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My friend's laptop motherboard died and he needs his Windows 7 product key from the hard drive (which is still working).
I connected the old drive as a secondary drive to my own computer and tried using a key finder utility, but it just keeps showing my own product key and not his.
Is there a way to retrieve the product key from the old drive using my computer?
Dat Question
Posted 2013-08-25T22:28:00.523
Reputation: 271
42
It’s possible, but a little tricky. You need to extract the product key from the Windows registry hive files from the target drive.
There’s different ways to do it, but probably the quickest and easiest way is with Nirsoft’s ProduKey:
SOFTWARE registry hive. For example, if you have the drive from the other system mounted as drive Z:, then you would probably select Z:\Windows\System32\Config\SOFTWARE[OK]It should read the hive file from the other copy of Windows and display the appropriate product key.
In this screenshot, I ran ProduKey in Windows XP (installed in C:) and then extracted the key from Windows 7 (mounted as T:). Note how it still says C:\Windows since Windows 7 was indeed installed in C:, even though it’s files are currently accessible from T:.
Synetech
Posted 2013-08-25T22:28:00.523
Reputation: 63 242
3It's shameful how few computer technicians even know this is possible. For me, it has worked every time, even on non-booting computers (assuming the drive is readable). This is a very nicely laid out answer. – Jason – 2014-08-20T18:30:33.400
beware of anti-Malwares – Jeffrey Nicholson Carré – 2015-10-07T18:00:04.650
Can someone provide the correct path for recovering an XP product key? Better yet, list the paths for all of the common Windows OS. Awesome answer, +1 :D – www139 – 2016-07-01T19:44:39.660
I had to download from elsewhere to avoid the adware. I also had to run the program as admin before it would read the file. But otherwise worked fine! – JumpingJezza – 2019-03-27T01:13:12.237
when i try to to find window\config it isnt there in the os J:... could it be located in a different file? also his product key on the sticker has faded of course. – Dat Question – 2013-08-26T06:04:14.953
@DatQuestion, oops, it’s not Windows\Config, it’s Windows\System32\Config. Fixed; thanks. – Synetech – 2013-08-26T15:47:50.300
ok thank you soo much i found the file once again thank you soo much kind sir/ma'am – Dat Question – 2013-08-29T23:17:05.783
No problem. So you got the key? – Synetech – 2013-08-30T00:13:02.640
works automatically takes a bit longer worked on hdd with corrupt software file must look at hidden backups @anonymous; using the option Load the product keys of external windows installations from all disks currently plugged into your computer is not recommended for the reason I explained before the screenshot: as of Windows Vista, drive letters are not static and always say C:\ which can make it confusing which installation is which, particularly when you have more than one or two. It is better to manually choose the specific installation. (Plus like you said, it takes longer.) – Synetech – 2013-11-16T05:21:11.297
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Just use one of the many tools that can do this. See http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ And FWIW, My friend's laptop's motherboard fried and he needs his Windows 7 product key Most laptops have a COA sticker with the product key on it. See it here (upside down, and an actual product key...)
– ta.speot.is – 2013-08-26T02:02:34.717