Retreiving Windows 7 key.

Hi all ,

thanks for such a wonderful forum.
I have a question, please help.


I was using a customized PC with Windows 7 installed on it. Now switched to apple and planning to use desktop parallels.

My PC is not working anymore, dead, but hard drive can be accessed as an external drive. all the files can be seen as they are.

I have lost my installation CD/DVD and the keys and the purchase details (almost 3 years ago)., but the copy is a genuine one and is owned by me.


Can i get my key from the hard drive using it as an external drive.
No PCs at home only apples now....


please help.

It surprises me that you lost/bought the keys 3 years ago. It was retailed less than two years ago?

No, i have got the windows CD about 3 years ago, and cannot find the original CD now or the purchase details

is there any way to retrieve windows key from the hard drive using it as an external drive

Thanks dave here is a link and quote to backup your statement.

Windows 7, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
There is no way you have had a Windows 7 key and DVD for three years.

If you don't believe what we say then what is the point in us saying anything.

To answer your question, the only way I know of for sure is from within the OS itself.

There maybe way's to do this through the use of BootCD's but I've not used them in some time and don't remember all the possibilities.

Edit:
Here are two links - Hiren's BootCD or Ultimate BootCD

When I mentioned my disc 3 years.... I was not pin pointing.... It was roughly of that age.

.also... I was not sure of the buy. Make.version etc... All I knew was win 7 32 bit, bought instore....
I do believe you... And is trying to understand how to get the key from the hard drive.
When I use the drive on a mac as external drive.. It shows al the files as same.... But dont know where to find the key.

The key is going to be hidden from plain sight for a reason.

There is software available to view these keys but whether or not this software will run on a Mac is beyond me.

If you can attach the harddrive to a computer and boot to it you can run a product called SIW and it will show the windows product key under Software ... Licenses.

I don't know exactly how you would do it from a mac; I assume W7 runs as a virtual environment under the mac so it might be as simple as plugging it in and starting it up.