private laptop came with volume licence

[ambor]

I bought my laptop from a very large/reputable chain store brand new.  After about a year and a half of ownership i started getting messages "your windows will expire soon", I tried a few things, and then it expired.  After several phonecalls to Microsoft it turns out that I have a Volume Licence on my windows (for businesses and bulk fleets).  I have brought this up with the chain store and they have never heard of it, or how to resolve it.  I logged a ticket with H.P. directly and got the automated response on the 1st December 2017.

Microsoft said it is directly a H.P. problem and they just need to give me a new licence number

It has now been a month and a half and no other movement on my ticket, poor response to a very easy fix.  Anyone know how to chase up a logged problem, or how to get a licence number (that I rightfully don't have to pay for) to reactivate windows.

Thanks

[CherylG]

have you tried a utility to retrieve license key from BIOS?

http://neosmart.net/OemKey/

[ambor]

yes, I have my key, but it is to a product that is expired.  I am a private individual, but i have a businesses "volume" licenced product on my computer, which means once expired it needs to be rebought.  HP supplied it to JB hifi knowing it would not go to a business user.

[CherylG · Accepted solution]

HP uses a volume key in the manufacturing process rather than injecting each key on hundreds of machines as Windows is installed. However you should have the official license key embedded in BIOS. Microsoft being a partner of HP should be aware of all of that so can I assume the MS tech helped you retrieve key from BIOS? Or are you using what is displayed on System Properties window?

[CherylG]

I have attached a file for you to download. Please use it to extract license key from BIOS and compare it to what you have now.

[ambor]

Wow, that was painless, took 5 seconds and seemed to fix it in one go.

The microsoft tech that externally accessed my computer came up with a different key. (yes he was a real microsoft guy, vetted and confirmed).

Thanks so much.