Windows key "recovery" question


  1. Posts : 20
    Win 7 and 10
       #1

    Windows key "recovery" question


    I bought a HP Elitedesk 800 G1 PC a while ago that the original owner downgraded from Win 8 pro 64 bit to Win 7 pro 32 bit. I then upgraded to Win 10 during the freebie upgrade period and got stuck with Win 10 pro 32 bit. At the time I thought my only option to get 64 bit was to either buy a Win 10 pro 64 bit key or downgrade to Win 7 64 bit using a spare key I had. I did the latter. I then upgraded to win 10 pro 64 bit.

    I tried to "recover" the Win 7 pro 64 bit key by using ShowKeyPlus to identify the original Win 8 pro 64 bit and using the OEM Win 8 key to "re-activate" the install. Unfortunately the PC still shows the Win 7 key as the "Original Key".

    The question is it possible to recover my Win 7 pro key?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    busaboyz said:
    I bought a HP Elitedesk 800 G1 PC a while ago that the original owner downgraded from Win 8 pro 64 bit to Win 7 pro 32 bit. I then upgraded to Win 10 during the freebie upgrade period and got stuck with Win 10 pro 32 bit. At the time I thought my only option to get 64 bit was to either buy a Win 10 pro 64 bit key or downgrade to Win 7 64 bit using a spare key I had. I did the latter. I then upgraded to win 10 pro 64 bit.

    I tried to "recover" the Win 7 pro 64 bit key by using ShowKeyPlus to identify the original Win 8 pro 64 bit and using the OEM Win 8 key to "re-activate" the install. Unfortunately the PC still shows the Win 7 key as the "Original Key".

    The question is it possible to recover my Win 7 pro key?
    If you are asking about the Windows 7 Pro 32-bit product key from your first sentence, the answer is no. You erased all traces of it when you installed Windows 7 Pro 64-bit with a different product key.

    BTW: The same product key will work for both the 32-bit and 64-bit version of Windows
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 20
    Win 7 and 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Just trying to recover the 2nd Win 7 key I used to downgrade, not the one the original owner used.

    I should have added that I originally tried to use the Win 7 key that ProduKey x64 indicated but it didn't work when I tried to activate the new Win 7 pro 64 bit install. So I had to use a spare key.

    I realize now I screwed up by not wiping the disk and started a fresh install of Win 10 and then use the Win 8 OEM key. Of course I'm unsure if this would have worked at the time.
    Last edited by busaboyz; 27 Nov 2016 at 12:03.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    It would probably help to see what exactly showkey is displaying. Click on the product keys to blank them out:

      My Computer


  5. Posts : 20
    Win 7 and 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Windows key "recovery" question-2016-11-27_171420.jpg

    Here is the info
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    busaboyz said:
    Here is the info
    So, you've got a product key for Windows 7 Pro, Windows 8 Pro, and the generic for Windows 10 Pro. You can download ISOs for Windows 7 and Windows 8 here:

    Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool

    You will have to use phone activation for the Windows 7 for sure. Just because it won't activate automatically on line does not mean the product key is no good.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 20
    Win 7 and 10
    Thread Starter
       #7

    NavyLCDR said:
    So, you've got a product key for Windows 7 Pro, Windows 8 Pro, and the generic for Windows 10 Pro.
    The question is can I use the Win 7 key for a different PC?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #8

    busaboyz said:
    The question is can I use the Win 7 key for a different PC?
    Oh, good point. It's OEM, so it isn't supposed to be moved from the first computer installed on per the User's Agreement.
      My Computer


 

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