How to get Activation Key for Desktop for Windows 7

[gmc-47]

Our HP desktop All-in-One hard drive had to be replaced.  Done by Best Buy but after 1 month, I was notified on my screen that Windows 7 had expired.  I contacted Geek Squad and they said I need the Activation Key for them to reload it because it's been 1 month since new hard drive was installed.  They said they will load it but need the Activ. Key.

I called HP and you can't get a real person.  I have my S/N of the computer.  Help!  Any ideas?  Windows # is not on front or side of desktop.  And not on the old hard drive.

Maybe some HP support person will be on this forum and help me!

[JustMeBob]

You can recover your product key by using a utility called "Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder." Search for it on the internet. The free version does everything you need. Just run it after the install.

[mdklassen]

> Our HP desktop All-in-One hard drive had to be replaced. 

Is it totally "dead"?

If it is, then any 'Keyfinder' software cannot access it, to pull the product-key off the disk-drive.

Sigh.

If it is "somewhat-alive", then connect it as a secondary disk-drive to some computer, and direct that 'Keyfinder' software to try pull the product-key off the secondary disk-drive. 

You will have to use "Run As Administrator" to enable the 'Keyfinder' to access all the files on the secondary disk-drive.

Your computer should have the "Microsoft decal", showing the 25-character product-key, somewhere on the case of your computer (side? back? bottom?).

What source did those geeks use to reinstall Windows?

If they used a disk containing the "official" HP software that was factory-loaded onto your computer, Windows should automatically "activate", given that it is official HP software that is installed on genuine HP hardware.

So, you need to get a copy of that disk, and reinstall Windows.

[gmc-47]

mdklassen - If I still have the old hard drive, can I take it to Best Buy for them to retrieve the Activ. Key from it?  I am not techy at all!! 

And the computer is 4 yrs. old so we don't have the orig. box.

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

>  If I still have the old hard drive, can I take it to Best Buy for them to retrieve the Activ. Key from it? 

If the disk-drive is "totally dead", then nothing can be read from it.

If you replaced it after you first saw the "imminent failure" message, it might be possible to use the 'Keyfinder' software to extract the product-key.

> And the computer is 4 yrs. old so we don't have the orig. box.

Not the original cardboard packaging, but the actual metal case of the computer.

A "desktop" computer case has 6 sides -- check all of them.

Look on the bottom of a "laptop" computer.

Also, for a laptop, remove the battery, and look at the "battery-bay" for a decal that might be hidden by the battery.

I cannot speak to the quality & skills of the employees at your local Best Buy store.

They might know about the 'Keyfinder' software, and how to fully use it. 

Or, they might not.

[JustMeBob]

You don't need the original HDD from your old computer to retrieve the product key. The old HDD is imaged when it's copied to the new one,  so any information that was present on your old disk is also on your new one. As for the packaging, the problem with HP computers is that they're preactivated at the factory, so they don't give you the product key anywhere on the computer case.

[mdklassen]

> You don't need the original HDD from your old computer to retrieve the product key.

The originator of this thread does need the product-key, because Windows is "nagging" him to provide it.

> The old HDD is imaged when it's copied to the new one,  so any information that was present on your old disk is also on your new one.

Had the failing disk-drive been imaged, you would be correct.  But, it seems that the drive has not been imaged.

Somebody (the originator? the Best Buy geek?) apparently installed Windows from some "non-HP" source.

> As for the packaging, the problem with HP computers is that they're preactivated at the factory,

> so they don't give you the product key anywhere on the computer case.

HP did use the Microsoft decal for Windows 7 systems, such as the one the originator is using.

It was Windows 8 that introduced the concept of embedding the product-key into the BIOS.

[TheOldMan]

What @mdklassen is posting is fairly accurate.  I do not see the model number of this PC nor do I see any mention of what the original Windows version might be.  I do see that it is Windows 7 now.   If the model number indicates that the PC came with Windows 7, in other words OEM Windows 7, then Best Buy should know better than to expect a Windows product key be be provided.  I think they are saying that just because that would resolve the Windows licensing issue and not blame them for any infractions. 

If Best Buy has used a HP restore DVD, it would be self activating.  Assuming that is not the deal, then perhaps a HP Recovery Media could be obtained, but that also require a model number for the PC.  If everything is good except for the product nagging about needing to be activated, and M$ says the install is genuine, you have some choices.  The most ideal would not to  reinstall but just get it activated.  Please post a screen shot of the "System" page that shows just what is what.  You can get to that by right clicking on the "Computer" icon and then pick "properties".  If you do not have the "Computer" icon on the desktop, click on the "Start Button" in the lower left corner then right click on the "Computer" in the listing on the right side of the popup.

BTW: if all this is as described, it can be activated either with the Product key from the Mcrosoft sticker, as @mdklassen suggests or by running some additional commands from the command line using the Slmgr

[gmc-47]

Here is what my system shows:

Widows edition:

Windows 7 Home Premium

Copyright @ 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Service Pack 1

Windows Activation

You must activate today.  Activate Windows now

Product ID: -#####'s here - (20 #'s on screen)

Is the Product ID the Activation Key?

Thank  you!

[TheOldMan]

Typically what you see on the screen in question where is says "Product ID" does not give you a real Product key - it will not activate the OS even from an activated system.  That number is not the product key.  For an activated OEM install, it will typically have a number with an "OEM" imbedded mid number.

BTW: is the desktop screen black background?