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Geek Culture / Locating Windows 7 product key? (oops)

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Venge
18
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Joined: 13th Sep 2006
Location: Iowa
Posted: 4th Jan 2012 05:28
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I've been having multiple software issues with my laptop and eventually decided to just do a clean re-install (Windows 7 Home Premium). The version I have was actually the Windows 7 Upgrade, downloaded from the Microsoft Store some years back when I got tired of Vista, so there was just a setup program that boots from within the OS to get the whole thing started - no boot CD needed.

Anyway, it wasn't until after I had done the re-installation that I realized I didn't have a copy of the product key anywhere. I had assumed it would be with the rest of the setup files (I still have the complete file system from before re-installation in the Windows.old folder) but I apparently didn't save it anywhere when I had downloaded it, nor do I have any kind of confirmation email from back then. Doing a bit of research, it seems the only way to find a product key is using various programs that decrypt the registry entry or something like that...at any rate, something I should have done before re-installing, had I known that I didn't have a copy of the key. Of course using one of those programs now only shows the "default" product key, since the previous key is buried somewhere in the .old folder with the rest of the pre-install files.

So I was wondering if anyone knew of a way for me to locate the product key, or if I have to contact Microsoft and pay the $10 or so fee for a new one.
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DeadTomGC
14
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Joined: 11th Aug 2010
Location: LU
Posted: 4th Jan 2012 05:42 Edited at: 4th Jan 2012 05:47
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well, a lot of companies tape it to the computer like this.

I blurred out my product key just in case.


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Agent Dink
21
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Joined: 30th Mar 2004
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Posted: 4th Jan 2012 05:46
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Computer... ENHANCE!

http://lossofanonymity.wordpress.com
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Venge
18
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Joined: 13th Sep 2006
Location: Iowa
Posted: 4th Jan 2012 05:57
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Well, the thing is that the laptop originally came installed with Vista, so that sticker for me is the Vista product key.
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DeadTomGC
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Joined: 11th Aug 2010
Location: LU
Posted: 4th Jan 2012 06:47 Edited at: 4th Jan 2012 06:48
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So, little text appears in the bottom right hand corner saying the copy of windows isn't licensed?


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Slow Programmer
19
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Joined: 5th Apr 2006
Location: USA, Tennessee
Posted: 4th Jan 2012 21:33
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Quote: "$10 or so fee for a new one."


Can you really get a new key from Microsoft for $10.00 ?

There are two kinds of computer users. Those that use Macs and those that wish they did.
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Quel
16
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Joined: 13th Mar 2009
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Posted: 4th Jan 2012 21:50
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You practically buy the key code from Microsoft, and the CD with the Windows' files just come as a bonus. It doesn't store your code anywhere, there is an advanced rule how these codes are generated, and each and every one of these can be used once at a time to register. They know what codes have been generated officially, so even if you find out the code rule, you can't generate your own to cheat.

-In.Dev.X: A unique heavy story based shoot'em ~35%
-CoreFleet: An underground commander unit based RTS ~15%
-TailsVSEggman: An Sonic themed RTS under development for idea presentation to Sega ~15%
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MrValentine
AGK Backer
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Playing: FFVII
Posted: 4th Jan 2012 22:00
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When buying from microsoft... you would have used a live account... so go back and sign in with that and check your order history... if not... check your email inbox using key word product

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