Solved OS totally destroyed, lost serial, can't afford to rebuy

Windows 8

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Windows 8.1 update 1 not only failed for me, it did so in the worst possible way. My OS is now corrupt beyond any hope of repair. Making things worse, I lost my serials and I can't afford a new license. Windows is the only OS Ithat runs well on my PC.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790k @ 4.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI Z97 U3 Plus
    Memory
    8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon R9 285 (2 GB GDDR5), and Intel HD 4600
    Sound Card
    Integrated HD audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS VW246H 24.6 inch
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 (natve)
    Hard Drives
    512 GB Crucial SSD (SATA-III)
    PSU
    800W NZXT PP-800
    Case
    CoolerMaster HAF 932 Advanced Edition (Steel fulltower)
    Cooling
    Liqtech 240
    Keyboard
    Razer Lycosa
    Mouse
    Logitech G35
    Internet Speed
    11 Mbps download
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG free (and common sense :P)
Did you create a recovery disk ? if so, try to perform a system restore.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
No I did not.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790k @ 4.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI Z97 U3 Plus
    Memory
    8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon R9 285 (2 GB GDDR5), and Intel HD 4600
    Sound Card
    Integrated HD audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS VW246H 24.6 inch
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 (natve)
    Hard Drives
    512 GB Crucial SSD (SATA-III)
    PSU
    800W NZXT PP-800
    Case
    CoolerMaster HAF 932 Advanced Edition (Steel fulltower)
    Cooling
    Liqtech 240
    Keyboard
    Razer Lycosa
    Mouse
    Logitech G35
    Internet Speed
    11 Mbps download
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG free (and common sense :P)
Can you boot to the desktop?
If you can, you can retrieve your license, with particular programs.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self built
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-4790
    Motherboard
    GA-Z87X-D3H
    Memory
    G.SKILL 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 F3-10666CL9D-8GBNT
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire ATI Radeon R7 250
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC892
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung UN32EH5000, Dell 1703FPT
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WD5003AZEX
    WD10EZEX
    Samsung HD103SJ
    Samsung 128 GB 840 PRO
    PSU
    SeaSonic M12II SS-500GM
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS9900ALED
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    16 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Avast
    Other Info
    Bose Companion 2 Multimedia Speakers
No but can I get it via a Linux boot somehow?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790k @ 4.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI Z97 U3 Plus
    Memory
    8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon R9 285 (2 GB GDDR5), and Intel HD 4600
    Sound Card
    Integrated HD audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS VW246H 24.6 inch
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 (natve)
    Hard Drives
    512 GB Crucial SSD (SATA-III)
    PSU
    800W NZXT PP-800
    Case
    CoolerMaster HAF 932 Advanced Edition (Steel fulltower)
    Cooling
    Liqtech 240
    Keyboard
    Razer Lycosa
    Mouse
    Logitech G35
    Internet Speed
    11 Mbps download
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG free (and common sense :P)
window 8.1 update 1 certainly makes system unstable pc also getting some insatiability after update
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Studio 1457
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-720qm
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    512 MB AMD RADEON
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Screen Resolution
    1366 X 768
    Hard Drives
    500 GB 7200rpm
    Mouse
    Dell wireless mouse
    Internet Speed
    21.6 mbps
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
No but can I get it via a Linux boot somehow?

Download a Linux distro.. run it Live (no install) ..open terminal/konsole and type:

sudo cat /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDM.

That will give you your OEM key.

Alternatively.. you can backup your licence folder (SPP) from Linux, and replace that folder on a re-installation.

oixqc.png
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
    Screen Resolution
    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
If it's a factory OEM install your product code is embedded in the BIOS. You may not know what it is, but technically, you can't lose it, it will always be there. ;)
It looks like what Superfly posted should get it for you but I'll post this anyway. http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27129-product-key-find-windows-8-a.html
If you can get your hands on an official unmodified Windows 8.0 ISO/DVD it should read the code automatically during the Windows install. My TechNet 8.0 ISO's read and use the 8.0 code in my laptops BIOS automatically without asking me to enter one.
If you can score an 8.1 ISO you can skip having to install 8.0 and then update. You'll need your 8.0 OEM product code though to do this. http://www.eightforums.com/installa...retail-windows-8-1-windows-8-product-key.html
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
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