Windows 10- how to retrieve license number after blue screen pc death

[Jadwiga Brodziewska]

Hi!

I have a bit strange situation, I bought a Toshiba laptop several years ago (I think 3 years ago), it came with Win 8, last year it was qualified for free upgrade to Win 10 which I happily did. So far so good. Unfortunately last month my laptop broke down, All of a sudden I experienced sth called "blue screen death". I was not able to reboot the computer, tried everything from troubleshooting, nothing worked. I gave my pc to service, they said that it is not sure I will be able to retrieve any data from it, but they will try. After a week I got my pc back, with reinstalled Windows 10 (but local Hungarian, not English version I used) and after 2 weeks my laptop started to ask about license key to enter in settings panel (pop-up window).

What I would like to have now is my "old" english- version Windows, but to I don't have the license key. Any idea how can I get it? Is there a way to track my Windows product key based on my e-mail address? I tried checking Toshiba order, but it is to old to be stored... I have no idea how to solve it. Obviously I shouldn't and I am afraid that soon I won't be able to use even local Windows version... is there a way to retireve my license key now?

Thanks for help
Jagi

 

[Tim Locke]

Ask the service place if they replaced the motherboard in the machine...that would cause the machine to lose its activation...I am not sure if a different language version would do that also...maybe?

 

[Trouble]

I remember a while back, one of our members having some trouble with activation and it had to do with his re-installing Windows 10 using the English (language) version and he apparently needed the "Single Language" version.
While I'm not certain what the exact distinction is between the two, evidently it did result in an activation problem. When he acquired the proper version and completed the clean install with that, his activation issue went away.

 

[Bruce Banks]

I had a Toshiba laptop years ago. The license key was under the removable battery. My current Think Pad uses the same location. Where the repair was done may also be an issue as Windows has regional versions. This happened to a Chinese student while trying a re-install at local Canadian University

 

[davehc]

First, make an image/backup of your existing installation.

Assuming the motherboard was not changed. :

Make a thorough check of which, exact, version you had (See Trouble's post) Once you have got that, go to
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10
and download the Media creation tool. This will enable you to reinstall Windows 10. At the start of the installation, when asked, do not put in the key. At the end of the installation, the OS should be automatically activated.

 

[Bruce Banks]

A thought. All else fails, there are bootable apps that can recover OS keys.
I used one recently to re-install Win 10 on refurbished PC. I Used "https://recover-keys.com/" which is free to try. Another app is OphCrack
I burned / paid for both but . then, I have active PCs ranging from 98SE - XP - 7 - 10

 

[davehc]

The op seems to have left us. Possibly found a solution elsewhere.