• ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
  • ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
Guidelines
The HP Community is where owners of HP products, like you, volunteer to help each other find solutions.
Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
HP Recommended
HP ENVY m6-1205dx Notebook PC
Microsoft Windows 8 (64-bit)

Recently, I had to completly reset my computer to the fabric conditions, due to a malware issue. I had to change the computer hard disk like 2 years ago. The problem is that now, because of the change in the hard disk, after doing the reset the system is not recognizing the windows license (I dont have the product key, the system introduced by itself one after the reset and it shows a message saying: "This product key doesn't work. You might need to get in touch with the store or company you bought Windows from, or you can buy a new key from Microsoft"). I dont have the recovery disk with me and I have tried everything I could thing off, even trying to extract the product key from the BIOS, but it doesn't show it. Is it anyway I can fix this or recover the product key of my license?

7 REPLIES 7
HP Recommended

The hard disk size was not the issue. As long as you reinstall the same version of Windows as was on the computer at delivery, you can change anything but the motherboard and it will still activate off the license key in the BIOS with Windows 8. What did you use to reinstall? 

HP Recommended
I didnt change the hard disk because of this, I changed it like 2 years ago by other reason (the original one got damaged). For the reinstall I actually didn't use anything, as I just used the "Reset this PC" option, so the computer reinstalls automatically the original version of windows it had from factory.
HP Recommended

Which exact version of Windows is it? 8/8.1 Pro/Home (Standard) 64/32 bit? Yes this is an unusual problem. Refresh just puts on a new set of system files and is esentially the same installation. It should activate. Have you tried any of these methods?

 

http://www.isunshare.com/product-key-finder/find-product-key-for-windows-8-or-8.1.html

 

And when you did replace the hard drive 2 years ago how did you reinstall Windows then? I assume you have been activated with that install until you tried the refresh?

HP Recommended
It's windows 8 standard, 64 bit. When I replaced the hard disk I used the recovery disk provided by the manufacturer to reinstall the operating system, however I don't have that disk with me anymore. I tried the link you suggested with no success. I tried with a free product key finder, and it just shows that the product key is "none activated".
HP Recommended

Apparently this is not unique:

 

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/After-system-refresh-on-oem-wind...

 

https://www.eightforums.com/windows-updates-activation/74557-windows-8-0-wont-activate-after-refresh...

 

The only lucid explanation I can find is that the refresh is corrupted. HP might still have system restore disks available for your model for a nominal charge. 

HP Recommended
I managed to fix the problem, I'm gonna share it in case someone else has the same issue. Apparently when you update your windows 8 to 10, the license product key changes in order to be able to work on the new version. My suspicion was that because of this, when I did the system reset and it reinstalled the original windows 8, it didn't recognize the license since it was no longer a windows 8 license. What I did was to force the laptop to update to windows 10 using the Media Creation Tool, and so, when it's already updated to windows 10, it recognizes the license product key and activates.

Thanks for the help, I hope día can help someone else.
HP Recommended

You are not quite right. Windows 10 activates in a completely different way from Windows 8. Once you update to Windows 10 and it is activated, the Microsoft servers make a record of your computer and they know each other forever. Activation does not come from the BIOS, as it does with Windows 8. You can always reinstall Windows 10 even if you change the hard drive, wireless card, anything except the motherboard. Had we known you ever had Windows 10 on it we could have advised you just to upgrade to Windows 10 but the question was how to get Windows 8 activated, which is a problem we will now never have to solve, thank goodness. I think it was going to take a reinstall of Windows 8 to make that happen. But it is very good to hear everything is now working to your satisfaction. You are better off (probably) with Windows 10. 

Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.