Hard drive died- no backup

[feinbergfl]

I have to replace my original hard-drive from 3 years without a backup. Is there information stored in memory elsewhere that will allow me to install Windows 10 and recognize that I am a registered owner so that I don't need to purchase a new copy?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The data on the hard drive is not stored anywhere else.

Your PC's product key is stored in the PC's BIOS.

You won't need it to reinstall W10.

You can reinstall W10 for free by making bootable installation media with the media creation tool from the link below.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Boot from the installation media.  Windows will automatically find the product key and install.

Also, your PC is supported by the HP cloud recovery tool which will allow you to make a bootable USB recovery drive with the HP cloud recovery tool that will reinstall W10, the drivers and the software that originally came with your PC.

You will need a 32 GB USB flash drive to create the recovery media with, and access to another PC running W7 64 bit or newer.

Here is an info link for how to use the utility...

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Customer Support

[Prométhée]

hi

you say you have no backups
so if you want to try to recover data

You can try several things in order to try to recover your data, I give some explanations here, but in French!

que faire en cas d' erreur / échec dst du disque dur - HP Support Community - 7338574

You can try a bootable cd / dvd type live cd (linux)

https://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-retrieve-windows-files-using-a-linux-live-cd/

you can try removing the hard drive, in order to connect it to another computer internally, or with a usb adapter!

https://www.muo.com/tag/connect-get-data-off-hard-drive/
If your disk is not completely out of order, this gives you a small chance

[feinbergfl]

Thank you. Your answer was very helpful and just what I was looking for. Your second email went above and beyond but fortunately, most of the data is stored on a server so the loss of the hard drive is mostly the loss of personal settings and bookmarks in my browser and such that can be re-created over time.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

[Prométhée]

You're welcome @feinbergfl 
Lucky for you..  I understood the opposite :

"from 3 years without a backup.  "
Unfortunately, we don't always think about backing up personal data!
And when users have such problem, they just told to replace System Disk, but not tried to recover data from hard drive...
Even if the chances are sometimes minimal, it's worth trying
@Prométhée  !