Can’t find product key for windows.Its not on computer

[Sspino]

I need the product code so I can reinstall windows. All instructions says product code should have been originally shipped with PC. This PC is exactly one yr old and purchased from HP directly. There is no label anywhere with the code on it. Where can I get my code. The PC is locked up, you can not access anything though it.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The product key is in the BIOS.

If your notebook came with W10 from HP...

You can clean install W10 for free at any time by using the media creation tool at the link below.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

The tool will give you the option of making a bootable W10 USB installation flash drive, or save an ISO file which you can burn to a DVD using your DVD burning program's burn ISO image option.

The software will work with the W10 product key in your notebook's BIOS, and W10 will install and automatically activate once you are connected to the internet.

Then you can install the drivers and available software from your PC's support page...

[Sspino]

It won’t get pass trying to boot up. There’s no way I can download anything or access BIOS.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You will have to make the installation media from another Windows PC.

[TBrowning]

This answer does not work for everyone.  My system will not boot up.  Everytime I try to reset it gives me an error.  When I try to recovery from the recovery drive HP sent me it will not boot to the drive.  I created my one boot drive and it started installing but now it is asking for windows key which I have no way to find.  They need to go back to the way they used to do things.  Send the computers with the key and everything needed.  These recovery drives are worthless.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

@TBrowning 

What operating system are you referring to?

If you are trying to install W10 and it is asking for a key, then that means you upgraded to W10 from another operating system and if W10 asks for a key, you select the 'I don't have a product key' option, and W10 will then install and activate once you are reconnected to the internet.

If you are trying to install W8 or 8.1, then there is a slightly different approach you have to use.

Microsoft intitiated the change. 

They required all PC manufacturers to put the product key in the BIOS on ALL PC's that came with W8 and newer.

If you want help with installing W8 or W8.1, I can help.

[TBrowning]

I upgraded from Windows 8.1 to windows 10 a long time ago.  It will not take the product ID I received when I purchased the upgrade.  My computer would not go past the HP screen.  It would try to repair but nothing would never happen.  It was just stuck.  My recovery disk would not work either so I booted directly to the USB I used when I installed windows 10 the first time but for some reason it is not finding the key or taking the key I received when I originally purchases Windows 10.  I have to boot to legacy mode for work with a workstation USB.  Sometimes when I shut it down and pull out the legacy drive it will no longer boot to windows.  I have been trying to figure out why for the longest time.  This has happened multiple times.  The computer never removes my old version of windows either.  Each time I reinstall it will go to a screen that ask me which version of windows I want to boot up to.  I have never had an issue like this before.  It is just crazy.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Use the utility I zipped up and attached below, to see if there is a Windows8.1 product key in the BIOS.

There should be.

If there is, try using that key to activate Windows 10.

You can make that change in the PC Settings menu or in the Windows control panel>system & security>system>under the windows activation section, click on the change product key link.