Inventorying Windows 7 Embedded BIOS Product Keys

Question

Hi,

We have loaded our company default images on the new dell computers we have purchased. We can not get the product keys to inventory and audit our OS licensing. We have no product stickers with keys and they are embedded in the bios. This PCs are located and remote office. How can we get the correct product keys that is stored in the bios and not from the images that were loaded? Also is there any other way to show proof of purchase for our OS that came with the new dell PCs?

Philip_Yip · Answer

Windows 8.1 Professional and Windows 8 Professional OEM product keys are embedded in the UEFI BIOS. It isn't usually necessary to tabulate all your keys but if you want to find them out you can use the RWEverything utility. Select Access → ACPI tables:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/#OEMKey

Note if a Dell Windows 7 Professional Reinstallation DVD is used then Dell OEM SLP is applied. This does not use the Windows 8/8.1 Professional unique UEFI BIOS Embedded SLP key but instead a generic Dell OEM SLP key is input from the Dell Windows 7 Reinstallation DVD which activates if and only if a valid Dell BIOS is detected. The same Windows 7 Professional key is used for all Dells preinstalled with Windows 7 Professional. See here for more details:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows/a-clean-install-of-windows-7/the-oem-or-retail-license-and-product-activation-windows-vista-7/the-activation-backup-and-recovery-program-windows-vista-7-version/

The keys on COAs are of limited use.

speedstep · Answer

SLP keys will be tied to the generic Windows 7 Dell certificate.

They will all be the same.

Only windows 8 bios keys will be unique.

And Neither Dell Nor microsoft will give you any information on how to remotely harvest keys.

Windows General

Inventorying Windows 7 Embedded BIOS Product Keys

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