When Windows 8 machines started hitting shelves without the previously common license key label on the side, it removed the possibility of using those stickers to activate installations on the same computer after recovery or repair. If you’ve been handed a Windows 8 machine and you need to replace the hard drive and get Windows 8 installed and activated again, here’s a simple process to get the system back up and activated again.

There have been workarounds before Windows 8 if you lost your license sticker or can’t find where you stored your key. Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder has been able to extract keys from Windows 7 and previous operating system versions for some time now. However, the Windows 8 key is now tied to the original machine instead of having the ability to be installed on other machines if that machine bites the dust. So if you’ve been handed a Windows 8 machine for recovery, here’s how to get the key and get it activated again.

1. Obtain Key

If the machine is still in a working state and you can get into the operating system, run a key finder such as Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder or ‘Read & Write Everything‘ also known as RWEverything. If your system is currently activated, Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder should be able to get it for you. However, if it’s not currently activated, get RWEverything, and inside the GUI, click the ACPI icon, and then find the MSDM table. The Windows 8 key will be in the data row. If the system will not boot at all, just keep moving forward on to the next step.







2. Install Windows 8

Go ahead and install Windows 8 at this step. If you already have the key, great. If not, don’t worry, that’s the next step. If you have already obtained the key from the BIOS, use it, and activate Windows, and you’re finished. If you still don’t have the key from the first step, use a generic key such as one of those listed here. The key will allow Windows 8 to be installed, but you won’t be using that key permanently. It seems you may be able to use Windows 8 generic keys on 8.1 installations just to get the OS running again as well.

3. If You Don’t Have Key, Try Again And Activate

Now that you have Windows 8 installed again, go ahead and run RWEverything again, and get the key. Now that you have the official Windows 8 license key, use that extracted Windows 8 key to activate the new Windows 8 installation, and you’re finished.

One of the benefits of encrypting the key in the BIOS was ostensibly to hinder piracy, but now that it’s encrypted in the BIOS, it’s not something that is lost when the operating system is destroyed, or when the text of the key on the label is rubbed or worn off, making it illegible. That’s definitely a plus for Techs. I’ve often had issues with worn off labels, especially on laptops that need repairs, so this helps.