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‎05-20-2025 09:38 AM

HP Recommended
Product: HP ENVY 17.3 inch Laptop PC 17-ch0000 IDS Base Model
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11

Windows crashed and can't be recovered. F11 does NOT work, never get the recovery option menu. So if I do a new Windows 11 install, how do I get the license key to activate it?

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‎05-21-2025 01:36 PM

HP Recommended

try to deactivate and then see if windows is installed if it installs then you must activate it again.

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16 REPLIES 16

‎05-20-2025 10:26 AM

HP Recommended

Hi @Brian-A 

 

If the pc had windows 11 installed, the license is stored in the BIOS and when you reinstall windows you take the license from the BIOS.

 

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‎05-20-2025 10:31 AM

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Windows came preinstalled. But I checked in the BIOS and don't see anything labed OS or OEM key. What is it called in the BIOS?

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‎05-20-2025 10:38 AM - edited ‎05-20-2025 10:40 AM

HP Recommended

You can't see that, it is stored in the BIOS, only if you can enter windows you can type in CMD command and write:

 

wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

 

As I told you when installing windows, it takes the license from BIOS without typing.

 

That is why each windows license is unique and works only on the computer that had windows 11 preinstalled, otherwise the license is purchased separately.

 

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‎05-20-2025 10:45 AM

HP Recommended

Ok, what about drivers. Will Windows install all the required drivers or is that something I'll need to do after the install?

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‎05-20-2025 10:47 AM

HP Recommended

it does, but it's a good idea to install HP Support assistant and see which drivers you need to update.

 

HP Support Assistant | HP® Support

 

 

 

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‎05-20-2025 01:00 PM

HP Recommended

Windows USB boots up and then prompts to "install driver to show hardware". Seems it can't see the hard drive.
Downloaded the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver to the usb but highlighting it and clicking Install, nothing happens?

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‎05-20-2025 01:22 PM

HP Recommended

 

Download this driver, then use Win-Zip or 7-zip with that program open the executable file, you will see several folders unzip the folders on the USB installation, and when prompted for the driver from the path of the folder F6 then select the driver and then shows you the disk

 

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp138501-139000/sp138539.exe

 

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‎05-20-2025 01:38 PM

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Yea, those are the same drivers I tried but when I highlight and click Install for either of those, nothing happens.

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‎05-20-2025 02:32 PM

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Did you select the .inf file from the unzipped folder with 7 -zip? what generation of processor do you have?

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