Windows 10: Activating Windows without a product key

Hoping someone could help me out.


Last year, I bought a laptop secondhand. I believed that it had been set up properly but have found that everytime it updates, it practically factory resets. After some investigation, I believe that it was not properly activated and needs its product key. I do not know the product key and may have only been on a sticker in the first place. I am looking for help on what I can do to activate the laptop properly so it will not erase my information after every update. I don't have the product key and I am not finding help anywhere else online for what I can do next.


If I am right about the product activation causing these issues, could you please suggest a resolution? I have gotten in touch with the retailer who sold me the laptop but I am not confident that they will still have information about it like the product key.


Much Appreciated!

:)

 

Activate windows 10 after re-installing (I have lost my product key)

I own a Lenovo T430 laptop. In 2017, I installed Windows 10 using my original Windows 7 product key. Unfortunately, I cannot find that product key anymore. I need to re-install windows 10. Will it be automatically activated after the installation, if I skip the step of asking the product key during the installation?

In my opinion, I believe that my laptop will have a digital entitlement stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers and this will not be a problem. Is that true?

If not, please suggest me a solution or a workaround.

 

Product key

Hi Megan,

A product key is used when activating a software.
To help us determine the appropriate troubleshooting steps that can resolve your concern, we'd like to ask the following questions:

• What product are you trying to activate?
• Are you looking for the product key to activate your Office application?
• Which version of Office are you trying to activate? To check this, you can perform the steps posted on this
  link.
• Are you looking for the product key to activate your Windows?

We look forward to your response.

 

Windows 10 product key error

Hi Piyush,

Thank you for posting your reply.

I suggest you to activate the copy of Windows via phone by following the steps below:

• Press “Windows key + R” and type “slui 4” and press Enter.
• Select your Region/Country.
• Select the Phone Activation option, and hold on for a real person.

Hope the information is helpful.

Regards