1

I've recently bought a unknown brand laptop called Aocwei and I'm trying to release the CDKey to reinstall Windows from scratch

I've tested all methods known:

  1. All the ideas and scripts here: Extracting Windows 10 license keys from machines

The CDKey that returns is: BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB

  1. All the Nirsoft's options, including both License Scanner and the classic one. They return a key like this: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-6MT6Y

  2. Also tried the commands for OEM firmware, both from the previous post and the microsoft answers page: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-recover-your-windows-product-key/8687ef5d-4d32-41fc-9310-158f8e5f02e3

All return nothing at all.

  1. There is no sticker anywhere in the box and the laptop case, neither even in the compartments (I've used the screwdriver to check)

  2. Also tried Show Key Plus software: No success either, it returns nothing, MAK key not available and OEM key not present in the firmware.

Don't know what else I may try. I clearly can see that the Windows 10 Pro is licensed under the Windows properties tab, but no way to extract such Product Key

Any other ideas to help me out?

SirLouen
  • 63
  • 1
  • 1
  • 6
  • Why do you need to release the key. It is OEM (you say) and so the key and licensing is in the licensing server. – John Sep 21 '22 at 23:20
  • 1
    OEM key is stored in the bios, when you install windows it will pull it from the bios, in other words you don't need a key. – Moab Sep 21 '22 at 23:25
  • It's unnecessary to "release" an OEM Windows license. One simply just reinstalls Windows on the device. Since it's impossible to transfer an OEM Windows license, it's unclear, the reason you need to know what your Windows license key is. Windows will automatically detect and activate your OEM license. – Ramhound Sep 22 '22 at 00:34
  • "There is no sticker anywhere in the box " - OEM devices only come with a COA, the COA on WIndows 8+ newer devices, DO NOT have the license key printed on them, this has been the case for more than a decade. – Ramhound Sep 22 '22 at 00:42
  • 1
    That looks potentially a bit dodgy. I googled the last bits of the key and its a volume licence key - meant for 'bulk' installs. I've found *many* random chinese PCs just reinstall but a back up of the system in the state its in is a good idea – Journeyman Geek Sep 22 '22 at 00:44
  • @JourneymanGeek - Was it linked to a volume license or a generic key? Devices upgraded from a previous version of Windows to Windows 10 were assigned the same Pro and Home generic license keys. If it's a Windows 10 Professional VLK then it's likely as you said legitmant. – Ramhound Sep 22 '22 at 02:01
  • @Ramhound I didn't check tbh, I was going to do a temporary install to check some info about the system, then throw another OS on it. Then I got distracted ._.. Its quite happily running windows 11 these days after an adventure with bricked firmware :D – Journeyman Geek Sep 22 '22 at 02:18
  • @John Moab Ramhound how do you know that it is a OEM license? I seriously doubt so. I feel it's something else like Journeyman Geek suggested This said: The XXXXX-XXXXX I inputed there, are real XXXXX in the Nirsoft program, I'm not obfuscating this. So basically I have no means of picking the Key and I'm 100% uncertain if I will be able to retrieve it during the reinstall. This laptop doesn't have UEFI but an old AMS BIOS. – SirLouen Sep 22 '22 at 08:23
  • The majority of user (non-company) licenses are OEM - probably more than 90% – John Sep 22 '22 at 11:58

1 Answers1

0

There is no need for those third party apps that reveal your Win10 Product Key. It can be done natively in windows.

Try typing the following command into a CMD window:

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

If you continue to get BBBB returned as the result then you might be looking at a license that was applied some other way. For example, there was once an influx of eBay sellers that were selling Win10 product keys for next to nothing - using a telephone activation method illegally exploiting the licensing system. Perhaps the license you have on that machine is not a legit one.

Mastaxx
  • 1,040
  • 8
  • 19