Dont have Product Key anywhere. Can I do a system recovery to Win 8?

[lts5548]

I have not been able to do system updates since I downloaded and installed Win 8.1 from HP.   I downloaded it when it first became available.   I have been doing regular backups.  However, my system boots and runs very slowly.  I am concerned that a major crash is on the horizon.

Will I need the Product Key to do a recovery to factory specs?  How do I obtain it?  None of the paperwork that I have nor emails provide me with a Product Key.

[old_geekster]

@lts5548, welcome to the forum.

When requesting help you should always include the make/model (i.e. p6-xxxx) of the computer and/or monitor. This information is necessary for us to review the specifications of them.

[lts5548]

My is ENVY Phoenix 800-060

[old_geekster]

Thank you for the additional information, @lts5548.

The Product Key for Win 8 is embedded in the BIOS.  Therefore, if you use the HP Recovery Media you won't need a Product Key.

Please click the Thumbs up + button if I have helped you and click Accept as Solution if your problem is solved.

[mdklassen]

>  my system boots and runs very slowly.  I am concerned that a major crash is on the horizon.

Windows has built-in "performance-monitoring" tools.

Use CTRL-ALT-DELETE to start the Windows "Task Manager".

Click to the "Performance" tab.

Does the CPU graph show that the CPU is very busy?

Does the MEMORY graph show that all (or nearly all) of the RAM is being used?

Click to the "Processes" tab.

Click on the column-heading to show which process is using the largest percentage of the CPU.

Click back to the "Performance" tab.

At the bottom, click "Resource Monitor".

This tool gives much detail on which processes are using the network, or using your disk-drive.

All the above can pin-point the source of the "slowness".

Or ....

If you have a "spare" disk-drive as least as large as your current disk-drive, consider running a "disk-cloning" software package, to make an identical copy of your disk-drive.  Or, purchase a brand-new disk-drive.

Now, disconnect your computer from the network -- disconnect the Ethernet cable.

Then, disconnect your current disk-drive, and boot from the "copy".

Immediately as your computer boots, select "System Recovery".

This will read from the (usually-hidden) "System Recovery" partition on the disk-drive, and will re-install the original Windows 8.

Then, "test-drive" your computer, to see if changing the disk-drive has improved the speed.

Reconnect the network cable, and run Windows Update, to update to Windows 8.1.

Again, "test-drive" your computer.

Having a "new" disk-drive is good -- compare to buying new tires for a 3 to 6 year-old automobile.

Reconnect your current disk-drive as a "slave" disk-drive, and copy all your personal files from "old" to "new".

Reinstall the programs (Adobe Reader? Anti-virus? Microsoft Office?) that you need.

Hopefully, after all the above work, you'll have a faster computer, working off a new (more reliable??) disk-drive.

[lts5548]

Thank you for your response. I will try a recovery today after work.