Retrieve Windows 7 Product Key

[Josette Werst]

Iaccidentally disconnected my hard drive while it was still running and corrupted my Windows 7 installation; I am now completely unable to boot into Windows. I have tried everything to try and repair the installation: Windows Startup Repair, chkdsk /r, SFC /scannow, bootrec /rebuildbcd, etc. and no luck. I want to just perform a fresh install, but my problem is that I do not have my Windows product key written down anywhere, and I am unable to use any scripts or utilities to retrieve it from the registry because I cannot boot into Windows.

Windows 7 product keys are stored, encrypted, in the "DigitalProductId" value of the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion. I was able to mount the corrupted Windows partition read-only from an Ubuntu live CD and copy the Windows\System32\config\SOFTWARE registry hive, which contains the key & value in question, to a flash drive, but loading this hive into regedit on a working Windows installation and then trying to use scripts or utilities to decrypt the loaded "DigitalProductId" value only returns the product key of the host Windows installation, no matter how much fiddling I try. I've tried contacting Microsoft support and they've been rather unhelpful. Would anyone be able to guide me further? Perhaps if there's a different way to retrieve the product key from Linux?

If someone more familiar with scripting/cryptography would be willing to try and follow the decryption script to decrypt the product key by hand, I could e-mail you the exported "DigitalProductId" value, SOFTWARE registry hive, and decryption script.

I know Windows and other programs like to save window locations after they close so when you reopen them they are in the spot where they were closed and I cannot see any of these windows that were closed off screen.

This is by far the easiest. I use it in a multiple monitor set on my laptop when power goes out and I loose the second monitor. I can pull all the windows onto my main monitor (laptop). Very easy, quick.

There is (or was) an extremely good program called Shove-It for Windows. Used to be at www.phord.com but it's been taken down now. Basically just run it and it will automatically detect any windows that have opened with their contents even partially off-screen, and either "shove" them back into the viewing portal area or else resize them if necessary, all automatically. I managed to locate an old beta of it which is free, will share via Sugarsync. _6932435_98576

One more option which allows to not affect other window positions and to avoid mouse-dragging: run an additional instance of the same application (in case currently there is only one), so that the following menu is available when you press Shift + right mouse click:

You can only get partial product key only laast 5 characters of your product key by using the following commmand

The command mentioned by you is used to get the product key that is stored in BIOS by the manufacturer. Like pre-installed windows 10 or 11.

Occasionally I seem to be able to move a window entirely off-screen (I'm not quite sure how) and I can't get it back. If I do a 'hide all' in the application's menu (usually it's Mail.app, so let's stick to that one for the example), everything disappears and Mail seems to think it's got an 'inbox' window in the Windows menu, but there's nothing visible. Closing and restarting the app doesn't seem to help (as the app is helpfully remembering where my window previously was) and all I end up doing is shutting down the Mac, unplugging the second monitor and restarting it, opening the application again and this seems to persuade the Mac to rethink the main window position, and all is well. I can then restart the second monitor, etc.

A second method of arranging the Windows so you can see them (if for some reason they're staying off screen) is to change to the application that owns the window in question, hold the Option key down and choose "Arrange in Front" from the Window menu. It will then arrange all the windows of that application in a cascade from the top left of the screen.

When a monitor is unplugged (including the adapter as well if applicable - leaving the adapter leaves OS X thinking the monitor is still plugged in) all the Windows should move onto your main screen. Occasionally some windows (eg. Firefox) will keep their position on the very far right of the screen leaving you just enough room to grab the title bar and move it where you'd like to.

One method is before you unplug the external monitor (or before you unplug the dongle) is to open up the Displays Preference Pane in System Preferences and click on the "Gather Windows" button. This is supposed to bring every window on the main screen and the option does not appear if you don't have a second monitor plugged in.

There is also a nifty shareware app called Stay that will help automate a lot of this for you, while there is also MarcoPolo which will do much more than just notice if a monitor is disconnected and allows you to run scripts (in case you want to do more than just rearrange the windows).

I thought I should make an answer to this that describes solutions specifically for XQuartz. Many of the solutions here do not work for XQuartz. From this ticket: , I've found two solutions that work and I feel it would be beneficial to state them here.

If you can unplug/plug-in your monitor easily, then unplug your monitor so that your window appears in a spot that you can access. Then, with your mouse, click on the window and hold down the mouse button as if you are going to drag it. Without letting go of your mouse or the window, plug in your monitor. The XQuartz window should stay where your mouse is.

I have two screens and loading Inkscape usually puts it somewhere inaccessible. I can see it by using "show all windows", but if I select it from there it goes and disappears again. The solution I found came from this mailing list comment.

In the end I found a way. Install an app called BetterTouchTool. This allows you to make a shortcut to do various handy things with your screen etc. Then setup an app specific shortcut (much easier than it sounds), and make it simple. I set it so that a "two finger swipe- up" led to a "Maximise window" action. This stuck the missing application on to my laptop screen and away from the phantom monitor screen it had been stuck on.

It seems that this happens to me most often when the secondary display is "above" (in System Preferences -> Display -> Arrangement). When the problem happens if I move the external display "to the right" then the X11 windows reappear.

In El Capitan the simple answers here didn't work for me or weren't available as options. What did work was to right-click the app in the Dock (Chrome in my case) and select Options > Assign to Desktop on Display 1. This moved all of the windows to my current desktop.

You can create a simple app to do it in the AppleScript Editor. Enter the following text and save it as an app. If you put it in your Applications folder it will be easy to access via SpotLight. I named mine gather windows.

So, if you want Mavericks' new behavior with multiple displays on your Mac, then temporarily revert to the old way, change an Inkscape preference, then set Mavericks back to a menu bar on each screen.

I have a similar issue in my Mac when opening MS Powerpoint as it won't show on screen. The simplest way is to go to the Menu Bar of Powerpoint on the top of your Mac screen and click "Window" then under that click "Arrange All". The missing/hidden PowerPoint windows will show

The simplest solution I've found to this problem is to right click on the relevant icon in the Task Bar and then select 'Hide'. You can then do the same and select 'Show' and then your missing window reappears.

Knowing how to find a Windows 10 product key is essential for software activation, reinstallation, and technical support across your organization. This guide outlines simple ways to retrieve your product keys using built-in system tools, external software, and direct support channels, ensuring you can activate and maintain your systems with ease.

A Microsoft product key is a unique 25-character code, essential for activating Windows operating systems, including Windows 10. This alphanumeric sequence plays a pivotal role in verifying the legitimacy of your software.

This tool not only finds your Microsoft product key but also provides a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware. It does not offer a security score for Windows 10, but its automatic updates ensure you get the latest information about your system.

If you cannot find your Windows activation key using the above methods, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for help. Have your purchase details ready, such as the order number, any relevant email addresses used during purchase, and details of where and when you bought the software.

If you decide to speak with a support representative, provide any evidence of purchase you have. The support agent will guide you through the steps you can take and may be able to retrieve the Windows 10 license key for you once you prove the purchase.

Also keep in mind that license keys are different for retail, OEM, and volume licenses, so understanding your license type is crucial, especially when transferring or upgrading your systems. Always store your product key in a secure location, as losing it could complicate future software reinstalls or upgrades.

Building an efficient and effective IT team requires a centralized solution that acts as your core service deliver tool. NinjaOne enables IT teams to monitor, manage, secure, and support all their devices, wherever they are, without the need for complex on-premises infrastructure.

3a8082e126