windows product key ?

Donnie

arran_m wrote: »

hi, last month my laptop literally went black so i had to go to pcworld and get the tech guys to "repair" it, however since then my windows vista i not activated and i cant find the original box the laptop came in (i got it as a xmas gift nearly 3 years ago) and the numbers on the sticker underneath have rubbed off. im not sure what to do, i cant afford to buy a new windows package, but i have backed up my files. i just dont understand why pcworld did not tell me that they had removed my windows, so pretty stuck now

Make and model number?

John_Gray

Hammyman wrote: »

Sorry, but it's not PC World's fault

How then do you explain a Windows reinstallation for a laptop screen problem?

Hammyman wrote: »

Microsoft deliberately manufacture their labels to be easily rubbed off

Why on earth would they want to do that? They are perfectly well aware that the Product Key can be retrieved from a working installation of Windows by any number of key-finder programs!

Microsoft can be validly blamed for a number of things, but suggesting they manufacture deliberately rub-offable product keys is rather pushing the envelope, IMHO!

DCFC79

Isnt there a program you can use to get the key

Sublime_2

Wouldn't it have been an OEM version, or can't you get PC world to supply you with an OEM disk.

JJ_Egan

What i would do if i was in them shoes would be to contact Microsoft and explain the problem to them > next step would be Trading Standards .

jje

SocrateS_2

DCFC79 wrote: »

Isnt there a program you can use to get the key

There probably is, but it reads as though the OP doesn't actually HAVE the license key INSTALLED. They've never bothered to write it down, or make a note of it, or type it in and so they're coming up empty.

That said, you are right. IF PCWorld had installed and input the license key then it would be retrievable using a variety of methods, not least they could have run Belarc Advisor which would have created a whole profile of their computer, complete with all license keys of the software they were using: https://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Obviously, the above as described requires the key to have been input at least once onto the system. If it's not then obviously its unavailable to retrieve.

It seems however that Donnie maybe able to come to the OP's rescue, perhaps by supplying them with a suitable key.

HTH

gaming_guy

...........

DCFC79

SocrateS wrote: »

There probably is, but it reads as though the OP doesn't actually HAVE the license key INSTALLED. They've never bothered to write it down, or make a note of it, or type it in and so they're coming up empty.

That said, you are right. IF PCWorld had installed and input the license key then it would be retrievable using a variety of methods, not least they could have run Belarc Advisor which would have created a whole profile of their computer, complete with all license keys of the software they were using: www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Obviously, the above as described requires the key to have been input at least once onto the system. If it's not then obviously its unavailable to retrieve.

It seems however that Donnie maybe able to come to the OP's rescue, perhaps by supplying them with a suitable key.

HTH

oh yes course, yes i understand now,

thanks

Vaila

im going to have to reread most of these post, a lot of jargon that i dont have a clue about. ofcourse the windows was installed etc when i bought it but i never even knew what a product key was until after i got my laptop back from pcworld, and i have read others posts on the web at how the numbers rub off due to heat etc and age, thanks for the replies

aliEnRIK

Way I see it, the dire Pc World should never have even touched the computer if they knew they couldnt activate windows after reinstalling windows
At the VERY least they should have contacted you first to make sure you understood

Personally id be going nuts at the manager as youve effectively been robbed of money. Youve given them money and your no better off than when you started