Extracting the product key after a failed dual-boot setup
Extracting the product key after a failed dual-boot setup
Hi everyone, I'm working with a dual-boot setup where Win10 is on the main drive and Win11 runs on a bigger, faster NVMe SSD. The 128GB SATA SSD holds the Win10 installation, while the NVMe holds the newer Win11. I already had Win11 pre-installed on the NVMe when it was bundled with a motherboard I purchased. My goal is to remove Win11 and move everything back to the NVMe so I can upgrade to Win11 later without losing my data. Of course, I’d like to recover the original key from the old Win11 setup before wiping the NVMe, since it wasn’t tied to a Microsoft account. The process seems straightforward except for the boot issue—Win11 keeps showing a blue screen with an NTFS file system error. How would you approach recovering the key? Also, I only need to keep the Win10 key from the old installation. There are photos on the NVMe, but they’re not critical if I need to restore later. Thanks ahead!
Yes, Windows 10 and 11 are essentially the same version. Upgrading is free.
They're using two keys on the same SSID. Do you know whether it's an OEM or retail device?
I've discovered the Windows key listed in the Belarc scan results. The report provides valuable details. Belarc - Advisor 67099cac CyberLink - PowerDVD DVD230428-01 CyberLink - PowerDVD 22 MV49742189549015 CyberLink - PowerDVD 22 DVD230428-01 CyberLink - PowerDVD 22 EV27864993878551 Driver Support - One {5XYZXYAXI53-SHAXOTEDZ-254DC5N-SLIKEILS} Microsoft - Internet Explorer 00330-80000-00000-AA834 (Key: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX) Microsoft - PowerShell 89383-100-0001260-04309 Microsoft - Windows 10 Professional (x64) 00330-80000-00000-AA834 (Key: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX) Link to download at belarc.com
I don’t understand anything about the Win11 activation key. It was set up on the NVMe storage when I purchased it with my motherboard (second-hand, clean setup). My Windows 10 key is original equipment manufacturer.
It seems unclear how the key is obtained, but I'm confident it functions.