This computer doesn't have a CoA attached, Does it require a product-key on a clean install?

[Raaf]

Hello Technicians, 

I'm helping a friend of mine recover a PC after a recent malware attack. The solution we found most ideal is to do a clean install of the OS it came with. Since the data on the harddrive is not easily accesible and do not prefer to run grayware programs to recover a product key, I'm asking what other solutions there are to retrieve the product key other than listed on this page and if a product key is needed at all.

All responses are welcome

-Raaf

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@Raaf

Hello;

Allow me to welcome you to the HP forums!

The PC that you're working on came with an HP OEM version of Windows preinstalled.  Since Win8 came out, stickers are no longer attached to PCs containing product key information but instead, the product key is embedded into the UEFI firmware of the motherboard of the PC.

You can retrieve the product key using this utility:  https://github.com/Superfly-Inc/ShowKeyPlus/releases/download/ShowKeyPlus6125/ShowKeyPlus.zip

But ... that product key will ONLY work with the same HP OEM version of Windows as came preinstalled, and while you can certainly FORCE the installation of any other version of Windows, it will not activate unless the Original version is reinstalled.

[Raaf]

Thank you very much!