Is there a way to get the Windows license number off an older laptop? I have an old Toshiba that is not a bottom-line machine that I would like to format and reinstall Windows. Get the Toshiba garbage off of the machine. It isn't for important work, just to mess around on and possibly use photo editing software. Started out Windows 7 and upgraded to Windows 10. Thanks for any help.

https://showkeyplus.en.lo4d.com/windows

This is what I use. It'll pull the key assigned to the machine if it is hard coded. It'll also tell you what's currently installed.

If you don't find it, Windows 10 runs just fine with no key applied as well. I was in a similar boat where the key rubbed off from the bottom of the laptop and I needed to reinstall Windows. It periodically adds a non-intrusive watermark to the desktop indicating to activate it, and limits some of the customization, but works fine.

If the sticker is missing off the bottom or isn't hidden underneath the battery assuming it boots:

See method 2 here to get the product key from the command line

If you don't have the original Windows 7 install disc you can download ISOs of various releases from archive.org . Not sure if it'll have to be from a Toshiba specific install disc or if all the OEMs used the same one.

Or if you feel like just installing 7 and going the KMS route to get around activation I can walk you through that. There's also a similar solution for Windows 10.

If i'm reading the op correctly, you have an old laptop currently running Windows 10 and you just want to do a fresh install? If that's the case, you do not need the activation key.

boy09 said:

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If i'm reading the op correctly, you have an old laptop currently running Windows 10 and you just want to do a fresh install? If that's the case, you do not need the activation key.

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This is what I am wanting to do. I suppose I would need to download it prior to formatting the drive?


I appreciate all the suggestions. Thanks.

Download the Windows Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB drive for the fresh Windows install. Your drive will be formatted during the installation anyway, so you don't really have to do that if you don't want.

During the Windows installation, it may prompt you to enter your activation key, but you can just skip that step. If the install isn't automatically verified, you can do it after the re-install is done.

boy09 said:

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Download the Windows Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB drive for the fresh Windows install. Your drive will be formatted during the installation anyway, so you don't really have to do that if you don't want.

During the Windows installation, it may prompt you to enter your activation key, but you can just skip that step. If the install isn't automatically verified, you can do it after the re-install is done.

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I will do the creation tool. I have built the last 3 PCs in the house and totally forgot about the tag with the key code which I found on the bottom. It is for Windows 7. Re-install will get rid of the Toshiba junk?

I really appreciate the help.

BMo said:

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boy09 said:

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Download the Windows Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB drive for the fresh Windows install. Your drive will be formatted during the installation anyway, so you don't really have to do that if you don't want.

During the Windows installation, it may prompt you to enter your activation key, but you can just skip that step. If the install isn't automatically verified, you can do it after the re-install is done.

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I will do the creation tool. I have built the last 3 PCs in the house and totally forgot about the tag with the key code which I found on the bottom. It is for Windows 7. Re-install will get rid of the Toshiba junk?

I really appreciate the help.

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As long as you're using the microsoft tool and not pulling an image from toshiba, it should just be a clean install (i.e. only the spam Microsoft includes.)

Thanks.

Unfortunately, the Toshiba apps are still on the machine after the re-install. Can that stuff just be removed through the uninstall screen?

BMo said:

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Unfortunately, the Toshiba apps are still on the machine after the re-install. Can that stuff just be removed through the uninstall screen?

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It should. You may have to go to the "programs" screen in the control panel to see them all. Sometimes programs like that don't show up in the "apps" settings.

Should be able to be.

Toshiba has a light bloatware load compared with the HPs I ended up with. On top of it they also had Epson, iTunes, and Adobe crap doing all sorts of things in the background. Those were bad enough to pull software keys from, reformat, and start over.

BMo said:

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Unfortunately, the Toshiba apps are still on the machine after the re-install. Can that stuff just be removed through the uninstall screen?

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If you installed with the Windows Media Creation tool linked above and formatted the HD, you shouldn't have the bloatware.

I re-installed this morning and Toshiba is only on the outside now. I tried to save some stuff the first time but didn't this AM. Thanks for the help.