Cant extract CD key from Windows 7.

[itsonlysmellz]

I had a badly infected computer which would not run. Any form of execultable files to scan the system such as belarc advisor would not help. I copied the entire contents of the drive using Roadkils unstoppable copier and reinstalled Windows 7.


My question is, how can I extract the CD key from this copy? Its a folder with all the old contents of the system. All the scanner programs I've looked at seem to just scan the local system and not the folder.


Much appreciated.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

If you've already reinstalled Windows, why do you need to find the Product Key, surely you must have used it to reinstall Windows?

 

[itsonlysmellz]

No, I did not.

 

[burdenbound]

I would recommend using an anti-virus that boots from either a CD or flash drive, this will allow it to run without needing the OS which is where the virus itself can interfere with the cleanup.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

No, I did not.

In your first post you stated "I copied the entire contents of the drive using Roadkils unstoppable copier and reinstalled Windows 7."

You can't reinstall Windows without typing in a Product Key. So your second post is baffling.
Or maybe it's me that's thick. I'll let someone else help you. I'm done here.

 

[DasHotShot]

No, I did not.

In your first post you stated "I copied the entire contents of the drive using Roadkils unstoppable copier and reinstalled Windows 7."

You can't reinstall Windows without typing in a Product Key. So your second post is baffling.
Or maybe it's me that's thick. I'll let someone else help you. I'm done here.

Yes you can reinstall it without a key. You just skip that stage and gives you 30 days to activate it before doing various things like giving you no updates, marking your screen with a watermark in the bottom left etc.

OP, is this the case? Are you now in your "trial" period of win 7?

 

[simonchipmunk]

Can we assume, that you formatted your hard drive to remove the virus after tou made your backup copy?
can we also assume that you do not have the installation disk for the OS?
did the computer come with the program installed?