Help needed Recovering Windows Product Key

[bhirschi]

I know this is an HP forum but I tried to find out from Microsoft forums and no answer. I am wondering if there is a way to recover a Windows 10 product key from a non-functional computer? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

According to the specs for your PC, it came with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit.

HP ENVY 700-327c Desktop PC Product Specifications | HP® Customer Support

It is possible that there is a W10 Pro product key in the BIOS with downgrade rights to W7 Pro, or there could be no W10 product key and a W7 Pro COA label on the PC's case with a W7 product key.

I don't know what you mean by non-functional.

There are degrees of non-functionality.

If it is a hardware issue, you would have to correct the hardware issue, so you could get into Windows and use the free showkey plus app to retrieve the W10 product key from the BIOS (f one exists).

Get ShowKeyPlus - Microsoft Store

If the PC works but you can't get into Windows, you can reinstall W10, and retrieve the product key that way (if one exists).

If the PC was previously running W10, you make a bootable W10 installation flash drive with the media creation tool from the link below.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Boot from the media and you will be asked what version of W10 you want to install.

Select W10 Pro.

Then you will be asked to enter a product key.

Select the 'I don't have a product key' option.