Sticker with windows key stolen

[alfredstengard97]

So I recently upgraded my motherboard and processor after the last motherboard stopped working. After doing this I noticed that a clean reinstall of windows is needed to finish the installation.

As the PC was originally bought from a retailer pre built the key is supposed to be on the side of the PC, however I can see that someone has removed the sticker (a little bit is left)

Is it still possible to do a clean reinstall? I still have the disc. Is there somewhere I can find my key?

I unfortunately have no idea where or when the key was stolen as I just noticed it today.

Thanks in advance!

 

[USAFRet]

Before the motherboard swap, you could have probably discovered the OS license with Belarc Advisor.

Now, since a clean install is dictated, you can't.

Contact the retailer. Maybe they have a record of it.

 

[bignastyid]

If it was a pre-installed OEM version there's a good chance you would have had to buy a new key anyways as the old one was tied to the original motherboard.
Now you are pretty much going to have to buy a new license.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

If you still have the windows hard disk and have not formatted it yet
It is possible to put the hard disk in a usb tray or inside a case of another windows PC and use a program like Nirsoft Produkey to retrieve the windows key on the old drive

produkey will allow you to navigate to the d:\windows folders and find the key embedded in the windows registry

I am assuming the drive letter is d it may be e, f, or g
While c: is for the windows drive of the computer

You can try activating windows with this key
If it is a oem system builder dvd version it probably wont re activate on a different motherboard

What does the label on the win 7 dvd say?

Regards
Mike Barnes