windows vista product key finder free download

You can always call Microsoft to get free help with activation, if it does not work automatically. Find Windows Vista Product Key in Registry Follow the path HKEYLOCALMACHINE >Software Scroll down and locate the operating system that you want to. Do keep a record of the key you sniffed though, just in case activation fails. Windows should activate automatically when it connects to the internet. If you have the original recovery media, you can just install Windows with it, and it should automatically activate, as long as the recovery media is from that computer manufacturer. The key on the sticker on the bottom of your laptop is essentially inactive, although it can be used if you lose the recovery media. For these types of installations, one product key is used by essentially all of the computers that manufacturer installs that version of Windows on. If you’ve lost or can’t find the product key, contact the manufacturer. If Windows came preinstalled on your PC, the product key should appear on a sticker on your device. If they match, then activation proceeds automatically. Generally, if you bought a physical copy of Windows, the product key should be on a label or card inside the box that Windows came in. If that code exists, then Windows knows that the computer was manufactured by that OEM, and verifies it against the activation file.

When you get Windows pre-installed on your PC, it comes with special OEM activation files, which tell Windows to check for a certain code on the motherboard of the computer. The reason why your keys are different is a fundamental difference between how OEM activation works and how normal activation works.

It sounds like you've already read the key using some similar software though. First of all, for reference, we have a community-faq post on how to find keys on Windows.

Windows vista product key finder free download