Find Win 8 product key in HP 2000-2d22DX notebook, original HDD damaged.

[Ashton2_]

I'm trying to recover the Windows 8 product key from my HP 2000-2d22DX notebook PC.

I can't run any Windows app since my original hard drive is damaged.

I've read that the Windows product key is stored in the BIOS or motherboard.

How can I get my Win 8 key off of the mother board or BIOS, so I can reinstall Win 8 on my new hard drive?

[banhien]

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@Ashton2_ wrote:

.... How can I get my Win 8 key off of the mother board or BIOS, so I can reinstall Win 8 on my new hard drive?

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@Ashton2_

Can you access to your normal Windows now ? If not, no worried, you can simply re-install Windows 8/8.1 on your machine but SKIP the step to enter product key, Windows will activate when you come online using the key embedded in BIOS of your machine.

Regards.

[Ashton2_]

Thanks.

"Can you access to your normal Windows now ?"

No, as mentioned my hard drive is damaged and not useable. 

I'm in the process of looking for a source to purchase Win 8 OEM or HP install disks, and found a Win 8-64 reinstall/recovery DVD (led Key) on eBay.

I was Unable to order this from HP,  Sadly.

[banhien]

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@Ashton2_ wrote:

... I'm in the process of looking for a source to purchase Win 8 OEM or HP install disks...

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Hi,

No need to buy, you can use the following source for free.

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows8

Again, during the installation process, it may ask for a key, please skip this.

Regards.

[Ashton2_]

The Microsoft download is for Win 8.1.

Will that install in my HP 2000 that originally had Win 8.0?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi, @Ashton2_

The product key is in the BIOS and it should work with an OEM W8 installation disk.

There are also some tips out there on how to clean install W8.1 using the W8 OEM product key in the BIOS, such as this one.

https://www.howtogeek.com/187525/how-to-perform-a-clean-install-of-windows-8.1-with-a-windows-8-key/

If all else fails, you can still order W8 recovery media for your notebook from HP at the link below...

https://support.hp.com/us-en/mediaorder/HP-2000-2d00-Notebook-PC-series/5375422/model/6617197/softwa...