Faded windows key

Jamesdeer001

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can help please? I have an old packard bell laptop which I don't really use due to it being slow (and use my chromebook instead).

Anyway, I'm thinking of using the laptop again to run the few things that a chromebook can't do (e.g. sky go) but due to the slowness of the laptop, was planning on installing a SSD.

The laptop originally came with windows 7 preinstalled and I was meant to make a backup bootable DVD. I previously reformatted and didn't do this, instead downloaded the version from the windows website and used my windows key on the bottom of my laptop. All fine.

Unfortunately, thinking about doing that again on the new SSD, I notice that the key has faded and most of the digits are unreadable. I've tried using software that 'extracts' the registered key but none of these match the key on my laptop (based on the digits I can see) and they don't come up as legit when testing on the microsoft website?

Do I have any options for installing a clean copy on a new SSD or do I need to buy a new copy of windows?

Thanks

AndyPix

Have you tried this :-
http://www.howtogeek.com/206329/how-to-find-your-lost-windows-or-office-product-keys/

It may not work if it was an OEM licence though ..

If it doesn't, let me know and I will mail you a key

Jamesdeer001

Thanks, unfortunately it doesn't for OEM. That just gives you a manufacturers generic key, same for magic jelly key software etc

GunJack

easier way of a clean install - burn off the recovery dvds using the installed utility, this will use the oem pre-activated key and wll also include all the correct drivers for your model

Any machine that was supplied with W7 will have the utility on it, and shouldn't be slow. Just be prepared for a couple of days-worth of windows updates after the re-install

the way to do it wll be along these lines:-

http://www.knowhow.com/article.dhtml?articleReference=442

Jamesdeer001

Thanks,

originally the utiilty did exist, but I have already reinstalled before and this reinstalled a clean version without any packard bell software so I don't believe the utility exists anymore.

GunJack

Jamesdeer001 wrote: »

Thanks,

originally the utiilty did exist, but I have already reinstalled before and this reinstalled a clean version without any packard bell software so I don't believe the utility exists anymore.

I'd check, if you used the recovery partition then it will be lurking there...alternatively, F8 on bootup, choose repair your pc, factory reset using the recovery partition, then burn recovery disks...

...assuming your recovery partition is intact....

bod1467

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/11528-63-create-system-recovery-disk-windows

AndyPix

Mailed you a key ..

Your welcome

Jamesdeer001

Thanks everyone, will let you know if it works.
Kind regards

NiftyDigits

You don't need the product key(faded or otherwise) for Royalty OEM.
As to generated keys....also quite unnecessary and you use them at your own risk.

NiftyDigits

Jamesdeer001 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can help please? I have an old packard bell laptop which I don't really use due to it being slow (and use my chromebook instead).

Anyway, I'm thinking of using the laptop again to run the few things that a chromebook can't do (e.g. sky go) but due to the slowness of the laptop, was planning on installing a SSD.

The laptop originally came with windows 7 preinstalled and I was meant to make a backup bootable DVD. I previously reformatted and didn't do this, instead downloaded the version from the windows website and used my windows key on the bottom of my laptop. All fine.

Unfortunately, thinking about doing that again on the new SSD, I notice that the key has faded and most of the digits are unreadable. I've tried using software that 'extracts' the registered key but none of these match the key on my laptop (based on the digits I can see) and they don't come up as legit when testing on the microsoft website?

Do I have any options for installing a clean copy on a new SSD or do I need to buy a new copy of windows?

Thanks

How much RAM is installed to the Packard Bell?