Good afternoon friends! Recently, I increasingly began to receive messages asking for help to activate the system. It so happened that a lot of users who previously used a licensed seven or eight received an unactivated Windows 10 after the update. And in order to return everything to its place, you just had to find the key indicated on the sticker and re-enter it in the activation window and thus fully legalize their system. But how do you know the key? Windows product?
This is where some users are confused. In general, sticker with the key can be either on a disk or pasted on a laptop. Usually in these places everyone is looking for keys, but those who bought a laptop already with Windows 8 pre-installed, did not receive such a sticker, since desired code was embedded in the BIOS. Thus, after the next one, the computer was automatically activated using the key that was pre-installed in the BIOS.
Basically, Windows installation 10 is a simple update, after which the keys should be saved, but unfortunately, some users are faced with such a situation that after the update process is completed, the system is not automatically activated. This had to be done manually by re-entering your license code, although most owners of laptops with a pre-installed eight did not even know how to find out their Windows product key.
It is precisely because of these troubles, new questions began to appear, such as: how to find out Windows key 8 or how to find out the license OEM product key for Windows 7 and 8.1. You can view your key using third party program Well, that's exactly how I answered my question. But, another question immediately arose, which utility is best suited for this, and in general, how to find out this Windows product license key using the utility.
Therefore, in order not to describe to everyone step by step in the comments how and what to click, I decided to prepare for you, here is such a small, but very useful guide on how to find out the Windows 10, 7 and 8.1 product key.
How to find out the product license key of the installed Windows using the RWEverything utility
So, in order to find out the OEM license key that is embedded in the BIOS, we will have to use one convenient, and most importantly free program, which shows all the hardware information of the computer, and of course, directly, everything about the installed BIOS, in which the desired key is stored.
Thus, you will recognize the Windows 10 OEM product key or any other operating system. Now, copy your license key onto a piece of paper and enter it into the activation form, which will allow you to return your licensed Windows back.
The fastest way to find out the Windows 8 OEM license key
So, it so happened that you have to reinstall windows (hdd, bsod, other problems die ...) and next to the problem there is a desire to transfer an honestly acquired license. But here's the bad luck: the sticker was erased, the record was not preserved, but what did I care? Yet it worked! There is a way out, but with Windows 8 , 8.1 And 10 even easier, there the key is sewn into the bios. Microsoft uses a 25-digit code, which is what we need. I'll tell you about three relatively simple ways find out the product key: software, using a script and wired into the BIOS, let's go:
ProduKey, a time-tested program, shows keys for Windows, MS-Office, SQL Server. Just download and run the .exe file from the archive in a couple of seconds, you're done.
Using this utility, you can not only look at the key on installed system but also for example from an external device ( external drive, usb flash drive) or connect a disk with a second system. It happens that Windows does not start due to disk damage or blue screen this is to blame, but it is necessary to find out the key, then Product KeyFinder perfect solution.
Download, install. Run as administrator.
Click the tab Tools, and then Load Hive…
Choose on external device Windows folder and press Enter. After a few seconds of scanning, we get the system version and the key for installation on new disk clean Windows.
2. With a script
A method for seekers, it is a little more complicated, but more interesting.
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") regKey = "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\" DigitalProductId = WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "DigitalProductId") Win8ProductName = "Windows Product Name: " & WshShell.RegRead (regKey & "ProductName") & vbNewLine Win8ProductID = "Windows Product ID: " & WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "ProductID") & vbNewLine Win8ProductKey = ConvertToKey(DigitalProductId) strProductKey ="Windows 8 Key: " & Win8ProductKey Win8ProductID = Win8ProductName & Win8ProductID & strProductKey MsgBox(Win8ProductKey) MsgBox(Win8ProductID) Function ConvertToKey(regKey) Const KeyOffset = 52 isWin8 = (regKey(66) \ 6) And 1 regKey(66) = (regKey(66) And &HF7) Or ((isWin8 And 2) * 4) j = 24 Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789" Do Cur = 0 y = 14 Do Cur = Cur * 256 Cur = regKey(y + KeyOffset) + Cur regKey(y + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) Cur = Cur Mod 24 y = y -1 Loop While y >= 0 j = j -1 winKeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & winKeyOutput Last = Cur Loop While j >= 0 If (is Win8 = 1) Then keypart1 = Mid(winKeyOutput, 2, Last) insert = "N" winKeyOutput = Replace(winKeyOutput, keypart1, keypart1 & insert, 2, 1, 0) If Last = 0 Then winKeyOutput = insert & winKeyOutput End If a = Mid(winKeyOutput, 1, 5) b = Mid(winKeyOutput, 6, 5) c = Mid(winKeyOutput, 11, 5) d = Mid(winKeyOutput, 16, 5) e = Mid(winKeyOutput, 21, 5) ConvertToKey = a & "-" & b & "-" & c & "-" & d & "-" & e End Function
Create a normal Text Document .txt open it and paste this text there:
Change the file extension from .txt on the .vbs and run the script, after a couple of seconds we see the key. Who is too lazy to do manipulations, download the finished script.
3. Pull the key out of BIOS (bios)
This method is real hardcore, it will help you find out the key of all windows wired into bios. IN latest versions computers with before installed Windows 8, 8.1, 10 there is no sticker with a key, of course it can be recognized by the methods listed above, but what if you put another version or Linux on top, for example? The key is stored in the bios chip, and on the one hand, it's great, you won't lose it, and if you want to know it, use RWeverything. Download the utility according to the version of your system, version 32 bit or 64 bit. It needs to be downloaded, unpacked (winrar, winzip), installed and run. Then:
- Click on the ACPI button.
- Select the MSDM tab.
- In the bottom line Data will be the Windows key hardwired into your BIOS? copy it and use it as intended
Conclusion: if you had to find and restore the key, be sure to write it down in a safe place. The license is important, you paid for it.
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A new working way to extract the key, including if the system does not start.
I found this method on the Internet and checked that it works even in the latest build Windows 10.0.14393 it's a bit difficult for sure ordinary user, but sometimes the cost of a lost license makes us purposeful, especially since the instructions themselves are detailed and understandable. Yes, it is in English, but which of us does not use a translator in chrome? So, be careful and follow the instructions, if you do everything correctly, then at the end you will decrypt the binary code and get the product key, this field looks like this:
It would seem that it could be easier than to carry out such an action as finding out the Windows 8 key. But in fact, this is not quite an easy task, since only the product code is displayed in the system properties, and not the key itself.
Why it might be needed
Until a few years ago, it was common practice to place a sticker on the back of a laptop or inside system block: here you could easily see the Windows 8 license key on it. But since the value of the laptop form factor is in its mobility, the stickers quickly deteriorated due to frequent friction with various surfaces, and the information on them became unreadable. And this could be critical if the key was not prudently rewritten somewhere in a safe place.
After a little thought, the manufacturers found a fairly simple and at the same time relatively reliable tool for saving licensed data. It was decided to sew activation information into the BIOS - the primary subroutine responsible for launching and debugging the operation of all constituent parts and PC modules. But if something happens to hard drive And motherboard, then even after replacing them, the license will be lost.
Fortunately, the user has at his disposal tools for implementing such a task as finding out the Windows 8 product key. And this can be done in several ways. In general, this is an optional operation, but its usefulness can be greatly underestimated. So let's take a closer look at the options available.
Methods
Discover serial number Windows 8 is possible both through the tools embedded in the operating system itself, and with the help of utilities from third party developers. And it is worth noting that in the G8 itself there are several ways to do this, but some of them are extremely impractical, while the latter only partially cope with the task. We simply will not consider such untenable options.
So, let's start with the basic tool, and then we'll look at several third-party ones.
File creation
The reader will have to create a small file that, when opened, will display the information of interest.
To do this, you need to create a text document in any place convenient for the user.
Then open it up and either enter it manually or copy and paste the following:
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
regKey="HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion"
DigitalProductId = WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "DigitalProductId")
Win8ProductName = "Windows Product Name: " & WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "ProductName") & vbNewLine
Win8ProductID = "Windows Product ID: " & WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "ProductID") & vbNewLine
Win8ProductKey = ConvertToKey(DigitalProductId)
strProductKey = "Windows 8 Key: " & Win8ProductKey
Win8ProductID = Win8ProductName & Win8ProductID & strProductKey
MsgBox(Win8ProductKey)
MsgBox(Win8ProductID)
Function ConvertToKey(regKey)
Const KeyOffset = 52
isWin8 = (regKey(66) 6) And 1
regKey(66) = (regKey(66) And &HF7) Or ((isWin8 And 2) * 4)
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Cur = regKey(y + KeyOffset) + Cur
regKey(y + KeyOffset) = (Cur 24)
Cur = Cur Mod 24
Loop While y >= 0
winKeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & winKeyOutput
Loop While j >= 0
If(isWin8=1) Then
keypart1 = Mid(winKeyOutput, 2, Last)
winKeyOutput = Replace(winKeyOutput, keypart1, keypart1 & insert, 2, 1, 0)
If Last = 0 Then winKeyOutput = insert & winKeyOutput
a = Mid(winKeyOutput, 1, 5)
b = Mid(winKeyOutput, 6, 5)
c = Mid(winKeyOutput, 11, 5)
d = Mid(winKeyOutput, 16, 5)
e = Mid(winKeyOutput, 21, 5)
ConvertToKey = a & "-" & b & "-" & c & "-" & d & "-" & e
Then you need to select "File" and find the item "Save as".
First of all, in the window that opens, you will need to select the “All files” position in the “File type” column. Then you will need to fill in the "Name" field. In principle, you can name the file whatever you like, but the main thing is to add the following at the end: .vbs. It is when this extension is specified that everything will work, but if this is not done, then nothing will work.
Once the above is done and the information is saved, the file can be opened. First, a window will appear exclusively with the key, and after clicking "OK", a second window will appear on the screen, where the information will be presented in a more detailed form.
Applications
To find out information about the OS key, there are both specialized utilities and those in which such tools are only included as a small part of the available capabilities.
Of the specialized utilities, we can mention the tiny ProduKey program, the sole purpose of which was to set the value of the activation keys of all possible products from Microsoft. If the reader has Microsoft office, then the program will also display its license key. The application is free, and it can be easily and simply downloaded on the developers' website in the appropriate section or by immediately clicking on the link.
Open the archive, run the utility and look at what is of interest.
Similar license information can also be obtained from applications such as Everest, AIDA64 or Free PC Audit. The first is the predecessor of the second, but they are united by the fact that both of them are paid. The latter is their analogue and has almost the same functions as the first two, but it is distributed free of charge. You can get it on the developers website or by following the link.
After downloading, you just need to open the application and wait until it collects all the necessary information.
After the scan is completed, the license key will be visible immediately - on the first page in the corresponding column.
How to find out the Windows 8 key: Video
When working on a personal computer or laptop, a situation may arise when you need to know the operating system (OS) code. You will also need to activate it. These are simple procedures that are easy to perform.
You may need an operating system activation code
What is a product key and why you need to know it. It consists of 25 numbers and letters of the Latin alphabet and is used to legalize the product. The activated system is valid and is subject to updates from Microsoft. When buying a licensed OS, the character set is on the package. If a device is purchased with a pre-installed OS, then the code is printed on a sticker, which is located on the back of the case for laptops.
Since a licensed OS is not cheap, many users purchase pirated copies on disk or download from the Internet, for which special programs are used to install. In some cases, you will need to find out 7. When using unlicensed copies, the user will experience the following problems:
- Computer slows down
- The background of the screen turns black and warning labels appear on it.
How to find out the Windows key (read below)
Find out the key Windows any version already installed on Personal Computer, can be done in two ways. The first method involves the use of OS tools and requires writing a program. This method is complex, lengthy and suitable for experienced users, so it is more convenient to find out the win 7 key on your computer, ProdyKey. A small program allows you to find out the codes of the following products:
- Windows
- Microsoft office
- Exchange Server
It is very easy to work with this utility. After downloading it from the official site (important) and running it with administrator rights, a window appears with the data of the installed products. They will be required when reinstalling the OS, and the information on the package has been erased or lost.
a window appears with the data of installed productsAfter purchasing the OS and installing it on a personal device, it must be legalized.
The activation code for Windows 7 is on the package with installation disk. It looks like this.
Windows activation codeDuring installation, after creating account user, the screen will prompt you to enter the code indicated on the label. In the line "Product Key" you need to carefully and without errors write this sequence of characters.
Then the OS needs to be activated. To do this, the following steps are performed:
- "Start"
- "Control Panel"
- "System"
A window appears on the screen where there is a line "Change product key" and the existing code is entered into it, after which it is entered into the computer.
A window appears on the screen where there is a line "Change product key"After the process is completed, you can find out if Windows 7 is activated. The message “ Windows Activation completed" and an icon.
Legalization of the operating system Windows 8 and 8.1
You can use the activator for Windows 8. If you have a code, this process is carried out in the same way as when installing version 7, that is, in the "System" window through the control panel. If the OS is illegal, then you need to use special program, which itself will prescribe the key and do the rest. There are a lot of such products and some of them can be noted:
- KMS Auto
- KMS nano25
- KMS activator
The programs do not require any action during installation, but the system will be valid for 180 days, after which the process is repeated. It is possible to find out the Windows 8 key on a laptop using the Key Finder program, which reads data from the BIOS.
WATCH VIDEO
It is especially dangerous to use pirated copies when working with large amounts of information and in financial transactions.
Now you know how to find out the Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 key