Windows 8.1, 8 Product Key

[Joz]

My laptop details are given below:

Product Model:  F2C67PA  

Product Name:  HP ENVY 15-j050tx Notebook PC

Current OS: Windows 8.1 64 bit

Factory installed OS: Windows 8 64 bit

When I bought my HP laptop, Windows 8 64-bit OS was pre-installed. Later I upgraded to Windows 8.1 64-bit.

Now I'm having problems with my computer and would like to make a clean install of Windows 8.1.

How to obtain the Product Key for the current Windows 8.1 64-bit OS and the factory installed Windows 8 64-bit OS without installing any third party software? (I fear information would be leaked and could not trust third party apps)

Thanks.

[erico]

You will need to install Windows 8. Use the USB recovery media that you created with the HP Recovery media creator utility.

The license activation key for the original OS is coded into the BIOS, unless you deleted the Factory keys in the BIOS.

Once you install Windows 8 and go online it should activate on its own.

Upgrading to Windows 8.1  can be done via the Windows store.   See the following Microsoft document.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15288/windows-8-update-to-windows-8-1

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi, @Joz

The product key is in the BIOS.

Here is how you can clean install W8.1 using the W8 product key in your notebook's BIOS.

See if you can install W8.1 using the Microsoft installation media...

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO

If you are asked to enter a product key during the installation process, see if using this generic key works, and then change the key to the one in your notebook's BIOS in the PC settings menu after you install Windows.

This is the generic key for W8.1 'standard.'

 334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

Then manually change the generic product key to the one in your PC's BIOS.

I have zipped up and attached below, the Microsoft tool which hopefully will transfer the ISO file to a DVD or usb flash drive so it is bootable.

I have zipped up and attached a free utility below, that will show you the W8 product key in your notebook's BIOS.

Your concerns regarding using 3rd party software to find the product key in your PC's BIOS are unwarranted.

You could pay for an ad on the side of a bus with your product key in meter high fonts, and no one can ever use it.

The product key is tied and activated to the specific motherboard your PC has.

That is why Microsoft has required PC manufacturers to put the product keys in the BIOS, so they can't be used on other PC's like the ones on the COA stickers used for W7 and older operating systems.