no more lost product keys

caffeine said:

You may want to check this out. I just thought about it because of a new computer to arrive shortly. There is a free utility I run every time I set up a new computer, install new programs, or fix a bootable computer. It is called Belarc Advisor and can be downloaded here: https://www.belarc.com/products_belarc_advisor

Let me tell you a little about it. Here are a few of the things it will report about your computer: product keys for the OS and programs registered with Windows, system specs, presence of security programs, installed or missing Microsoft hot fixes. There is much more. The report is saved on your computer as HTML file and is printable. I have a printed copy for each of my machines. It has come in very handy when fixing other computers which require programs to be installed and activated as part of the repair.

Check it out. Remember, it is free.

Belarc Advisor is great app, caffeine. I'm using it too.

But don't know how usable is thread like this, or will be.... Power Users here are well aware of it (I'm sure) and for those, who will need it in time, this thread will be buried deep in history :)

One thing... Don't trust Windows license key, if you have OEM one (written in BIOS). Belarc will show you generic one.

Well it is at least honest...(others report a generic for Office)

Microsoft - Office Professional Plus 2013 00216-21993-81083-AA108 (Key: ends with JB29Q)f,g Microsoft - PowerShell 89383-100-0001260-04309 Microsoft - Windows 10 Professional (x64) 00342-50527-80868-AAOEM (Key: YOU-CANT-TOUCH-THIS-KD782)e

.....

e. This may be the manufacturer's factory installed product key rather than yours. You can change it to your product key using the procedure at

http://www.belarc.com/msproductkeys.html

.

f. The full product key is not stored on this computer. However, the characters shown uniquely identify your product key.

Didn't know there was a PS key...

debsawyer said:

I have been using it for years.

Ditto. It's a godsend when decommissioning an older machine for the newer with reinstalls or rebuilding after a clean install.

Sorry but I don't see the big deal... what info is of any value than the keys? Seems to have a whole Web server of pointless info ?

Superfly said:

Sorry but I don't see the big deal... what info is of any value than the keys? Seems to have a whole Web server of pointless info ?

Well, I see your point and don't use it for anything anymore than what I mentioned above. I think it's usefulness is, frankly, a bit long in the tooth nowadays. It seemed a lot more useful back in the days of XP when MS was not so engaged in pushing and enforcing security updates as they are now. It's other utility to me back then was making sure most of my software (not just OS) was all up to date from a security standpoint.

Word Man said:

Well, I see your point and don't use it for anything anymore than what I mentioned above. I think it's usefulness is, frankly, a bit long in the tooth nowadays. It seemed a lot more useful back in the days of XP when MS was not so engaged in pushing and enforcing security updates as they are now. It's other utility to me back then was making sure most of my software (not just OS) was all up to date from a security standpoint.

K, pre-Win 7 days OK... I hear you.

It just does not seem to target SysAdmin as I think it should.

Edit: What I mean is it, as an "Advisor"... should parse Event logs, CBS logs etc... and advise remedial action.

AndreTen said:

In that days Secunia PSI was in its own league. Can Still catch some bits others can't.

BTW, Belarc is reporting I'm missing one critical update, which is installed (by WU itself and Speccy)

See my edit...

(it's reporting the same to me btw)