How to Recover Windows 10 Key From Bios
If there is a licence key provided by the manufacturer of the device (HP, Acer etc.) it is embedded in the bios. Open a PowerShell (Admin) and enterwmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey press return.
A 25 character key will be displayed if it is available.
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Hello, I'm Virginia an independent advisor with 20 years of expertise in fixing my own & friends' PC problems.
Did the PC come with Windows 8/8.1 or 10? If so then there's no key in the BIOS but instead will have a digital entitlement to use Windows which is connected to your Microsoft account. Providing you sign in with a Microsoft account you'll be able to reinstall Windows, skip entering a key & it'll activate.
If it came with Windows 7 or earlier then there will be a key in the BIOS.
Run this cmd within powershell with admin powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey"
Or wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey if using cmd prompt.
Or: Check this program to reveal if there's a key embedded in the BIOS:
https://neosmart.net/OemKey/
Or: Download and run this: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/showkeyplus/9... to find all keys used on the PC.
If it doesn't show any key then don't worry as this is normal if the PC came with Windows 10.
If it shows a key then please let me know - do not post the key.
Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.
Virginia - Time Lady.
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If there is a licence key provided by the manufacturer of the device (HP, Acer etc.) it is embedded in the bios. Open a PowerShell (Admin) and enterwmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey press return.
A 25 character key will be displayed if it is available.
Please forgive me if I seem dim. I shall explain the scenario.
I have devices galore between my office and my home, I can bud a PC from scratch and have a good understanding of most technology. I own a business that provides VoIP, Internet, Contact Centers, Video Conf etc but not a PC dealer as such although we do provide them for applications such as Xima call recording , Avaya voicemail pro etc if required.
I have several Intel NUC PC's that have come back after short lease and one has had the Password changed, I have no key, no media and no password. The guy that set them up and may have the admin password is long gone and left nothing relted to this particular machine. I do think it was the end user that has reset the PC.
I want to reset this NUC so I can sell or use it, seems stupid to chuck it out or destroy for parts
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An embedded licence is supplied by the manufacturer if they provided an OEM licence for Windows 10 pre-installed on the device. (in your case this Intel NUC PC) If you bought it without an operating system and installed Windows 10 then you provided the licence and when the device connected to the internet after Windows 10 was installed it was registered against the PC hardware. (the motherboard) If you clean install Windows 10, with the edition that was previously activated then you don't need to know the licence key as it will activate automatically. (the device licence is registered on Microsoft activation servers)
A reset will effectively provide Windows 10 as a clean install and again will activate automatically.
Does that help.?
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How to Recover Windows 10 Key From Bios
Source: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/where-is-windows-key-in-bios/49d8df6c-1e86-4a83-a5d8-788ffc173726