Finding operating system

[ojas25]

I can access a hard drive externally and would like to find what operating system is on it?  As I need to format it as I have a windows product key but the operating system information is rubbed out and cannot be read.

[Geek-9pm]

If you do not know what is on it, the product key is of little value.
And even if you knew the name of the OS, the product key may be of not value.
The product key is specific for just one of many versions of an OS.

[ojas25]

I want to format the drive so the product is required but I don't know which OS to run I can access the drive from another computer and see all the folders but don't know where to go to find the OS

[dahlarbear]

A "product key" is not required to "format" a hard drive with a file system.

There is a communication problem somewhere.  Perhaps if you told us how the drive is to be used?

Or are you just trying to "recover" the product key of an operating system that is (or was?) installed on the hard drive?

[JXY]

lol. my interpretation is that ojas has the product key of an OS that was installed on this hard drive, but cannot be booted into, and he wants to know what OS product key he has, then format and clean install the corresponding OS on this currently un-bootable disk of his.

the fact that interpretations are so varied suggests a lil more detail would be helpful

[dahlarbear]

JXY:  After rereading the thread, I think you got it right...
--dahlarbear

ojas25:  Give the Nirsoft ProduKey program a try.  It has capability to read "product keys" from current running operating system or non-running operating system on same or different hard drive.  It will list:
    o  Product Name           - e.g "Windows XP Professional"
    o  Product ID               -       "xxxxx-xxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx"
    o  Product Key             -       "xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx"
    o  Installation Folder      - e.g "I:\WINDOWS"
    o  Service Pack            - e.g. "Service Pack 3"
    o  Computer Name         
    o  Modified Time

Read the documentation within the above link.

To access other operating systems within "ProduKey" access "File -> Select Source".