need product key for preinstalled windows to recover from accidently uninstalling windows

[Meerykat]

I foolishly installed Linux on my notebook and have accidently uninstalled my windows 8.1.  I would like to return to windows  but it had been preinstalled when I purchased my laptop.  There is no product key on the base of the laptop to enable me to recover it.  I believe the bios will have been wiped too so I'm stuck.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

Installing Linux is never foolish.

So...

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8iso

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

There are keys available to allow install, cannot post one as it gets deleted by the Mods.

When you install W8 it should then automagically re-validate itself.

ShowKeyPlus from the Microsoft Store (probably the best choice).
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/showkeyplus/9pkvzcprx9nv?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

The output is like this....
ShowKeyPlus - Windows Product Key Information

Product Name: Windows 10 Home
Version: 12345.678 (64-bit OS)
Product ID: 00000-00000-00000-AAOEM
Installed Key: 12345-67890-09876-54321
OEM Key: MICRO-SOFTY-WINDO-WSTEN-64BIT
OEM Edition: Win 10 RTM Core OEM:DM


ALSO
KeyFinderInstaller may help.…
It gives this…. – CD Key: 12345-67890-09876-54321

ELSE
There is a possibility of finding the same value in the Registry....
USING RegEdit the key is listed below and it’s content also shown.
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform

BackupProductKeyDefault 12345-67890-09876-54321

Three different names for the same value in 3 different software methods.

Try...........

https://askubuntu.com/questions/953126/can-i-recover-my-windows-product-key-from-ubuntu

[Meerykat]

hi lil boy blue,

Thank so much for taking the time to help me.

I managed, using your advice, to get my product key number to show up on the Linux command box.  I am however stuck with reinstalling windows via Linux as it’s a completely new system to me and there’s not a lot of info on line about it.

Perhaps I should tell you the main reason I want to reinstall Windows is because I can’t install my Sky Go on Linux and am now left without being able to watch Sky on my tv via hdmi from my laptop.

I’m not computer literate I’m afraid and have got into a fankle over the past week trying to reinstall Windows.  Could you give me the idiots guide to reinstalling please? 😳

After installing Xfburn on Linux, I put a blank cd rw disc in my laptop and tried to burn Windows 8.1 as per your link.  However, I seem to need another disc as an installation tool?  What is this disc?

If I manage to burn the discs required, what do I do then?  What do I press on Linux to get the cds to transfer onto the laptop system and initiate windows?  Do I need to put an installation tool disc on first then the Windows disc?  If so what keys/software icon do I open on Linux to make this happen and where on Linux do I store the discs info?

Sorry to come across as an idiot in pc matters - I’m better at my nursing job!

Anyway, thanks for all your help meantime.

Susan

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

https://silicondales.com/tutorials/use-sky-go-silverlight-5-video-ubuntu-linux/

You can dual boot install Windows first and then Linux afterwards, and choose as you please.

99.9% of the time it is using Windows to burn to linux so the instructions are biased that way, just jargon.

Windows is available from here....

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10iso

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8iso

What downloads is a .iso file about 4.2 Gb for W8.x and 5.2 Gb for W10.

An iso file is a bunch of files collected together and compressed and made into the iso file.

So it needs decompressing and writing to a DVD/USB.  That much you already know.

https://www.howtogeek.com/414574/how-to-burn-an-iso-file-to-a-usb-drive-in-linux/

If you could name your Linux type. like Ubuntu or redHat or Suse or .... it might help me help you.

For a DVD consider...

Brasero
Brasero is a burning software designed by The Gnome Project. It offers the ability to transfer data easily from the computer's hard disk to Cd or DVD. Key Features Burning: Brasero's main function is to burn data to CD or DVD. This...

License: Free OS: Unix Linux Language: EN Version: 3.12.0
Download -- https://ccm.net/download/download-9227-brasero
K3b
K3b is a software designed to burn CD or DVD on Linux. It is especially optimized for KDE environment. In addition, it includes a feature allowing the user to increase the performance of some disks. Key features Conversion: this...

License: Free OS: Linux Language: EN Version: 2.0.3
Download --  https://ccm.net/download/download-22302-k3b

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a lot like a doctors handwriting, illegible but ultimately beneficial.

dd  is a command that takes an input file  if=   and writes it as an output file  of=

and that is it.  Works in linux, apple, raspberry Pi and of course unix.

BUT you do need to know where the iso is and where the USB is.

So try one of the burners first....

If in doubt please ask.

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

I have downloaded w8 iso.

On my system it is at...

lbb@lbb-laptop:/media/lbb/DataArea/Downloads/Win8.1_English_x64.iso

I have a USB as  /dev/sdb   -- 8Gb usb stick. (Re-usable and doesn't waste DVD's)

I use a command line and the copy and paste function does work, helpfully...

Ctrl + C              Ctrl + Shift +C   and   Ctrl + V     Ctrl + Shift + V

,

So a doctors note might be....

sudo dd if=/media/lbb/DataArea/Downloads/Win8.1_English_x64.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=2048 conv=noerror,sync

sudo    work as a super user

dd         copies a file, converting the format of the data in the process

if=        the source  INPUT file

of=      DESTINATION output file

bs=      Block Size like a bar of chocolate the size of the chunks of data.

conv    are the parameters to apply, wot I don't understand.

After nothing seeming to happen for many many MANY minutes (20 minutes) ....

lbb@lbb-laptop:/media/lbb/DataArea/Downloads$ sudo dd if=/media/lbb/DataArea/Downloads/Win8.1_English_x64.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=2048 conv=noerror,sync

[sudo] password for lbb:

2109632+0 records in
2109632+0 records out
4320526336 bytes (4.3 GB, 4.0 GiB) copied, 1184.85 s, 3.6 MB/s

lbb@lbb-laptop:/media/lbb/IR5_CCSA_X64FRE_EN-US_DV9$ ls -a
. .. autorun.inf boot bootmgr bootmgr.efi efi setup.exe sources support

That is 8 items, 4 folders and 4 files.

Hopefully a working USB from a single well known phrase or saying.

sudo dd if=/media/lbb/DataArea/Downloads/Win8.1_English_x64.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=2048 conv=noerror,sync

If in doubt please ask.