[deathspeed]

My son's homebuilt PC crashed hard (hard drive failure - the tower was knocked over as the PC was running  ).  I am reinstalling Windows, but I can't find the previously purchased license key anywhere.  I'd rather not buy a new key or Windows 8, since I already paid for this one, and I prefer to not use a crack, so I thought I would check with this community to see if anyone has a key they are no longer using, such as from a discarded laptop or something.  Please PM me if you have one you are willing to let me have. 

Thanks!

[S-99]

The cheapest windows 7 key is $90. I'm sorry to hear of your predicament with your son's computer. Call up microsoft, buy another key, or get ready for linux; these are all you can do.

Or, you can just re-install windows 7 and keep extending the trial period. The trial period can be extended up to 360 days. If you don't mind re-installing once a year, then this is a valid way to have windows be usable for free.

Found here. It's easy to do as well.

[jr2]

See if you can salvage the key data from the hard disk.  I believe there's some links in my signature about recovering data from crashed disks.  If I remember correctly, Falcon Four's Ultimate Boot CD and Hiren's Boot CD have tools to check which key is in use on a hard disk once it is readable.

[Klaustrophobia]

no 7 keys, but i've got several vista business and XP lying around somewhere

[S-99]

Sell those.

[Shivan Hunter]

here you go

[S-99]

I have a hard time knowing if that's a vista key

[deathspeed]

Thanks for the responses!  I especially appreciate the windows key provided by Shivan Hunter.   

The old drive would just click.  I tried plugging it into an SATA port on my own PC.  Although my Windows recognized it, again it would just click.  Unfortunately, Windows assigned it the same letter at the data drive as I took out for testing, and when I put my own original back in, my PC thought every file was an orphan file and started deleting everything before showing my desktop.   I wasn't paying attention, so by the time I figured out what was happening, I had lost several hundred gigabytes of info - nearly all my music (mostly ripped from CDs that I still have in storage), some photos and videos, lots of downloaded files and OS images, etc.  I lost my entire games/Freespace folder, so it was a perfect opportunity to stress test Goober's new installer.  I tried Recuva and some of the others suggested by jr2 and other sources, but none could read the deleted files on my own drive (although I have used those programs to recover files from flash drives, memory cards, etc.).  Oh well.  At least my drive is intact, and I'm ordering a new one for the boy after payday.  I'll probably do as s-99 suggested and keep extending the trial period.  He usually gets malware on it about once a year anyway, necessitating a fresh installation of Windows.  (Linux is not an option for him, as it is mainly a gaming machine).

[S-99]

Whenever you do a raw backup of data from a windows drive. I highly recommend using a linux livecd or liveusb. It's been a great way to copy files over without any trouble.

[Nuke]

i never put the os and my files on the same partition. i keep a batch file to set up junction points between certain subdirectories in my my user folder and relavant folders on my data partition. i dont link everything because the way applications use the default user folders as their dumping ground for all their crap. that can easily whore up tens to hundreds of gigabytes and almost none of it is worth the trouble of backing up.

im curious about the legality of sharing of windows keys. i know that transferring an oem key is a license violation. not sure if it applies to the retail version.

[jr2]

Pretty sure key is non-transferable.  Also pretty sure that the legality of all this stuff is based on something rather dubious foisted upon users called a EULA (Euthanize Users Legally Agreement).

Honestly, the way I usually do it, I buy the license, leave the disk in the box shrink wrapped, and install 'pirated' in other words, 100% Genuine Windows with the evil Validation stuff defeated or removed. Much less hassle.    Hanging around My Digital Life Forums might be handy there.. Just be sure you actually do have a license, otherwise, well, I guess that's really up to you, but it definitely isn't legal to use software if you haven't paid for it.

[S-99]

Of course microsoft would like to tell us all that second sale is illegal...even though it's not.

[OverDhill]

That is why you use something like TrueImage and have an image of you drive(s) on an external USB drive. Safe and quick way to get back to where you were in less than an hour be it hard drive failure or nasty virus.

Cheap and easy way. Of coarse this does not help the original poster. I am afraid he is SOL as there is no way to share Windows 7 or 8 keys. Also not sure why he would not have the COA stuck on the case somewhere. With that all you need is the disc to load Windows and then use that key. Hard to believe one would not have the COA these days as it is on all computers and even an OEM copy comes with the sticker to plaster on to your case.

[Klaustrophobia]

stickers can come off.  if i ever have to reinstall windows on my laptop i'm SOL because that sticker has been gone for years.

[deathspeed]

Also not sure why he would not have the COA stuck on the case somewhere. With that all you need is the disc to load Windows and then use that key. Hard to believe one would not have the COA these days as it is on all computers and even an OEM copy comes with the sticker to plaster on to your case.

My boxed Windows 7 Home Premium did not come with a COA sticker to affix to the case, like my boxed version of Windows XP did.  The product key was on a sticker permanently stuck to a piece of cardboard inside the plastic box containing the discs.  We lost the box in a move to a new home last year.  For my other Win7 PC, I have now placed the piece of cardboard inside the PC case itself so they don't get separated.

Google can show me several ways around it, such as keygens, cracks, etc. that even pass WGA.  I don't feel guilty about using them since I already paid MS $100 for this a few years ago (plus I paid for Windows Me in 2000, so that should count for something!), but I wanted to be quasi-legal about it by using a valid purchased key that no one else was using.  I had forgotten about OEM being technically non-transferable, though. 

I used to use DriveImage XML, but I never successfully restored a complete disc image with it with Windows XP (I never tried it with 7).  I was however able to access files with it.  I'm thinking about giving Macrium Reflect a try.

[Klaustrophobia]

microsoft can piss off with their non-transferrable BS.  if i haven't used it yet and i want to sell it, i'm ****ing going to.

[S-99]

As long as a windows key is no longer in use. As in previous install of windows with that key was wiped out and then you sell the key. Back when i used to do the windows thing, and i got done with a copy and product key. I'd format the drive, and sell the product key to a friend who needed it.

[Nuke]

stickers can come off.  if i ever have to reinstall windows on my laptop i'm SOL because that sticker has been gone for years.

as i was told during my system builder days "the sticker is the license". so if you ever see a computer in the dumpster, keep the sticker (hell keep the computer, there will be something you can use). i actually have a note card covered in ms license stickers (which has since been laminated) that i have collected over the years. its amazing how many licenses get thrown out.

ive also been known to write down license keys i see on stickers attached to corporate or government computers. i dont actually use them, but i post them on the REDACTED, just to be a dick.

[deathspeed]

as i was told during my system builder days "the sticker is the license". so if you ever see a computer in the dumpster, keep the sticker (hell keep the computer, there will be something you can use). i actually have a note card covered in ms license stickers (which has since been laminated) that i have collected over the years. its amazing how many licenses get thrown out.

[/quote]

I remember reading about people collecting XP stickers this way when Vista came out - that was sort of where I got the idea of posting here to see if there were any extra WIndows 7 licenses/stickers lying around! 

[S-99]

Well, not all of those product keys are actually usable you see. If it's a home built computer with a product key on the side. That's fine, that's usable to the general public. If you find an old dell, hp, or whatever with a product key. That is useless. Because dell, hp, and all of the bigwigs that sell computers buy licenses from microsoft, and have the installations of windows pre-activated. The information for this copy of windows is stored in the bios. Selling someone something like a dell product key for x windows would be a scam.