Finding Keys Fast

Needing to repair a crapped up Windows install or planning on upgrading to a newer OS?  Starting with a clean slate every now and again can be a great way to add some pep back into your machine, or just to get a fresh start after a virus issue, which even after cleaned off can have lasting damage that can take significant effort to reverse. 

Well there are many tips to make such a process faster and less tedious that I could dish out, but I'll save them for a later date and focus today on your product keys.  Product keys can be a pain to deal with, especially if it's the OS or Office suite that came with the machine that you have misplaced, or any software for that matter needing a key. (FYI, if you don't have the discs, don't fret. You can use any disc of the same product version and just put in your key, be it a friends or one you torrent (at your own risk of course)).

There are many keyfinder options that you can find out there that can do the trick, both free and paid.  Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder is one good one for free, that finds Windows OS and Office keys among a few others, and can also scan a non bootable Windows install if you pull out the drive and attach it externally to another machine.  It does require an install though.  The paid version, called Recover Keys, has even more programs it will pull they keys from. 

Another free one for Windows and office is WinKeyfinder. When using any of the options, once the program is run and keys are recovered, you can export them to a text file, copy to a USB drive and have them available to input with your fresh install.