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Finding my windows 8 product key, and Dell service in general.
Hi folx, I'm new to the forums.
I have a Dell dimension 3100 desktop on win XP, and in January I bought an inspiron 660 desktop, but the service I'm experience leaves a lot to be honest. They dont have any knowledge of my purchase although i bought it from them on-line! My service tags are not recognised and i am now nearly two months since i bought it; i cant access the support page using my service tag. Absolutely hopeless. What is the point of giving out email addresses and service tags etc if they have no intention on giving support It seems to me that the only thing working at Dell, is the phone line, they dont seem to know how to update their support page. I have sent countless emails and they just reply saying they haven't managed to get any further progress. Not the Dell company that I know. I've told them to arrange uplift of the inspiron since they cant support it. Where can I find my windows product key? I cant find it anywhere on my computer, is there a way I can find it in the software? I tried to phone Dell and they didn't have a clue! I wish I'd bought a different PC now, from anywhere but Dell. I bought it because I couldn't fault them on their support for my old dimension, and (stupidly) thought things were the same! More fool me! I have since got my old dimension working, so I dont need a new PC that the manufacturer cant support me with. I want a refund. rant over!
30yearexpert
459 Posts
2
March 16th, 2014 10:00
Here's How to find Product Key:
Download Belarc Advisor, a free PC audit program with full Windows 8 support that also functions as a key finder tool. Unfortunately, manually locating the Windows 8 product key in the registry isn't possible so you'll need to use a program like this.
www.belarc.com/.../advisorinstaller.exe
Free Key Finder Programs offer more tools like Belarc Advisor but please try it first since I've confirmed that it correctly finds Windows 8 product keys.
Note: Any product key finder that advertises support for Windows 8 will work for either edition: Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro, and very likely both editions of Windows 8.1.
Install Belarc Advisor, following whatever instructions are given during the installation.
Run Belarc Advisor (the initial analysis may take a little while) and note the Windows 8 product key displayed in the Software Licenses section.
The Windows 8 product key is a series of 25 letters and numbers and should look like this: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx.
Write down the Windows 8 key exactly as shown for use when reinstalling Windows 8.
Important: Make sure each and every letter and number is written exactly as shown. If even one digit isn't transcribed correctly, the key won't work to reinstall Windows 8.
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
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March 16th, 2014 10:00
The RW Everything also finds the BIOS Embedded system locked preinstallation product key:
What issue(s) are you exactly having with Windows 8/8.1 on the Inspiron?
markh75
3 Posts
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March 16th, 2014 10:00
Fantastic, thanks very much, problem solved!
30yearexpert
459 Posts
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March 17th, 2014 09:00
I have told others in the past to us RW everything and Belarc Advisor is very easy to use and user friendly. I will only tell people from now on about Belarc Advisor, RW Everything is too complicated for the general user.
Thanks
Philip_Yip
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March 17th, 2014 13:00
Belarc Advisor will suit a lot of other cases however RWEverything will determine the BIOS embedded system locked preinstallation key regardless if the product is activated or not.
It will also determine the BIOS embedded system locked preinstallation product key for instance if the system was installed with a Windows 7 .iso without a product key or a Windows 8.1 .iso with the generic product key which is sometimes the case if the customer had to reinstall after hard drive failure.
Thus I recommend RWEverything in cases where the activation may be messed up or not recognised.
ldwillia
1 Message
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June 11th, 2014 15:00
Thank you
waldenfam2
3 Posts
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March 21st, 2015 20:00
Your link to the instructions on retrieving the product key for a dell computer using RW-everything doesn't work. I've installed the program and it doesn't have the MSDM tab for Dell based computers. What do I do now to retrieve my product key?
Philip_Yip
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March 22nd, 2015 03:00
No MSDM tab means there is no Windows 8/8.1 UEFI BIOS SLP key. What is the model of your Dell?
waldenfam2
3 Posts
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March 22nd, 2015 09:00
It's a Inspiron 17R SE 7720. I bought it directly from Dell. I used a Dell recovery disk to re-install Windows after a hard drive failure. I had to use a generic code to activate Windows though since the product key didn't populate and now I have no idea what to do since I only have so long until I need to activate Windows with a legitimate key.
Philip_Yip
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March 22nd, 2015 12:00
No MSDM tab = No Windows 8.0/8.1 key. For the Dell OEM license the key should be tied to the UEFI BIOS of the motherboard. In some rare cases (extremely rare cases) this key gets lost. If its under warranty you can have Dell replace the motherboard - a bit extreme for a product key issues but its the only way...
Note if it was shipped with Windows 7 and not Windows 8.1 it shouldn't have the MSDM tab.
Microsoft has made it known that they will make a free upgrade for Windows 7, 8.1 to Windows 10 in late summer. They have also hinted they will make the free upgrade available to Windows 10 Technical Preview and even to Chinese Pirates. Therefore installation of Windows 10 Technical Preview may be the best option for you now and you can take it as an intermediate to get Windows 10 RTM.
http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows/a-clean-install-of-windows-10/windows-10-installation/
waldenfam2
3 Posts
0
March 22nd, 2015 16:00
It definitely shipped with Windows 8. I can still pull up the purchase in Dell and look at everything the device shipped with and it was definitely Windows 8. It's not under warranty, the computer is nearly 3 years old. I purchased the computer with a legitimate key for Windows 8 and now because the hard drive went bad I no longer have it? That's a little ridiculous. There is absolutely no way that I should be responsible for replacing my Windows key when I bought a computer with it preinstalled.
Philip_Yip
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16K Posts
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March 22nd, 2015 18:00
I agree with you and as mentioned it is an extremely rare case for the key to get lost from the UEFI BIOS. Dell won't fix this "hardware issue" out of warranty and will force you to pay for extended warranty. This may be more than the price of a retail license. Microsoft won't help you as the license is OEM. Neither company keep a record of the individual key for your system. I actually recommend the use of RWEverything when the systems in warranty and keeping an external record of the key just in case but few people do this.
As mentioned I recommend installation of Windows 10 TP for free so you can use it as a stepping stone to take the Windows 10 RTM for free. Either way its nonsensical to pay for a full retail Windows 8.1 license months before it becomes obsolete.
WGDCO
1 Message
0
July 26th, 2015 08:00
This doesn't work.
If you just recently bought a dell and changed out the harddrive to an SSD, as I just did - you get f'd by microsoft and Dell, because they didn't ship a product key with you, written down or stuck to the machine somewhere. So in essence, you really don't have a product key, once you change out your drives. Belarc advisor runs, but doesn't find a key.
Philip_Yip
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16K Posts
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July 27th, 2015 10:00
What does RWEverything report? Is there a MSDM tab?