Windows 10: How do I find my original activation key for my retail Windows on my PC?

I purchased Windows 8.1 years ago and eventually upgraded it to Windows 10. How can I find my original activation key that was written on the card inside the tiny box I purchased for 100$+ a few years ago?I am able to find a different key maybe my windows 10 key? using the 3 methods everyone posts online. Is there a way for me to find my original key the same one written on the physical box I purchased?I am having trouble transferring my retail license from my old PC to my new PC. I only want it to be on one computer.Thank you.

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Upgrading a PC and Retail Keys

My current desktop PC started life with a Windows 8 Pro retail key and now has the latest version of Windows 10 activated by a digital key linked to my MS account.

I want to change the motherboard, CPU, memory & system drive with a clean install so I guess Windows 10 will not automatically activate. What are the essential steps to deactivate the key currently in use and ensure it activates using the new hardware?

 

activate windows 7 oem key

There is no difference between the OEM disc and the Retail disc with Windows 7. A retail disc will accept a OEM or Retail key, and vise versa.

If the OEM Key wasn't going to work with the disc you have, it would have stopped you during the install when it first asked you for the key, not during activation.

What is likely the problem is that, since the OEM version has already been activated once, it is failing activation again. Activate it over the phone using the option given to you on the failed activation screen, and you shouldn't have a problem activating it.

 

Upgrading a PC and Retail Keys

Neither will be needed for a clean install to the original machine. As NavyLCDR says, your W10 key is the generic Pro key. If asked for a key in a clean install then click 'I don't have one', install Pro (setup will automatically use the generic key) and it will activate from the existing digital licence as soon as it can connect to the Microsoft activation servers.

If the machine was built and supplied with W8 pre-installed by the OEM then the W8 key is embedded in the bios firmware. You won't even be asked for a key of which edition to install, setup will read the embedded key and use that.

If you are building a new machine, and your W8 key is a Retail one (not an OEM pre-installed one) then use the W8 key, but you should uninstall Windows from the machine you previously used this key on. A Retail key is transferable, but can only be used on one machine at a time.