Windows 7 find old product key?

[kiel379]

Hey

I have just reinstalled windows7 using a borrowed installation disk and its saying it isnt a real copy of windows, the install made a folder called windows.old with all the old files from the previous installation of windows 7, is their a way to move files from the old installation folder so microsoft can see i do actually have a official product key and make my new installation a legal copy?

Cheers

 

[MTSoph14]

You don't have to get rid of Windows.old.
You can simply put in the Windows 7 code that is on a sticker somewhere on your computer (assuming you didn't build it yourself)
Windows will override the old verification with your new one on the same code

 

[FAST6191]

First off I assume there is nothing on the PC or in any manuals that came with it.

If you had a working install then I would have simply suggested http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ and http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html and it would have been sorted give or take activation over the internet/phone/otherwise.

I also have to ask is it the same version you installed/activated as -- windows 7 has many versions (I am not sure where languages fall into this either) and if you have inadvertently installed a greater or less version. You can probably claw it back if you have gone wrong but there are legit iso downloads out there these days if you want them ( http://www.w7forums.com/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads-t12325.html being a random, probably slightly out of date link from my history).

Back on topic so to speak this could get marginally tricky if you are not used to how windows works. magicaljellybean and nirsoft's tools both support reading from somewhere else (the former probably being easier if you are not so used to command line stuff -- it is the load hives option) so you will then have to direct it at the windows.old registry (windows.old\system32\config\ should be it regardless of what architecture you are using).

 

[Joe88]

if you cant find the key just use windows loader

 

[kiel379]

The computer was built by a friend of a friend and has no product key sticker or anything. i tried using that magical jelly bean to find it but it wouldn't do it because it said it didn't have the right permissions even though it was started as admin. could i just find the right group of files and copy them to the same place in the new installation or doesn't it work like that? it is windows 7 ultimate on both installations.

EDIT: Whats windows loader??????

 

[Rydian]

If copying a file around would do it, it'd be too easy.

Windows Loader? What's Google?

 

[blinkzane]

Hey

I have just reinstalled windows7 using a borrowed installation disk and its saying it isnt a real copy of windows, the install made a folder called windows.old with all the old files from the previous installation of windows 7, is their a way to move files from the old installation folder so microsoft can see i do actually have a official product key and make my new installation a legal copy?

Cheers

sent you a pm

 

[kiel379]

ok so i was curious about the authentication process so i went onto the Microsoft site and went through the authentication process and its all fine now, the first time i tried from the pop up on the desktop it didn't work but maybe going to the site made it search through the old files or something. love it when you fix something without knowing how lol thanks for your help guys