Lost my windows 7 Key, help :(

SB420 · 1 Mar 2012 at 23:55

Came home today to find my PC going round in circles with a BSOD. My SSD had somehow corrupted. Anyway, 7hrs later Ive got most things back on the PC (Though also lost a ton of stuff like you would not believe) though the worst... Is that I have lost my windows 7 key as I changed cases a year ago.. so dont have the sticker anymore

Is there anything I can do? I feel cheated having to pay twice. I have the box.. But no code

d_brennen · 1 Mar 2012 at 23:57

If you can get the system booted in any shape you can use the magical jelly bean keyfinder to extract your product code

SB420 · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:03

I tried for about 3hrs, but the C300 drive was just going in an endless BSOD. Im good with computers.. It was not recoverable sadly. Not even as a secondary drive

I did have very old firmware on it though.

So now Im back in Windows (fresh install) though have no key... :/

Craig321 · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:06

Are you able to access the files on the drive at all?

If you are, then ProduKey should do the trick - http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html. It'll let you choose which drive/folder it should look for a key in.

Pho · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:10

Plug the drive in as a secondary drive then use the 'Tools > Load Hive' feature of Magical Jelly Bean to read the key from the other drive's Windows folder.

edit: beat. Use Nirsoft's tool as it's better than magical jelly bean I've found (forgot about it).

SB420 · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:13

I cant use any tool now as I had to do a reformat of the drive. I didnt realise I had lost the key until this point

PhillyDee · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:28

Screwed then I am afraid!
I write down all my install codes in a book. Means if the case is lost or binned I have the key still!

SB420 · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:48

So I have to buy another one?

d_brennen · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:50

Yes, or use Linux

SB420 · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:56

This sucks big time

d_brennen · 2 Mar 2012 at 00:59

Linux doesn't suck

SB420 · 2 Mar 2012 at 01:09

Haha. This does though.. I've lost enough work stuff as it is. I def wont have the sticker anymore as I changed cases a year ago.. When you buy new is the key on anything else? Ive seen its not in the manual or box.. Which would have been helpful! Cheers Microsoft.

d_brennen · 2 Mar 2012 at 01:14

The product key is on the COA only afaik, though it isn't Microsoft's fault, they didn't lose your key. There are other means to obtain a working install of 7 for free of course, whatever your moral compass deems right in this situation :cool:

SB420 · 2 Mar 2012 at 01:22

So just that little sticker then?

And it is their fault... Why cant they stick it in the box? Other means = non working PC. Though I still think its unfair I have to buy it... again!

d_brennen · 2 Mar 2012 at 01:25

If you lose a 20 quid note it's not the Bank of Englands fault. That serial on the note and the paper it's printed on is the only proof you have of your £20... Just find a copy *somewhere*

m4cc45 · 2 Mar 2012 at 08:17

SB420 said:
So just that little sticker then?

And it is their fault... Why cant they stick it in the box? Other means = non working PC. Though I still think its unfair I have to buy it... again!

Microsoft didn't stick it on the box - the PC manufacturer did that. I'd guess it was probably an OEM anyway and unless you kept all the components when you changed box you're not licenced legally.

When you buy a retail version (or retail OEM) then the licence is inside the box.

You're unlucky but it wuold have happened sooner or later when you came to reinstall.

M.

vanandjuanunited · 2 Mar 2012 at 08:24

The reason its not on the box is to stop people noting nos down in shops etc

edscdk · 2 Mar 2012 at 08:36

d_brennen said:
If you can get the system booted in any shape you can use the magical jelly bean keyfinder to extract your product code

I thought it lets you extract the key from the reguistry files as well?

edscdk · 2 Mar 2012 at 08:40

d_brennen said:
If you lose a 20 quid note it's not the Bank of Englands fault. That serial on the note and the paper it's printed on is the only proof you have of your £20... Just find a copy *somewhere*

its worse than that he THREW the serial number away.... he does not even have the excuse that he lost it...

Pho · 2 Mar 2012 at 11:02

SB420, send me an email (see my sig).

also in future don't reinstall anything onto a disk that's crashed, chances are you could have recovered most things.