Solved My windows search function brings 0 results

[Layback Bear]

I don't know if this is good or bad news.

Most if not all that use ASC by IObit end up doing a Clean Install.
ASC might of also infected your other drives.
No one knows what exactly ASC moves, changes, adds or deletes. That is why normal peace meal repairs don't work.

 

[Jemjem787]

I don't know if this is good or bad news.

Most if not all that use ASC by IObit end up doing a Clean Install.
ASC might of also infected your other drives.
No one knows what exactly ASC moves, changes, adds or deletes. That is why normal peace meal repairs don't work.

I will do a repair install and see if that fixes anything, if it doesn't i guess i am on to a clean install. Thanks for the info!

 

[Jemjem787]

It seems to have worked, but i lost my old CD case and along with it my Windows 7 product key. However, i copied all of the old windows files onto another hard drive onto my computer, is there any chance of recovery?

 

[gregrocker]

There is a way to get the Product Key out of its encrypted file however you must have the OS files. Check now if under C there is a windows.old folder which contains all of the old OS and files. If so then we'll have to find the method for you to extract Win7 Product Key from a registry key not on the extant OS. Likely the old Registry will need to be mounted in regedit to extract and decrypt it.

The problem with using an optimizing suite or other extensive tweaking on a featherlight OS like Win7 which absolutely doesn't need it ever, is often that those settings changes are passed through on the Upgrade install which doesn't solve the problem. But it is worth a try since if not you can get the best possible of all installs by following Clean Install Windows 7

 

[Jemjem787]

There is a way to get the Product Key out of its encrypted file however you must have the OS files. Check now if under C there is a windows.old folder which contains all of the old OS and files. If so then we'll have to find the method for you to extract Win7 Product Key from a registry key not on the extant OS. Likely the old Registry will need to be mounted in regedit to extract and decrypt it.

The problem with using an optimizing suite or other extensive tweaking on a featherlight OS like Win7 which absolutely doesn't need it ever, is often that those settings changes are passed through on the Upgrade install which doesn't solve the problem. But it is worth a try since if not you can get the best possible of all installs by following Clean Install Windows 7

I believe i have all the files, mind sending me along in my path to find the key?

 

[essenbe]

I believe Speccy (Speccy - System Information - Free Download) and am certain Belerac Advisor (Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit, for software, hardware and security configuration information on your computer. Software license management, IT asset management, cyber security audits, and more.) will tell you your Keys for most software you have.

 

[gregrocker]

Found for you by our Moderator Derek: http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...d-my-product-key-windows-old.html#post2208471

 

[Jemjem787]

Found for you by our Moderator Derek: http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...d-my-product-key-windows-old.html#post2208471

Sorry for the late response, was busy for the past week. I tried using that tool and every possable option inside of it, and it was unable to find any product keys in either my old windows files or even the copy/pasted windows files i have on my other hard drive.

 

[gregrocker]

Do you have the Windows folder? It may need to be extracted from an image.

 

[Jemjem787]

I completely copied my old hard drive to another drive on my computer, so I think so.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you actually browse to the exact file given? I wonder if it needed extracting?

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

I asked Tom to look at this. Maybe if you message him he'll help you more directly. I think you can mount the registry in regedit which should give more direct access to the key, perhaps even allow a keyfinder like Belarc or Jellybean to find it.

 

[DavidE]

Until Tom reply's as asked by Greg, can you explain what you mean by:

I completely copied my old hard drive to another drive on my computer, so I think so.

Did you use Windows Explorer, Robocopy, a Backup program such as Macrium, Acronis, AOEMI, etc. ?

I always use a Backup Image to "copy" HD partitions...
Cloning can also be used...
I would never copy an "OS" HD/partition using "normal file copy programs" and expect the result to be a usable "OS COPY"...

Do you still have the "OLD HD", and can you boot from it ?
Do you still have an old backup image as you indicated in post #16 ?

 

[Jemjem787]

Until Tom reply's as asked by Greg, can you explain what you mean by:

I completely copied my old hard drive to another drive on my computer, so I think so.

Did you use Windows Explorer, Robocopy, a Backup program such as Macrium, Acronis, AOEMI, etc. ?

I always use a Backup Image to "copy" HD partitions...
Cloning can also be used...
I would never copy an "OS" HD/partition using "normal file copy programs" and expect the result to be a usable "OS COPY"...

Do you still have the "OLD HD", and can you boot from it ?
Do you still have an old backup image as you indicated in post #16 ?

I simply copy/pasted all the files on my hard drive onto another harddrive,

I have no system restore points from before i did the re install

I don't know what these files are, but they were created when i did the reinstall
http://i.gyazo.com/001b8d02b0254406149e76856910cc65.png

 

[Jemjem787]

Okay i got it, the reason that the program wasn't finding anything is because i had multiple registry hives in my config folder, and i was going to the one just named "software'. But it turns out, that there is nothing in there, because its all in software.iobit. (iobit is the company that makes advanced system care). So thanks for the help, i think that i fixed everything.

 

[gregrocker]

We see nothing but problems here with Advanced System Care for all six years. This and all other tweaking suites are not needed or tolerated by a feather-light OS which needs no tweaking, only a perfect install on adequate hardware.

 

[Jemjem787]

We see nothing but problems here with Advanced System Care for all six years. This and all other tweaking suites are not needed or tolerated by a feather-light OS which needs no tweaking, only a perfect install on adequate hardware.

I was planning on doing a clean install soon, but i'm afraid i can't do it anytime soon due to needing the computer badly. When the holidays come around i will probably do it. Thanks for the advice!

 

[gregrocker]

Don't forget when ready to stick with the steps, tools and methods in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 as you'll get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you do.

Let us know how it goes.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

 

[Jemjem787]

One more quick question, i was reading and i think i remember something saying that you can only use a windows product key 3 times before you need to get a new one. I am pretty confident that this time is my third, am i misinformed or anything? I really don't want to pay money again to activate windows legally.

 

[gregrocker]

No it's no different than any other retail purchase. You own it for life to reinstall as often as you want.