Can't Find Windows Activation Code

[Bat vesso]

I need to reinstall Windows for a customer - this is how the sticker looks(the blue one):

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that is Win 8 Pro. The idea is in other cases like that, the code is burned in in the BIOS, and you can retrieve with an application (like Produkey) once windows is installed. The problem is that there is nothing burned in, and i don't have the old installation to retrieve the key from it. Am i missing something, or did manufacturers started doing something new with the keys. Any info will be helpful.

P.S. Not sure if the image will show up - the sticker is blue and it says Windows pro only, no number on it.

 

[Calvin7]

PCs that come with Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT have an encrypted product key embedded in their UEFI firmware. When you reinstall the same version of Windows 8 or 8.1 on a PC that came with it, the product key will be automatically applied and activated. You won’t see any product key prompt — it will all happen automatically.

This only applies if you’re installing the same copy of Windows. This doesn’t apply if you install an upgrade copy, a system-builder copy, or a different edition of Windows 8. This also won’t work if you try to install Windows 8.1 on a PC that came with Windows 8 — Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 have different product keys for some reason, so you’d need to install the original version of Windows 8 and then upgrade to Windows 8.1 via the Windows Store.

 

[Bat vesso]

Thanks. i was actually able to install windows after 1 week of trying. Thanks to a really nice program, called ShowKeyPlus. Even if the key is encrypted, that program tells you for which version of windows it is. So to my surprise, after 1 week of installing Win 8 and 10, i find out that this is sticker for Win 7. And the best part is that Dell are awesome - you can insert your SN and download an OEM image right from the website. thanks for pointing me in the right direction.