Windows 10: Autounattend with no product key?

Hi all. My first post here so please bear with me. I found the installation tutorials on this forum very useful and I've been using unattended setups for a while now. My question is about the product key section of the autounattend file. In Windows 10 ver 2004 and earlier I was able to remove the <UserData> section completely from amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Setup__neutral from the windowsPE pass. The OS image would be selected by specifying the Image name as per microsoft documentation https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...lfrom-metadata The OS would then install without a product key and activation in the Windows settings app will then show "No product Key was found on your device" Since ver. 20H2 I noticed that the same answer file would come up with an error saying Windows cannot read the <Product Key> from the unattend start file However, while testing this I found that if I leave the product key empty and set <WillShowUI> to "always" the installation comes up with the window where it asks for the product key and if I select "I don't have a product key" it continues without complaining that <Product Key> is empty. Code: <ImageInstall> <OSImage> <InstallTo> <DiskID>0</DiskID> <PartitionID>4</PartitionID> </InstallTo> <InstallToAvailablePartition>false</InstallToAvailablePartition> <InstallFrom> <MetaData wcm:action="add"> <Key>/IMAGE/NAME</Key> <Value>Windows 10 Pro</Value> </MetaData> </InstallFrom> <WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI> </OSImage> </ImageInstall> <UserData> <ProductKey> <WillShowUI>Always</WillShowUI> </ProductKey> <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula> </UserData> Obviously the fact that I have to click "I don't have a product key" defeats the purpose of it being automated, so my question is, has anyone here found a way to automate the install without a generic product key on ver 20H2 or 21H1? Or do you think it's by design that Microsoft changed this so that the product key option cannot be skipped anymore?

:)

 

Where is my Product Key if I want to re-install?


Like davidhk said. But if you really want to see your windows key, I would suggest Belarc advisor. It will give you some useful information about your system, product keys of your software is among them (not only Microsoft, you will have listed most of your keys).

 

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.

 

i know the product id but forget the product key

Hello,





There is still a way to search for your product key. Kindly follow the steps below for you to know your product key:

• Press Windows key + X
• Click Command Prompt (admin)
• Enter the following command: wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
• Then hit Enter

The product key will be revealed, copy the product key then enter it.

Give us an update on what happens.