installing windows 8 without product key

bigjonnyauk · 3 Aug 2015 at 00:55

hi guys a friends laptop has stopped working saying he is missing system files and it wont boot into windows

we have tried the various steps of pressing esc and f8 but it gives a prob unable to reset your pc. A required drive partition is missing

so then tried to use the hp recovery system option and after clicking troubleshoot it just comes up blank and nothing .

so i think the only option is to reinstall windows. i have used the media creation tool from here http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media to create a windows 8.1 install on a usb stick i hope lol .

my only problem is he does not have the sticker anywhere on his laptop with the product key its a generic laptop and never had any parts removed or replaced so how would i go about solving this ?

maybe installing then activating through ms would that work

cheers guys

sven256 · 3 Aug 2015 at 01:03

It will be in his bios and should automatically activate when installed.

bigjonnyauk · 3 Aug 2015 at 01:07

ah great ill try that tomorrow thanks sven

bigjonnyauk · 3 Aug 2015 at 01:13

right the creation tool has just finished making the image to the usb drive and it says finished but it also says make sure you have the product key .

Emlyn_Dewar · 3 Aug 2015 at 02:17

It'll read it from the BIOS, you'll be good.
I've never had to enter a Windows 8/8.1 key on a laptop that came with that OS.

Orcvader · 3 Aug 2015 at 08:52

If the laptop originally came with 8 and you're installing 8.1 then you will need a placeholder key first during installation.

Home:

334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

Pro:

XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB

And then after the install, go to system properties and activate the laptop there.

You can retrieve the 8 key from the BIOS using this: http://rweverything.com/

It will appear under the ACPI section, in the MSDM tab in the "Data" field.

If however the laptop came with 8.1, then everything will be done automatically and you will not need to do anything

.

CyberCrow · 3 Aug 2015 at 09:34

Have ms stopped putting the key on the back with the little Windows sticker.

Sorry under side.

Whoop · 3 Aug 2015 at 10:27

CyberCrow said:
Have ms stopped putting the key on the back with the little Windows sticker.

Sorry under side.

It depends on the manufacturer, sometimes it is still there but they hide it under the battery (take it out and check).

If you have only just created the 8.1 installer it should activate fine without a key as people have said, it would also accept the 8.0 key though as MS added that feature back in for re-install media.

eldergeek · 3 Aug 2015 at 16:48

Does it do this with all Windows installs? Just wondering because of the amount of times I've reinstalled 8.1 on my desktop and had to try and remember the key.

bigjonnyauk · 3 Aug 2015 at 19:14

well im not even that far lol

tried to use the install first to repair and it said it could not so opted for a clean install its taking for ever lol . it seems to be hanging on installing updates .

if i cant get this going is there anything to stop me just whacking on windows 10 or will it mess up due to the product key.

im not able to boot into the laptop due to some system driver missing and also when you try to repair a partition error comes up grrrrrrrrrrrrr

Orcvader · 3 Aug 2015 at 21:54

Could it be a faulty drive perhaps?