Windows 10: Found 2 license keys in Registry

Discus and support Found 2 license keys in Registry in Windows 10 Updates and Activation to solve the problem; Recently I performed a clean install of Windows 10 Pro, version 20H2. I used the Media Creation Tool to do so and ended up with Windows 10 Home.... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Updates and Activation' started by Tink009, May 4, 2021.

  1. Tink009 Win User

    Found 2 license keys in Registry


    Recently I performed a clean install of Windows 10 Pro, version 20H2. I used the Media Creation Tool to do so and ended up with Windows 10 Home. Eventually I was able to get Windows 10 Pro installed and everything is working. The thing I noticed was that both versions of Windows activated with no problem. In the past when I did this the Media Creation Tool installed the Windows edition that was previously installed on other computers. I started doing web searches to find out where the license were stored on the computer and one search pointed me to looking in the registry. Under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\, I found entries for a DefaultProductKey and a DefaultProductKey2. The first has the information for Windows 10 Home and the other is for Windows 10 Pro. Before I do anything rash, could this be why the Media Creation Tool behaves as it does? I seldom have a reason to have to do a reinstall and I currently have a USB drive that works, but if I needed to recreate new media it would help not to have to repeat this.

    :)
     
    Tink009, May 4, 2021
    #1
  2. Tink009 Win User

    Found 2 license keys in Registry

    I bought the computer from a retailer with Windows 10 Pro already installed. When I registered the computer with Dell, I found out that the computer shipped from Dell with Windows 10 Home. So the computer has an OEM license for Windows Home and a retail license for Windows Pro. Both licenses are digitally linked to my Microsoft account.
    I've gone digging into my computer to find out what those keys are, as they were not with the computer's documentation when I got it. That's when I found both license keys in the registry
    The way I reinstalled Windows 10 Pro was to add a .cfg file to the Sources folder on the USB drive.
    [EditionID]
    Professional [Channel] OEM
    Given that I had to go through several hoops to get the correct edition of Windows installed and that I found two entries in the registry for DefaultProductKey, if I were to swap the product key names in the registry would that affect how the Media Creation Tool works or will I just have to remember that I have modify the Source folder when I use the MCT?
    I'll record both keys and put them someplace where I might remember. I'm just wondering if there's a lazy man's way to get around this issue.

    FWIW - The generic license key did not work when I tried to use it
     
    Tink009, May 4, 2021
    #2
  3. Frogger Win User
    Modded Registry. Want Old Back....

    did you try this

    To restore the registry
    Open Registry Editor.
    Click Options, and then click Print to print these instructions. (If you are using the Help and Support Center, click Print above the topic area.) They will not be available after you shut down your computer in step 2.
    Click Start, and then click Shut Down.
    In the list, click Restart, and then click OK.
    When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press F8.
    Use the arrow keys to highlight Last Known Good Configuration, and then press ENTER.
    NUM LOCK must be off before the arrow keys on the numeric keypad will function.

    Use the arrow keys to highlight an operating system, and then press ENTER.
    Caution

    Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on your computer.
    Notes

    To open Registry Editor, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
    Choosing Last Known Good Configuration provides a way to recover from problems such as a newly added driver that may be incorrect for your hardware. It does not solve problems caused by corrupted or missing drivers or files.
    When you choose Last Known Good Configuration, Windows restores information in registry key HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet only. Any changes you have made in other registry keys remain.
     
    Frogger, May 4, 2021
    #3
  4. Darkfalz Win User

    Found 2 license keys in Registry

    Can NOT remove ATITool registry key!

    It's low priority to stop ATITool from making undeletable class keys in the reigstry?

    That's about one rung above spyware.

    What bothers me most is that I'm pretty sure you can't protect a registry key by any simple means, something must still be running somewhat that is protecting that key. Even after I manually removed the service. That's what bothers me.
     
    Darkfalz, May 4, 2021
    #4
Thema:

Found 2 license keys in Registry

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