Windows 10: Why do I find two different Windows7 product keys on the same laptop?

I have a Samsung RF511 laptop, which I bought brand-new. It came with Windows 7 Home Premium as the OEM installed operating system. I'm preparing to upgrade it to Windows 10, so I have been doing the preparatory reading of all the excellent tutorials by @Brink on the ways to do so. I've made one curious discovery, and wonder if anyone can explain it. The laptop has the genuine CoA sticker, which gives a Microsoft product key for the Win7 Home Premium OEM install. Just for interest, I ran ShowKeyPlus. In fact the latest version (1.1.14.1) wouldn't run - it just showed the revolving "loading" symbol. Maybe @Superfly can explain why? (EDIT: I just noticed the note in Github that in 1.1.14.1 "Windows 7 is no longer supported (apart from key checking)"). So I ran version 1.0.5730. That gave me the expected details for the Win7 OS - product name, product ID, installed key.... and notes that the OEM key has the marker present in the firmware. The curious thing is that the installed key revealed by ShowKeyPlus is different from the key on the CoA sticker. Now, if I simply do an in-place upgrade to Win10 using the Media Creation Tool (I would like to keep my apps, settings and data) I hope and believe that the product key will be applied automatically as it is in the firmware, and Win10 will be activated without the need to manually enter a product key. But if for any reason now or later I want to do a clean install, and anyway because it seems a wise precaution to have a separate note of the product key, which of the two product keys (the CoA or the ShowKeyPlus one) is in fact the one to keep on file? And what is the explanation anyway for the existence of the two different keys?

:)

 

Product key not recognized

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to respond to my query. I have to say some of the suggestions assume a tech capability beyond me.

I think I will find the original receipt, go back to the shop, and ask them for the Product Key, then try again. I suspect it was an unauthorized copy. Maybe that will work.

 

how to return to windows7

Hi,



We would like to verify some additional information. Please help us verify the following information below:

• Have you tried Andre Da Costa’s suggestions?
• Do you still have the retail product key?

You can refer to this
link on how to download Windows 7 Disc Images (ISO Files). Please take note that if you don’t have the retail product key you can’t continue with the download.



Keep us posted.

 

Valid Win7 Product Key not accepted by Win 10 upgrade

Hi,

I did not realise I had been at all vague, my apologies.

Unfortunately my neighbour now has his laptop back as I got nowhere. I have suggested he wait until the windows 10 upgrade system makes it available through windows update (it is in the queue).

As stated, I have tried running from the media created by the media creation tool to a USB (this is what I used to successfully upgrade my laptop and surface Pro). I have also run the media creation tool and opted for it to upgrade directly rather than save the files.

The operating system is Win7 Home premium OEM version. The key is valid and I re-validated it to be sure with the MS online actvation system. The laptop is 64-bit.

On each occasion it goes through the initial install steps and then gets to the screen where it asks for the product key.

On this screen there is no skip option and as the product key is not accepted, the only option is to cancel the install.

For some reason the upgrade seems to be taking a different path on this machine and does not give the skip option.

Regards
Mike