Win10 OEM key extraction. No MSDM tab

2

I just bought a new Dell XPS 13 with win10 pre-installed. I want to completely wipe the drive and install Ubuntu 16.04. But before I do that I would like to extract the oem product key. I've tried using neo-smart tools and rw-everything as well as booting into a linux live cd and extracting it via cat /sys/firmware... but nothing works. I don't have an MSDM tab. How can I get my product key?

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I downloaded and ran showkeyplus and have a field called "installed key". I just want to clarify that if I want to re-install win10, that product key will work.

user3577138

Posted 2016-05-12T19:06:36.107

Reputation: 21

2

Possible duplicate of Uninstall Windows 10, but save licence key

– DavidPostill – 2016-05-12T19:11:52.670

@DavidPostill - Yes...There is. The device came with Windows 10 which means its stored within firmware just like Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 – Ramhound – 2016-05-12T21:16:56.243

ShowKeyPlus will display the key. Of course getting this key is entirely not required in order to install an OEM Windows 10 machine. – Ramhound – 2016-05-12T21:20:40.057

@Ramhhound I had an issue where I installed linux on my older XPS and could no longer install win8.1 or extract the product key. I'm trying to play it safe. – user3577138 – 2016-05-12T21:33:08.147

Answers

2

I would like to extract the OEM product key

I just bought a new Dell XPS 13 with win10 pre-installed.

Check the packaging or look at the the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the PC.

Note:

  • As pointed out by Ramhound in a comment you can (re)install an OEM version of Windows 10 without using the product key.

How to find your Windows 10 product key

A product key is a 25-character code that's used to activate Windows and looks like this:

PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows hasn't been used on more PCs than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow.

How to find your product key depends on how you bought your copy of Windows 10:

  • If you bought Windows 10 from an authorized retailer, the product key will be on a label inside the box it came in.

  • If you bought a digital copy of Windows 10 from a Microsoft website, the product key will be in the confirmation email you received after buying it or will be distributed digitally as an entitlement, in which case you won't receive a product key. For example, if you upgraded to Windows 10 for free, you'll receive an entitlement instead of a product key.

  • If you bought a new PC running Windows 10, the product key will be pre–installed on your PC and your PC will automatically be activated, included with the packaging the PC came in, or included on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the PC.

Source How to find your Windows 10 product key

DavidPostill

Posted 2016-05-12T19:06:36.107

Reputation: 118 938

I had an issue on an older XPS 13 where I couldn't recover or install/activate win8.1. Everyone, including Dell TS said that win8.1 should activate upon installation...which it DID NOT. So I'm just trying to play it safe. – user3577138 – 2016-05-12T21:35:43.600

1

It is a Dell computer. There should be a Windows 10 sticker on the back. The Windows key is embedded in the BIOS. Windows 10 will find it automatically. MS has done this since Windows 8 with very large OEM's like Dell, HP, Fujitsu, etc.

Darren

Posted 2016-05-12T19:06:36.107

Reputation: 11