should hold activation, which will then be preserved permanently by the image.

 

[boweasel]

No you've got it. But I doubt you have OEM because they come with peel and stick stickers which no legit outfit would not affix.

Once you image your old OS over you can see this right away at Computer>Properties by looking if there's an "OEM" in the Product ID string (not the same as Product Key). That means it's Factory OEM which a small shop wouldn't use or Retail OEM which a builder uses so it might be that.

You cannot move OEM to another motherboard.

The image is your best option if HD is shot and if it will complete on a failing drive, because then you can reimage to new SSD or HD and should hold activation, which will then be preserved permanently by the image.

I find product keys to be incredibly maddening - one purchases the key when one purchases an OEM PC. But if it fades, or rubs off, or the dog's claws render it unreadable, you're SOL since Magic Jelly Bean or Belarc won't return a reinstallation key. And if your OEM Windows 7 PC goes to computer heaven you can't use it's key to install W7 on, say a Vista machine. And nobody seems to find Microsoft's behavior in this area to be anything but aboveboard. I find it reprehensible, but I gather this is a moot point, since my brother's PC is not OEM, so ProduKey should return a viable key.

I am dubious about imaging the old drive. Chkdsk is not yet on stage 5. When I ran this before, while the HDD was still in the original machine, I had to use a W7 disk to get to the command prompt. It replaced a lot of bad clusters, before it told me it'd run out of space to replace the clusters. So far, as a slave drive I have not gotten the out-of-space msg.