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I have several retail copies of Windows 7. Normally I make a note of which product key was used to activate which PC. Unfortunately, I slipped up.

I've just reinstalled Windows 7 on a PC, and I'd like to activate it. How do I audit my other PCs to find out which product key I used, so that I know which key to use for the reinstall?

The value in Computer Properties (that looks like 00123-012-1234567-12345) is not the one I'm referring to. This is the "Product ID".

I'm referring to the key that would normally be on the DVD case; the one that looks like AAAA1-B2222B-C3CCC-4DDDD-EEEE5. This, confusingly, is sometimes referred to as the "Product Key".

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I'm not sure about Windows 7, but in XP, I think it's: right-click My Computer -> Properties -> General tab, somewhere in there. – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Aug 3 '10 at 19:16
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???????????????? What r u talkin' 'bout? – r0ca Aug 3 '10 at 19:18
@Frustrated - I don't think you are referring to the same thing. – JNK Aug 3 '10 at 19:20
He was refering to the Product ID – r0ca Aug 3 '10 at 19:30
yeah probably. ignore my comment. ;) – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Aug 3 '10 at 19:31
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3 Answers

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+1 on Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder. I've used it many times to help friends recover their Windows product keys. Link

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Directions here.

The jist is you need to get a 3rd party program, since it's in the registry but encrypted.

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I've had good luck with the Magical Jellybean Keyfinder. Works like a charm. – Slartibartfast Aug 4 '10 at 2:21
MJK works great. – Shinrai Aug 10 '10 at 22:44
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Not sure in win 7 but on XP's label where you find the Activation Key, there is the product id too. Slightly different but the end is the same and you can identify who is who this way.

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Useful, but these are actually MSDN licenses (even though they're retail, rather than multi-activation or VL), so there's no label, unfortunately. – Roger Lipscombe Aug 4 '10 at 8:24
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