Windows 10 product key retrieval gives me a different key to my box

[Matt_118]

When I recently reinstalled windows on my personal computer, I used a program (http://www.thewindowsclub.com/find-windows-10-product-key-using-vb-script) to retrieve my windows product key from the memory as I could not find the physical copy... Then I found my physical copy for it and I noticed that the keys were completely different. My assumption is that they had assigned my computer a different product key as I upgraded from windows 7 to windows 10 for free and I no longer needed the key that was given to me by the program so I just used the windows 7 key and pretty much just discarded the program and my findings altogether. Now I am about to reinstall windows for a laptop that is running unbearably slowly and I do not have any physical copy of windows on that computer (also a free upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10) which brought me back to the program. I would like to know if anyone has used this program, or one similar and if it has worked for them, I have seen people mentioning positive results online but am still sceptical as of my findings in the past.
Thanks

 

[slowhands95128]

When you upgraded from Win 7 to Win 10, Microsoft assigned you a new key and voided the Win 7 key. Your new key can be read by any of the key finder programs. I use Produkey, since it is free and has no bloatware tagging along.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

Whatever you use, find the Win 10 key and print it. This is just backup, because Microsoft servers know your key and have it associated with your particular laptop system.

To re-install Win 10, you need the key and an ISO Win 10 DVD or USB drive in the same edition as before (Home, Pro...). You can download the ISO from various sites and burn it to DVD or image transfer it to USB drive yourself. Be aware that sometimes you can't read USB drives on new systems without drivers, but DVDs always work (so I use DVDs). If you don't care to make the ISO, you can buy it on ebay for about $5-10.

You will be doing a new install, so you will boot from the ISO Win 10 media. Boot order must be changed to try booting from CD or USB before hard drive, so you must set that preference in BIOS boot sequence options. Power up your machine, insert the DVD, and it should try to boot from DVD. Follow the directions until you have the screen that says "enter Windows Key". You can enter the key you printed, or click "I don't have a key" and let Windows get it from Microsoft servers. That will work automatically unless you changed the laptop significantly (new hard drive, upgraded processor, etc.). From then on, follow directions and you should end up with a fresh, activated install of Win 10.