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So I have this laptop that had Windows 7 original and I updated to Windows 10, so I got a digital key. Since 2 weeks ago my PC got infected and I formatted but I wasn't smart enough to see which Windows 10 version I had(Pro, Home,etc) and I directly formatted my PC to Windows 10 Pro after that it said that it couldn't activate Windows so I tried a random key on the internet (I didn't knew I had a digital key). I was searching I found about the digital keys. Now my questions is if I format it to the right Windows 10 version will it still have the digital key or did I lost her because I tried to change to a random one? Or is there a way to see all the keys on a PC so I can recover the right one and insert it on the right Windows Version?

  • I presume the random key didn't work for obvious reasons it was either a generic key and wasn't eligible to be used to activate an installation of Windows or it was a pirated key which of course would only work if you installed malware on your computer to break the activation process of Windows. – Ramhound Aug 17 '17 at 18:52

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Now my questions is if I format it to the right Windows 10 version will it still have the digital key or did I lost her because I tried to change to a random one?

Once you have installed the same version of Windows 10 you had installed which based on the information you provided appears to have been Windows 10 Home you won't have to do anything in order for it to automatically activate. Windows 10 automatically activates based on a digital entitlement, since your machine already has an digital entitlement for Windows 10, Windows 10 Home will automatically activated itself.

Additionally, when prompted to enter your product key, skip that step and/or enter the Windows 7 key located on the COA sticker on your device.

Or is there a way to see all the keys on a PC so I can recover the right one and insert it on the right Windows Version?

Any license key you would have retrieved before you decided to format your machine would have been a generic key which cannot be used to activate nor install Windows 10. So it would have served absolutely no purpose in retrieving that key.

The only tool that would have given you the Windows 7 license key would have been ShowKeyPlus but it is located on the sticker so you don't need a tool to determine it (you also don't need it to reinstall Windows 10).

Ramhound
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  • Since the author failed to provided vital information about their Windows 7 key I had to make some assumptions. It doesn't change my answer though, Windows 10 will only automatically activate, based on the (original) valid digital entitlement. – Ramhound Aug 17 '17 at 18:55
  • [Windows 10 digital license](https://superuser.com/questions/1120361/windows-10-digital-license?rq=1) – Ramhound Aug 17 '17 at 18:55
  • [When I format my laptop, will I lose Windows?](https://superuser.com/questions/1163656/when-i-format-my-laptop-will-i-lose-windows/1163662#1163662) – Ramhound Aug 17 '17 at 18:56
  • [Can the Pro version of Windows 10 be installed by the Media Creation Tool?](https://superuser.com/questions/1005471/can-the-pro-version-of-windows-10-be-installed-by-the-media-creation-tool/1005477#1005477) – Ramhound Aug 17 '17 at 18:58
  • [Upgrade from Windows 7 Home to Windows 10 Pro](https://superuser.com/questions/1151555/upgrade-from-windows-7-home-to-windows-10-pro) – Ramhound Aug 17 '17 at 18:59
  • So the random key I used doesn't matter because if I fomart it again to the Home version instead of Pro it will use the old key and not the one I tried to use from the internet right? –  Aug 17 '17 at 19:03
  • I know nothing about the random key you tried. I just know how Windows 10 activates. I am not going to make any statement based on incomplete information. If you are worried then input your Windows 7 when when prompted for a product key. A Windows 10 Home installation cannot be activated with a pirated/ineligible Windows 10 Professional product code. – Ramhound Aug 17 '17 at 19:12