Does Gateway copy propduct key into the firmware?

[Geek-9pm]

I have yet another problem. But not critical But I ought to fix it.

I was given a Gateway  from a relative before she went to Oregon
It is a SX2110G 6 GB 64 bit with a 500 GB Hard drive.
It might be about seven years old. Maybe. 

It was windows 8.1 an was upgraded by her to Windows 10 home 64 bit.
Well, to make along story short, I messed  up and lost  Windows. 

I was able to install a new Windows 10 for the insider program and it works.

 But, here is the bad  part, it says I have to activate it. And it seems to think I am using my other PC.   

Now this is not an urgent matter, I use it for  for experiments and as aback up.

But I am thinking maybe I ought to think more about  activation.

But I thin the gateway is different from my Dell. Somewhere I read  the Gateway product key is in the BIOS firmware. Is that true?

Anything you know about Gateway will help.I have not had a Gateway for years. I do remember that somehow Gateway would tie the Windows installation into the hard drive. But that was many years ago. I think it was Windows ME.

Any ideas?

[VintronNZ]

Hi Geek,

Well i know this is after the fact but if you had of made a windows restore pen drive or DVD on the gateway it would have restored windows and activated if it needed to automatically.
Now it is to late, normally when you get into activation issues with  Windows 10 from an upgrade I have had to buy a windows key for the version of windows installed.

I would really like to know another way if anyone has found one.

Remember if you don't have any windows recovery media for the computer, use the tool in windows to make one. Update it often, like after each service pack update. It will re install windows or repair problems.

This link shows how https://support.microsoft.com/en-nz/help/4026852/windows-create-a-recovery-drive
   
 

[Geek-9pm]

VintronNZ,
Thanks for you reply.
Much to my embarrassment, I did make a recovery for the Gateway.
But I either forgot what I did with it, or I used the pen drive for another project

I need some pills to help me with my memory...
- My doctor gave me some, but I misplaced them. 

It would be nice if the computer itself would remember the product key.

Wait, Google just found something...

Windows 10 Embedded Product Key Tool

I hope this is not an April flirt joke...   

[patio]

It would depend solely on when the Gateway MBoard was manufactured...

Your mistake was using an existing image to install Win10...that violates the EULA.

Have you tried it with a clean ISO ? ?

If it installs proper MS is only a phone call away to verify registration....that is if she in fact did so.

As of now it's not a legal install.

[Geek-9pm]

....
Have you tried it with a clean ISO ? ?

How do I get one?

[patio]

Media Creator Tool...

You will need a empty USB stik...8g or bigger...

[Geek-9pm]

OK. I am doing the thing now.
Takes awhile to prepare the USB thing.

[Geek-9pm]

It is still running. On the Gateway. (Right now I am on the  Dell.)
My download speed is about 5 Mbps.
I started the Media Creation Tool almost an hour ago. It might take two hours.
Now it is it is only 60% finished the download of the image for the USB stick.

I think I will go watch another episode of Star Trek Voyager and check back. 

[Geek-9pm]

Time goes by.....    OK. Got it to work.
I installed Windows 10 home 64 bit on the Gateway  SX 2110 G Desktop.

I did the log in with the Windows account associated with that PC.
Then I rebooted.Works good.

Then I went to find the product key, bot it. Used a tool.
(The key is in firmware. Gateway began doing it with Windows 8.)
Boot up system.

Next  I went to enter the product key and noticed it  was already activated.
It says it is activated before I enter the product key.

Never mind. OK. I will go no further.

Please do not tell me why. I do not want any more details about how activation works. I have a headache.  

[patio]

What Tool ? ?

[Salmon Trout]

Rolls eyes.

[Geek-9pm]

There's a software tool the recovers the Windows product key from the firmware.
Gateway put the product key in firmware with Windows 8 and the area of firmware s is called NVRAM for non volatile RAM. One source below says it was eatery as Windows 7 for some laptops. The makers did not want to put stickers on the laptops,so they burnt the key into the firmware.
See here:
https://www.pcsteps.com/4198-get-windows-8-1-product-key-bios/

On a laptop that came with Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 preinstalled, we never need to enter the Windows 8.1 product key manually.

I tried it on  the Gateway SX 2110G and it gave a 25 char string that looks like a real product key. I was all ready to enter it in the place where you can change it, and noticed that it was already activated. That is when roll l my eyes. I can't believe it.

What was different this time?I had chosen a different version of Windows 10.! It seems that the firmware wants a specific version of Windows. I guess.

Or, thinking about it, might it was because I signed in with a valid Windows account that was used before on that same PC.  Does that seem plausible?

Anyway, now I am a legal beagle.

[Salmon Trout]

Geek, you are weird. Most people, if a PC says "I am activated" leave well alone.

[Geek-9pm]

Geek, you are weird. Most people, if a PC says "I am activated" leave well alone.

Let my elaborate.
The first time it was not. I had used a Windows insider version.
So I did  the media creation tool, recommended by Patio . I got the standard Windoss 10 home 64 bit.
And I used the firmware probe to make sure I had the product key.

It did  install, I entered my windows account for that PC and went to the area where you finds the place where it says you have to activate. It is very tiny print, my vision is very poor. I almost missed it, I was about ready to change the product key, I then I saw that it was already activated. At that point I really get confused.

None of this would have happened if I had a full backup oft the  Gateway before I started to change thing son it.