Find my Windows product key from Linux

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  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #1

    Find my Windows product key from Linux


    My computer crashed. Windows won't start but I can start it and access the hard drive from a Linux live CD (Linux Mint 12). I need to re-load Windows. I have a disc but how can I find my product key from Linux? My Windows copy is legit but the disc is not from Microsoft.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 7,538
    Windows 10 64bit/Windows 10 64bit/Windows 10 64bit
       #2

    What do you mean when you say the disc is not from Microsoft, who is it from ? Is it a recovery disc that came with the computer ?

    What type of computer is it, laptop or desktop, if the OS came preloaded you should have a sticker on the machine with your product key.

    If you can post back with a few more details I'm sure that one of the experts will be able to help you and Welcome to the Forum.
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  3. Posts : 19,383
    Windows 10 Pro x64 ; Xubuntu x64
       #3

    lamontc said:
    My Windows copy is legit but the disc is not from Microsoft.
    Hi,

    Try this:

    Download the exact same Windows ISO version as that which is installed on your system from this site:
    http://www.mydigitallife.info/offici...digital-river/

    Burn it to a 4GB flash/thumb drive using this tutorial:
    Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

    Boot from this USB drive, and choose to do a Startup Repair, using this tutorial as a guide:
    Startup Repair

    If you manage to boot into Windows, you should be able to see your product key on the screen shown below.

    Regards,
    Golden
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Find my Windows product key from Linux-capture.jpg  
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 7,538
    Windows 10 64bit/Windows 10 64bit/Windows 10 64bit
       #4

    Golden said:
    lamontc said:
    My Windows copy is legit but the disc is not from Microsoft.
    Hi,

    Try this:

    Download the exact same Windows ISO version as that which is installed on your system from this site:
    http://www.mydigitallife.info/offici...digital-river/

    Burn it to a 4GB flash/thumb drive using this tutorial:
    Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

    Boot from this USB drive, and choose to do a Startup Repair, using this tutorial as a guide:
    Startup Repair

    If you manage to boot into Windows, you should be able to see your product key on the screen shown below.

    Regards,
    Golden
    Golden I don't believe that is the product key but the Product ID, if the OS was preloaded he should have a sticker on his machine with the Product number.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #5

    You are quite correct Joan.

    It is the product ID and it is this number that Microsoft use to confirm whether you are using an OEM version of Windows or a retail version.

    It cannot be used to activate Windows. For that you need the product key. An OEM version will display the product key on the COA sticker. A retail version will have a product key attached to the disc packaging.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 19,383
    Windows 10 Pro x64 ; Xubuntu x64
       #6

    My mistake - well spotted Joan
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  7. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #7

    More details


    I bought the computer with Windows Vista and a free upgrade to Windows 7 came in the mail a few months later. I lost the 7 upgrade disc. I have 2 hard drives so the one that crashed has 7 loaded on it. I loaded Vista on the other one so that my computer would work but now I need to get 7 going again. I have a product key on the side of my computer but I think that is only for Vista. I downloaded the same version of 7 (home premium) from somewhere (I think it was mydigitallife but I can't remember) so I have a version of 7 but I can't load it. I think I will try putting it on a flash drive and booting from that, then trying to let Windows fix the errors on the drive. If that works I may not even have to re-load the whole OS. Thanks for your help and I will let you know if it works. I am not that techie so wish me luck!
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #8

    Hi guys

    You are talking what *Might be* total B/S here.

    Just download the version of Windows you need to recover from the M/S site (even in "Trial mode") and after installation go to the ==> change product key and enter YOUR ORIGINAL KEY.

    Windows should then activate totally normally and without any problems whatsoever. (If there IS a problem use the phone activation method -=- explain the problem and you are good to go again).

    cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 10,200
    MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
       #9

    lamontc said:
    My computer crashed. Windows won't start but I can start it and access the hard drive from a Linux live CD (Linux Mint 12). I need to re-load Windows. I have a disc but how can I find my product key from Linux? My Windows copy is legit but the disc is not from Microsoft.
    Let's get your disk to working.

    Since you have no COA, you have no Product Key, no DVD, then either we get that one working or you go buy a Win 7 DVD.

    When the unit "crashed", what happened?

    More detail, no matter how insignficant, will be helpful.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #10

    As far as the crash, I am not much help. It gave me an error message that I didn't understand or write down so now I don't remember it. It told me to restart. I did that and it started disc checking. It said "Invalid security code for sector xxxx. replacing with default security code." It did that for every sector on the drive but I stopped it partway through with a hard reset because I thought I was smarter than then computer. After that it wouldn't start windows. After I loaded windows vista on the other hard drive it couldn't access the first hard drive. When I started it with a Linux live CD I could access both drives. I saved my photos and stuff to the drive that is working but Windows still won't access the drive.

    Thanks again for all your help.
      My Computer


 
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