Win 7 Ultimate. Reformat. Activation key

Alanstrainor · 03-03-2011 4:38pm #1

Okay, I have windows 7 ultimate currently installed on my Desktop. As the title suggests I want to do a clean install. But there's a catch; i can't find my license key! The machine was not bought with Windows 7 on it, i got the key from a friend who had a bunch of licenses.

Is there any way to retrieve the license key? Or does anyone have any ideas.

Cheers!

Alan.

mp22 · 03-03-2011 6:25pm

jalapeno keyfinder http://majorgeeks.com/Keyfinder_Thing_Lite_d5253.html

JonathanAnon · 03-03-2011 6:26pm

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Is there any way to retrieve the license key? Or does anyone have any ideas.Alan.

Is there not a sticker on the side of the box with a license key on the side of it... should say something like

PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Alternatively something like Belarc Advisor (free to download and use) should be able to give you the code..

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Do you have a reinstall CD, recovery partition or how do they let you reinstall it?

Fysh · 03-03-2011 6:28pm

You can retrieve it using Magical Jellybean, but when you say you "got it from a friend who had a bunch"...if you haven't already, check whether the licence in question is a leaked MAK or a genuine single-licence key that your friend hasn't re-used elsewhere, to avoid the possibility of future activation-related grief.

Personally, I'm always a bit skeevy about licences where I don't have either a physical copy of the docs/media/CoA or proof of receipt, but that's a long-developed habit and I know plenty of sysadmins who use knocked-off versions of Windows on all their machines.