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Win 8 to Win 7 lost key
- Thread starter Spliffcat
- Start date
If you have deleted the partition you cannot recover your key any longer.
If your laptop came pre-installed with Windows 8 you can contact the manufacturer and make up a story about your HDD that crashed and you installing a new one. They will be able to assist.
If you bought Windows 8 online, you need to contact MS. They will need some of the information you used when purchasing the OS, then they can assist you as well.
If you did not delete the partition, you can try Belarc, which will scan your PC for all MS licenses and display it to you.
ODTech
Senior Member
Modern Windows 8 laptops store the key in the bios. You have to install Windows 8 with a generic Windows 8/8.1 key which is supplied by microsoft and available by simply googling it.
Once you have Windows 8 installed you can use a tool to reveal your key, after entering it you can activate windows.
Keys
Walkthrough is in one of the replies.
Eskomisaloser
Expert Member
Remove the battery and check where the battery used to be. Some manufacturers hide the keys details there.
CataclysmZA
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When using a OEM disc to re-install the software, it'll just read the key embedded into the UEFI BIOS.
I'd just leave the recovery partition in place anyway, it's not like it takes up too much space.
If you've bought a laptop with Windows 8/8.1 pre-installed, there are no longer COA's with software keys attached. This is to fool people into thinking that they need to re-buy Windows if they screw up their original installation as they never made DVD recovery discs on the day they got the machine.
Why on earth did you do that? Installing Start8 on Windows 8 makes it run identically to Windows 7.
I've had Windows 8 since the day after it released, and it's functioned like Windows 7 the entire time. I haven't laid eyes on the Modern UI in months, and that was an accident anyway.
killerbyte
Expert Member
Had to do this to a client's laptop. Installed Window 8 Pro on a fresh drive (WD Black 2) then just restarted the laptop and Windows grabbed the key from UEFI BIOS.
However there is a tool that can dig the key out the BIOS once you've installed the OS. Try install Windows first and if you need the tool I can dropbox it to you so you know its from a reliable source. I can also send you a link to a video that shows you how to use it.
And to contradict Wesley, you don't need an OEM version of Windows 8, I used the ISO I got from MS when I took up the R135 launch special.
However there is a tool that can dig the key out the BIOS once you've installed the OS. Try install Windows first and if you need the tool I can dropbox it to you so you know its from a reliable source. I can also send you a link to a video that shows you how to use it.
And to contradict Wesley, you don't need an OEM version of Windows 8, I used the ISO I got from MS when I took up the R135 launch special.
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CataclysmZA
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This isn't entirely correct either. Windows 8/8.1 OEM installs on a laptop will only reactivate and install without needing a license key on, A) a retail Windows 8/8.1 ISO or, B) a customised install disc or, C) an OEM-created disc shipped to you or with the device; because it reads the SLP key embedded in the UEFI BIOS and goes through without issue.
However, using the ISO you receive direct from Microsoft now will need fiddling with install files for it to forget to ask for a license key because it'll only accept install keys from the retail pool (and you can't download it from MS directly without a retail key anyway). The same applies to Technet, MS Partner and MSDN editions of Windows, because those have install files customised to reject license keys from OEM and retail pools. For these editions of Windows 8/8.1 you have to run the installation, use one of the generic KMS install keys to bypass the license screen and then use an app to lift the old key from the BIOS and put that into the Windows activator, which will then authenticate the license properly.
Back when I was working in retail, I hoarded four HP OEM Windows 7 install discs because they were for 32/64-bit Home Premium and Professional. They would work on any machine, did not ask me for the keys, had a lot of default drivers for newer hardware built in and would activate using any key I tried, be it OEM, retail or Technet.
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NeoNarchy
Senior Member
Windows should install & retrieve the key from the bios automatically. The key is fetched via install from dvd. once windows is installed you can use: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html to view the key.
Where are you located?