Any way to extract Windows 10 key from a dead HDD?

[Kobe Eveleigh]

Any way to extract a Windows 10 64bit key from a dead HDD? All I want is the OS key nothing else on the drive is of any value to me.

It does not make sounds indicating mechanical failure or at least they are not obvious.

I have my new PC built all I need is Windows.

 

[COLGeek]

If the HDD is truly dead, then no, you can't recover anything.

Key recovery apps would require booting from the HDD as well.

Did you have Windows 10 configured to log-in via a local account or a Microsoft account?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12440/windows-10-activation

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

[Kobe Eveleigh]

We had a power outage and the desktop was victim of a power surge I think.

 

[Karadjgne]

Test the hdd in a known, working pc, ok to put power to it at boot, but do not plug in the data wires until after windows has finished booting. If the hdd has any life, windows will find it, or you can have windows go find it.

 

[Kobe Eveleigh]

Test the hdd in a known, working pc, ok to put power to it at boot, but do not plug in the data wires until after windows has finished booting. If the hdd has any life, windows will find it, or you can have windows go find it.

Did this on new PC with only this HDD attached and the startup screen says insert a hard disk drive to continue as though there are no HDD's plugged in at all. Tomorrow will give it a try on another pc that is known to work.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

The good news is that you do not have to recover your product key from the hard drive because the key is not stored on the hard drive. So you are in good shape.

 

[Colif]

as Rocky said, don't need licence off drive, Its on a Microsoft server, they are ones who track it now

just run the installer on new hdd, when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished. Provided you put it on same PC.

If you install onto old drive again: On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)

since you installing on new PC, and may not have linked it to a Microsoft Account before, do the same process as above except it won't activate. Need to contact Microsoft once its on PC and argue your case. If you using same email address as before, they may move licence over for you. You can find contact details in settings/update & security/Activation

you need a new version of installer to do this: download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

 

[Kobe Eveleigh]

as Rocky said, don't need licence off drive, Its on a Microsoft server, they are ones who track it now

just run the installer on new hdd, when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished. Provided you put it on same PC.

If you install onto old drive again: On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)

since you installing on new PC, and may not have linked it to a Microsoft Account before, do the same process as above except it won't activate. Need to contact Microsoft once its on PC and argue your case. If you using same email address as before, they may move licence over for you. You can find contact details in settings/update & security/Activation

you need a new version of installer to do this: download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

Can they do this if the old computer is completely dead? Seemed like basically nothing works on it anymore and it hadn't been used in like a year. Can they still find the key? It was an OEM so I don't know if email was attached.

 

[Colif]

Was win 10 an upgrade from win 7 or 8, or did PC come with 10? So Old PC doesn't even have the licence sticker on it?

If its an oem with windows 10 on it, then the way I showed won't work as that is only really there for people who upgraded from 7 or 8, not for brand new PC now.

If you did upgrade, did you ever login using a user linked to the email address given to MS? As if your user was attached to an email address, then since the Anniversary edition released last year, as soon as you logged in, then that address should be auto linked to licence.
Only real way to now is to contact Microsoft.

 

[Kobe Eveleigh]

Was win 10 an upgrade from win 7 or 8, or did PC come with 10? So Old PC doesn't even have the licence sticker on it?

If its an oem with windows 10 on it, then the way I showed won't work as that is only really there for people who upgraded from 7 or 8, not for brand new PC now.

If you did upgrade, did you ever login using a user linked to the email address given to MS? As if your user was attached to an email address, then since the Anniversary edition released last year, as soon as you logged in, then that address should be auto linked to licence.
Only real way to now is to contact Microsoft.

PC came with 7, it has Windows 7 Home 64 bit sticker on the tower. We did the free upgrade to windows 10, but this PC's specs are so low that it started to run slow even while just browsing so we stopped using it.

I think we never did link an account. The person who used it before isn't very computer literate and would not have bothered doing this unless MS forced users to link an account/email address. I would guess calling Microsoft may be the only route but I wonder if they can find anything at this point since the PC doesn't work anymore. The person using it before has an Outlook email account so perhaps that got linked but she would not have done so unless Win10 asked for it.