How can I identify Product Key from inside Windows 10?

[m0rf3us]

How can I indentify Product Key from inside Windows 10

Hi all,

I purchased a Win8.1 Lenovo desktop two years ago and have upgraded to Win10. The capabilities of this PC have mostly been outstripped by my needs so I've decided to build a PC from scratch that is capable of the work I demand. I will be salvaging some bits from the Lenovo, such as HDD and processor, so it will be bricked. I want to pull the Windows license from my Lenovo and install it onto my new, custom PC.

I cannot find the Windows 8.1 product key on the PC itself nor in the box/paperwork. Does anyone know of a way to identify the product inside windows?

Derek

 

[neo158]

Re: How can I indentify Product Key from inside Windows 10

The product key will be embedded into the hardware if it uses UEFI and cannot be transferred to a new PC.

 

[NikiD01]

Re: How can I indentify Product Key from inside Windows 10

Hi m0rf3us,
I can't post links, so search on Internet "nirsoft product key viewer"
I'm not sure if it works, because as neo158 said, the product key is written in to the hardware.
I apologize if I did mistakes, I'm Italian.
NikiD01

Inviato dal mio GT-I9515 utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[jsooney]

Re: How can I indentify Product Key from inside Windows 10

You can try something like Belarc Advisor: Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit, for software, hardware and security configuration information on your computer. Software license management, IT asset management, cyber security audits, and more.

It pulls your product ID from your registry and displays it in the software licenses section. There are many others utilities like it if that one doesn't work for you.

 

[anon(9424572)]

Re: How can I indentify Product Key from inside Windows 10

This is from the reputable Computeractive magazine in the UK.
To find your Windows 10 product key you could go here: Download Easily Retrieve Your Windows Product Key - MajorGeeks and choose Download@majorgeeks link, this should give you a Retrieve Windows Key.zip file which is clean/free of unwanted extras, save the .zip file & either extract the contents or just open the file & click on the key.vbs file & your key will be shown, press Ctrl + C to copy the key to paste it into Notepad or just write it down.
This way does not install any programs on your computer.
However I have heard that this may not work as the key is tied to your account so cannot be used to activate Windows on a new computer or if you change the Motherboard but imo it is worth a try.

 

[agd87]

Hello Doctor9fan. Big Computeractive fan here.

m0rf3us, it's not possible to retrieve the product key using any extraction software (unless you have a purchased version of windows 10 instead of the free upgrade). If you try it will give you a product key but this is a generic one that is on all the free upgraded windows 10 PCS. If you clean install Windows 10 on a PC you previously upgraded it will activate when you log into your Microsoft account only on the PC you upgraded (no product key needed). However. If you clean install windows 10 on another PC and log in with your Microsoft account it will not activate because it knows it's a different PC.

 

[wxrusss8]

When you get your new PC built, call MS support. They'll walk you through the process of transferring your Win10 OS from the old PC to your new one. It can be done. I've done it.