Lost my windows key, currently Not WIndows on PC

[fleppmar]

I installed Ubuntu on the HP laptop to play around with it after a got a new PC.

Problem now is, the sticker for they key is gone and there is a kid in the household that wants to use it for some stuff.

Ive spent the entire day trying to fix it in Unbutu, but to no avail..

Is there any way to restore/ find my key?
Does HP have it somewhere?
Microsoft says to contact the producer, and since the warranty is out seems im not allowed to contact them directly?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Your notebook's W10 Home product key is in the BIOS.

You don't need it, or even need to know what the key is to reinstall W10.

You have two options to reinstall W10...

1.  Use the HP cloud recovery tool to create a bootable USB recovery drive that will reinstall W10, the drivers and the software that originally came with your notebook. 

You will need to have access to another PC running Windows 7 64 bit or newer to create the recovery media with and a 32 GB USB flash drive.

Here is an info link for how to use the utility...

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Customer Support

2. Use the media creation tool to create a bootable W10 installation flash drive and clean install W10.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

After W10 has completed installing, you can install the drivers and available software from your notebook's support page.

HP Pavilion 15-aw016no (ENERGY STAR) Hämta programvara och drivrutiner | HP® kundsupport

Shame on Microsoft for not telling you about the Windows product key being in the BIOS.

Microsoft has required that all PC manufacturers put the Windows product keys in the PCs BIOS since Windows 8 came out in 2012.

Product key labels ended with Windows 7.

[fleppmar]

Cool.

Thank you very much 🙂

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.