Try Easy Software to Recover Product Key from Dead or Unbootable PC
"Recover product key from dead HDD...Hi, recently, my laptop had a motherboard issue that lead to the death of my PC. Almost every component is damaged, I brought the laptop to a PC repair shop but they couldn't do anything. We tried to recover at least the HDD, without success. I'm currently building a new PC and I wonder if there's a way to get back the windows license. Thanks in advance for the help." -- Microsoft.com
When your PC becomes unbootable or dead, reinstalling Windows is often the best option. However, when you get to the point of reinstalling, you'll be prompted to enter your Windows product key, which can be frustrating. Some guides suggest checking the product key sticker on your computer, but the key info on the sticker may have faded over time, making it difficult to read and enter correctly. This can cause further frustration and delay the process of reinstalling your OS.
Recovering product keys from a dead or unbootable PC can be done in a few ways. One approach is to use a tool like ProduKey or Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder, which can scan the system for existing product keys and display them.
- Notice:
- If your Windows license is OEM installed by the manufacturer, it's not allowed to reinstall Windows on another computer. However, if you manually typed the Windows license, the following methods are suitable. Please note this important notice before proceeding.
Quick Navigation:
Run Qiling Key Finder on the dead computer to extract the product key from the registry. This method is straightforward and doesn't require any technical expertise. Simply download and install Qiling Key Finder, run it, and follow the on-screen instructions to retrieve the product key.
Method 2. Use ProduKey to Get Product Key
To retrieve Windows or Office keys using KeyFinder Plus, first download and install the software from the official website. Once installed, launch KeyFinder Plus and it will automatically scan your system for product keys. The retrieved keys will be displayed in the main window, including the Windows and Office product keys.
Method 1. Run Qiling Key Finder to Get Product Key from Dead Computer
To quickly obtain product keys, consider using a professional app like Qiling Key Finder. This tool allows you to find the license key of any installed programs on a dead or healthy computer.
What you can try if download this software?
On a health PC:
- Find keys of commonly used software: Windows, Office, Adobe, SQL Server, Exchange Server, and Autodesk.
- You can use the following Python script to get the saved browser username and password. This script uses the `pynput` library to monitor keyboard and mouse events, and the `pyperclip` library to interact with the clipboard.
- Key Finder is a software that can find all WiFi passwords connected to the current computer, making it easy to read the connected WiFi password.
- Locate username and password of Windows Credentials.
On a dead PC:
If your computer fails to boot, you can recover product keys from an external hard drive by removing the OS installed disk from the old computer and connecting it to another device. Then, run the tool to recover your license key of any installed programs, such as Windows, Office, Adobe, and more, from a dead computer.
How to Recover Product Key from Dead Computer:
Step 1. Connect the OS hard drive from a dead or unbootable PC to a running computer via a SATA-USB cable, making it an external hard drive.
Step 2. Launch Qiling Key Finder on a new, healthy computer, click "External Hard Drive", then select your dead or unbootable OS drive below the "Choose a drive" section and click "Scan" to continue.
You can browse to select the user account in the dead or unbootable OS drive under the Choose a Microsoft account section.
Step 3. To recover important product keys from a dead or unbootable PC's OS drive, you can use various tools and techniques to extract the necessary information. This may involve using software such as ProduKey, Product Key Explorer, or Qiling Disk Master to scan the drive and retrieve the product keys associated with installed software and operating systems.
1. To find Windows, Applications product keys or WiFi passwords:
- To access the Windows or applications' product keys or WiFi passwords on a dead or unbootable PC, click on "Windows" or "Applications" and the relevant information will appear on the right-hand pane.
- To save or backup Windows or installed software product keys or WiFi passwords, you can click the "Copy", "Print", or "Save" option. This will allow you to preserve the information for future reference.
2. To find browser's or your Windows Credentials' password:
- Click on the "Internet & Network" or "Windows Credentials" option on the left-hand side, and then click on the "Verify Now" button.
- Put in your Microsoft account and password of the dead or unbootable PC for verification.
- You can access all accounts and passwords saved in internet browsers or your PC on your new computer. From there, you can copy, print, or save them as a backup, ensuring you don't lose any important login information.
Method 2. Use ProduKey to Get Product Key
ProduKey is a utility by NirSoft that helps find lost keys of installed programs, including Windows, Office, SQL Server, Exchange Server, Visual Studio, Adobe, and Autodesk products.
Note: The download link is not clear on the product page. Please make sure the link is safe. Or dangerous files will attack your machine.
How to use ProduKey:
Step 1. To transfer data from an old computer to a new one, remove the hard drive from the old computer, taking care not to damage any cables or components. Then, attach the old hard drive to the working computer, making sure it is properly secured and connected to the correct ports.
Step 2. Download ProduKey from the home page and run it.
Step 3. Click the File tab and choose "Select Source".
Step 4. To load product keys from an external Software Registry hive, select the "Load the product keys from external Software Registry hive" option and then click the "Browse" button. From the file browser, navigate to and select the software registry file, typically located in the Windows\System32\Config folder.
Step 5. Click "OK". Then the product keys will be listed below.
Method 3. Launch KeyFinder Plus to Retrieve Windows or Office Keys
KeyFinder Plus is a small program that recovers lost product keys easily, supporting various software including Windows, Office, Exchange Server, SQL Server, and Adobe. It can also retrieve Windows or Office keys from a dead computer.
How to Use KeyFinder Plus:
Step 1. Run KeyFinder Plus and then select the "Start Recovery" button.
Step 2. Click "From non-booting system" from the drop-down list.
Step 3. To access the registry file from a crashed hard drive, click the "..." next to the file location box, select the SOFTWARE registry file, and navigate to the Windows\System32\Config folder.
Step 4. The KeyFinder Plus tool will search for all registry keys, allowing you to proceed with reinstalling Windows or export other product keys.
Final Words
We recommend using Qiling Key Finder to recover product keys from a dead or unbootable PC, as it keeps PC assets safe and doesn't require dealing with virus files or complex registry notes. For those who need to use other utilities, they can still do a good job of finding keys, but may be more challenging for beginners to navigate the registry file.
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