Windows 10: Different product keys. Which one is correct?

Hi all.

I need to reinstall windows because my updater won't install or even find the 2004 spring update anymore. Figured a clean install would help. I watched some tutorials, and they say I should not be asked for a product key (or to skip that part) for some reason, but better safe than sorry I always say.

I tried a few methods to retrieve the key, but I'm having a bit of a problem.

First method was to type this command in the command prompt : wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey. But it doesn't generate a key for some reason. I know this is not a pirated windows, I bought the PC with windows included.

Second method was to download an app from NirSoft. But when I run the application I get a pop-up saying Windows cannot run this program as it contains either a virus or some other thing.

Third method was simple : look for the sticker on the back of the PC. Okay. Pen and paper never fails. So I wrote it down.

Not satisfied for some reason, I looked into a fourth method. It consists of typing some stuff in Notepad, and saving the file as productkey.vbs. This creates a new icon, and clicking it pops up a window with a product key. They say it retrieves it from the registry I think.

So now I have two product keys, but they're not the same! I have two very different ones. Even the number of letters and numbers are different. One is ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE. The other is ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE.

What is this sorcery?

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:)

 

Different Product Keys

I am trying to determine the product key for system incase I need to reinstall windows. I have a windows 10 install along with a product key I used to activate windows. However when I run this command in powershell "wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get
OA3xOriginalProductKey" I get a different product key. Which of these keys is the correct product keys is the correct key I should record?

 

Identifying the correct product key

Might be useful to have a tiny text file listing each computer with its windows edition and product key, and that file residing in some data place on each computer, or, maybe a printout or two.

 

Different Product Keys

Hi Ikkena

The product key that Powershell command returned is the correct product key

However, you will never need it, Windows 10 licencing is totally different to previous versions of Windows. When you initially activated Windows on your PC a unique identifier for your PC was generated form your hardware and that is stored on the Microsoft
Activation Servers in the form of a digital entitlement for your PC to run Windows 10.

If you check your Activation (Settings - Update and Security - Activation) you will see that Windows 10 is activated with a digital licence

Should you ever need to re-install Windows 10 in the future, since you previously had Windows 10 installed and activated on that PC during the installation process skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 10
on this PC', and activation will not be an issue, your PC will have a digital entitlement stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers