Solved How do I find my Product Key?

[Ex_Brit]

You're right, sorry it worked on a previous build I guess. The link to "This simple script" above does show the current key for 8 Pro w/media Center correctly though.
I installed from Technet myself but always keep a txt file stored with all my key codes. If you want your original key code just go to your Technet account, it's all there.

 

[rchris]

You're right, sorry it worked on a previous build I guess. The link to "This simple script" above does show the current key for 8 Pro w/media Center correctly though.
I installed from Technet myself but always keep a txt file stored with all my key codes. If you want your original key code just go to your Technet account, it's all there.

Yes, I've saved all my key codes also. It's just interesting (and confusing) about all these strange codes showing up via different means.

 

[NiFu]

Belarc shows the same (wrong) key on my Win 8 Pro installation

What key ? Is it BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB ?

Test with "The Ultimate PID Checker" if the key is valid or not.

Now, I do have a TechNet license key; maybe that makes a difference?

What type of key ? MAK or KMS ?
Test it with "The Ultimate PID Checker" (it's a portable program, no installation necessary).

 

[Ex_Brit]

I guess it's a case of some software not being compatible.

 

[rchris]

Belarc shows the same (wrong) key on my Win 8 Pro installation

What key ? Is it BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB ?

Test with "The Ultimate PID Checker" if the key is valid or not.

Now, I do have a TechNet license key; maybe that makes a difference?

What type of key ? MAK or KMS ?
Test it with "The Ultimate PID Checker" (it's a portable program, no installation necessary).

Yes, the format you show is what I'm looking at.
Don't know if it's a MAK or KMS; can't see that designation anywhere on the Win 8 download area or on my subscription keys at TechNet.
I'll have to try the PID checker when I get time. It's not that I doubt that the key shown by Belarc & Speccy is valid; it's just that it is not the key I got from TechNet and entered to activate (nor is it the Media Center free key I used).

 

[Ztruker]

Bingo! The vbs script works perfectly.

 

[trojannemo]

I'm hoping to get some help with this.

the script that NiFU provided works fine on my Windows 7 PC but not on the Windows 8 Pro install. I have tried Belarc, magic beans, key finder, recover keys, nifu's script, and a few other methods and programs. they all return BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB as the serial. Belarc is the only one that showed the correct last 5 digits (first 20 were still BBBBB, etc). I'm assuming the last five shown are correct as those are the ones that show under the windows info screen.

this was installed by a friend on what used to be a windows 7 laptop. friend is out of the state now and I need the key to re-install. so i know it's not in the BIOS as the OEM computers, but nothing i've tried works.

any other ideas?

 

[mbratch]

I'm hoping to get some help with this.

the script that NiFU provided works fine on my Windows 7 PC but not on the Windows 8 Pro install. I have tried Belarc, magic beans, key finder, recover keys, nifu's script, and a few other methods and programs. they all return BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB as the serial. Belarc is the only one that showed the correct last 5 digits (first 20 were still BBBBB, etc). I'm assuming the last five shown are correct as those are the ones that show under the windows info screen.

this was installed by a friend on what used to be a windows 7 laptop. friend is out of the state now and I need the key to re-install. so i know it's not in the BIOS as the OEM computers, but nothing i've tried works.

any other ideas?

How did your friend install it? From a retail CD? If so, then the COA and key should be with the retail package.

 

[theog]

Welcome to EightForums.

You will find the key No: in the order email.

 

[Ex_Brit]

If your friend used a bulk license or one from MSDN/Technet it could either be scrambled purposely or no longer valid if his subscription expired, but that's just theory. Also if it was from MSDN/Technet it was supposed to be for his use only anyway.
Did you try this tool?

SIW | System Information for Windows by Gabriel Topala

 

[trojannemo]

How did your friend install it? From a retail CD? If so, then the COA and key should be with the retail package.

Welcome to EightForums.

You will find the key No: in the order email.

thank you for welcoming me to your forums, but do either one of you realize what you're telling me? to look at the sticker with the number or look at the number in my e-mail...don't you think if I had the key with me I wouldn't need to ask you for help on a thread about recovering the key from the registry?

my friend took the laptop to his home and I wasn't there when he installed the software. he is an IT director for a small company so it most likely was some sort of volume/enterprise license key. the installation itself seems to be a retail installation of Windows 8 Pro, version 6.2.9200.

the reason I ask is because I've done a lot of searching, and I see all kinds of software saying they will recover the key, and they all fail. I've seen threads like this one that promise a result, and even the OP seems to have had success...yet I haven't. I've spend several hours looking into this with no results.

so even if I can't get the key now and I have to wait for him to come back to the state to fix my pc, i'm still curious as to why it works for others and it repeatedly fails for me.

 

[Ex_Brit]

Volume/enterprise license keys are scrambled usually for security purposes in the enterprise environment so you'd have to contact the person if at all possible. If he simply gve you the key by phone you could reinstall using an ISO perhaps? We haven't tried all the software available yet I don't think... howabout ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS-Office/SQL Server

 

[NiFu]

the script that NiFU provided works fine on my Windows 7 PC but not on the Windows 8 Pro install.
they all return BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB

Have a closer look at this script.

Product key is stored in registry key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
In value "DigitalProductId" and starts at position 52 (Offset = 52)

Do a comparison of this registry key between your Windows 7 and Windows 8. You will find the key in Windows 7 at this position (Offset = 52) in an encrypted version (the script decrypt it). In your Windows 8 this part is empty ("00 00 ..."). And empty leads to the product key BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB.

MAK keys are never stored in registry - only retail keys and KMS keys.

Retail keys and KMS keys can be deleted manually with this command:
slmgr -cpky (means: clear product key from registry)

Everybody can test this:

• Read product key (e.g. with the script) - shows your retail or KMS key
• Make backup / export registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId
• Run this command: slmgr -cpky
• Read product key again (e.g. with the script) - shows BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB
• Check registry (Offset = 52) - shows "00 00 ..."
• Import saved registry key
• Read product key again (e.g. with the script) - shows previous key

 

[Kenrob1977]

tried all above options except 1 and 2, as my system was pre installed. none work for me. belarc and other key finding programs report product same key that is invalid for installation.

 

[David Bailey]

This script may or may not show you the key you need.
Check it out---

View attachment ShowKeyPlus.zip

Example---

 

[zejewelz]

This script may or may not show you the key you need.
Check it out---

View attachment 61168

Example---

View attachment 61169

Thanks very much for sharing! You're a life-saver.