Besides making an image, one of the first things I did when I got a new
machine from Dell with Windows 11 Home installed, was to find the product
key.

The command (Command prompt):
wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

returns my the original product key

At this registry location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
\SoftwareProtectionPlatform

I find BackupProductKeyDefault, which is different than the original
product key

What's the difference?

(As you may know, I did a factory reinstall a few days ago. The above
commands/registry location gives the same results.)

Boris wrote:
> Besides making an image, one of the first things I did when I got a new
> machine from Dell with Windows 11 Home installed, was to find the product
> key.
>
> The command (Command prompt):
> wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
>
> returns my the original product key
>
>
> At this registry location:
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
> \SoftwareProtectionPlatform
>
> I find BackupProductKeyDefault, which is different than the original
> product key
>
> What's the difference?
>
> (As you may know, I did a factory reinstall a few days ago. The above
> commands/registry location gives the same results.)
>

Did you need the product key when you reset the device to factory condition?
If not, the device is digitally licensed and a product key is no longer
necessary to install/reinstall Windows 11.

--
....w¡ñ§±¤ñ

"...winston" <winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote:
>Boris wrote:
>
>> Besides making an image, one of the first things I did when I got a new
>> machine from Dell with Windows 11 Home installed, was to find the product
>> key.
>>
>> The command (Command prompt):
>> wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
>>
>> returns my the original product key
>>
>>
>> At this registry location:
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
>> \SoftwareProtectionPlatform
>>
>> I find BackupProductKeyDefault, which is different than the original
>> product key
>>
>> What's the difference?
>>
>> (As you may know, I did a factory reinstall a few days ago. The above
>> commands/registry location gives the same results.)
>
>Did you need the product key when you reset the device to factory condition?
>If not, the device is digitally licensed and a product key is no longer
>necessary to install/reinstall Windows 11.

What I find interesting about this kind of deal is that the OEM does
give him a key, but it is highly unlikely to ever really be needed,
because he would either system restore the OS, or as you suggest,
already have activated it when first using it, thus making Microsoft
aware the machine is licensed. But then again, there are folks who
will do a generic installation on an OEM box, and they would want that
key to ensure they can do it, although again, it is likely that the
activation with the OEM's setup would make its license automatically
recognized.

--
Joel Crump

On 5/27/2023 7:34 PM, Joel wrote:
> "...winston" <winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Boris wrote:
>>
>>> Besides making an image, one of the first things I did when I got a new
>>> machine from Dell with Windows 11 Home installed, was to find the product
>>> key.
>>>
>>> The command (Command prompt):
>>> wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
>>>
>>> returns my the original product key
>>>
>>>
>>> At this registry location:
>>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
>>> \SoftwareProtectionPlatform
>>>
>>> I find BackupProductKeyDefault, which is different than the original
>>> product key
>>>
>>> What's the difference?
>>>
>>> (As you may know, I did a factory reinstall a few days ago. The above
>>> commands/registry location gives the same results.)
>>
>> Did you need the product key when you reset the device to factory condition?
>> If not, the device is digitally licensed and a product key is no longer
>> necessary to install/reinstall Windows 11.
>
>
> What I find interesting about this kind of deal is that the OEM does
> give him a key, but it is highly unlikely to ever really be needed,
> because he would either system restore the OS, or as you suggest,
> already have activated it when first using it, thus making Microsoft
> aware the machine is licensed. But then again, there are folks who
> will do a generic installation on an OEM box, and they would want that
> key to ensure they can do it, although again, it is likely that the
> activation with the OEM's setup would make its license automatically
> recognized.
>

Win8/8.1/10/11 on an OEM laptop, the ACPI MSDM table contains a unique key per machine.
That key, makes it possible to do an installation from a downloaded DVD.

https://blog.fpmurphy.com/2018/01/accessing-acpi-msdm-from-uefi-shell.html

The key only activates one OS. Because of the "free upgrade" feature,
the key can actually enable more than one OS, but that was not initially
known when the scheme was invented.

So not only is there a registration during OOBE on the Microsoft site, from the
original bringup. If at any point, Microsoft needs reassurance, it
can just read the ACPI MSDM.

A Windows 7 OEM laptop uses SLIC (an ACPI table containing a 10KB or so
declaration of what company made the device). The royalty oem OS on the
machine, indicates to the OS that the situation is SLIC activated, and
everything works fine as long as the SLIC company name matches the
company name in the royalty OEM OS. If the laptop says "I'm an Asus",
then the OS also has to say it was licensed by Microsoft to Asus. If you
were to stick a Dell OS on an Acer laptop, that would not work (from a
"proper license" perspective). The SLIC table apparently activates
multiple OS versions, so if your Dell OEM laptop came with Vista, maybe
the SLIC would work with Dell Vista and Dell Win7. Whereas the COA sticker
would only be good for one of the OS choices.

There are some hard-core individuals who hack SLIC tables and retrofit
them in other hardware, but they are very careful not to share the
info with just anybody. They're further underground than the activities
on MDL. There was also a certain brand of OEM OS, known to license on
more machines than it should have. The truth of that assertion is
pretty hard to verify, as you need to find "someone what done it" first.

When you find a brand new laptop, with no COA sticker on the outside of the
machine, that's a hint you should be checking the MSDM table. An ACPI dumper
can help with that. You will find a key (great). But it won't say what OS it is
for, and you have to know your epochs pretty well, to get it right. The
"free upgrade" prevents us from needing that info (what OS).

Paul

"...winston" <winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote in
news:u4u3o8$ir7l$1@dont-email.me:

> Boris wrote:
>> Besides making an image, one of the first things I did when I got a
>> new machine from Dell with Windows 11 Home installed, was to find the
>> product key.
>>
>> The command (Command prompt):
>> wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
>>
>> returns my the original product key
>>
>>
>> At this registry location:
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
>> \SoftwareProtectionPlatform
>>
>> I find BackupProductKeyDefault, which is different than the original
>> product key
>>
>> What's the difference?
>>
>> (As you may know, I did a factory reinstall a few days ago. The
>> above commands/registry location gives the same results.)
>>
>
> Did you need the product key when you reset the device to factory
> condition?

No.

> If not, the device is digitally licensed and a product key is no
> longer necessary to install/reinstall Windows 11.
>

Ok, the 'device' is digitally licensed. Do you mean that the hardware
(motherboard?) is shipped with a digital license, that activates the OS
without going online or calling Microsoft? Or, does one have to be
online at some point because the digital licensing of the device comes
down from, and is recorded by Microsoft in case of future reinstalls,
including clean installs, on the same device?

Thanks.

Boris <nospam@invalid.com> wrote in
news:XnsB011BB6AF2F1Anospaminvalidcom@135.181.20.170:

> "...winston" <winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote in
> news:u4u3o8$ir7l$1@dont-email.me:
>
>> Boris wrote:
>>> Besides making an image, one of the first things I did when I got a
>>> new machine from Dell with Windows 11 Home installed, was to find the
>>> product key.
>>>
>>> The command (Command prompt):
>>> wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
>>>
>>> returns my the original product key
>>>
>>>
>>> At this registry location:
>>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
>>> \SoftwareProtectionPlatform
>>>
>>> I find BackupProductKeyDefault, which is different than the original
>>> product key
>>>
>>> What's the difference?
>>>
>>> (As you may know, I did a factory reinstall a few days ago. The
>>> above commands/registry location gives the same results.)
>>>
>>
>> Did you need the product key when you reset the device to factory
>> condition?
>
> No.
>
>> If not, the device is digitally licensed and a product key is no
>> longer necessary to install/reinstall Windows 11.
>>
>
> Ok, the 'device' is digitally licensed. Do you mean that the hardware
> (motherboard?) is shipped with a digital license, that activates the OS
> without going online or calling Microsoft? Or, does one have to be
> online at some point because the digital licensing of the device comes
> down from, and is recorded by Microsoft in case of future reinstalls,
> including clean installs, on the same device?
>
> Thanks.
>

I found this:

https://www.dell.com/community/Windows-10/Where-is-my-Windows-10-product-
key/m-p/8279874#M18211

Product keys are on the motherboard. I understand, now.

Boris wrote:
> Boris <nospam@invalid.com> wrote in
> news:XnsB011BB6AF2F1Anospaminvalidcom@135.181.20.170:
>
>> "...winston" <winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote in
>> news:u4u3o8$ir7l$1@dont-email.me:
>>
>>> Boris wrote:
>>>> Besides making an image, one of the first things I did when I got a
>>>> new machine from Dell with Windows 11 Home installed, was to find the
>>>> product key.
>>>>
>>>> The command (Command prompt):
>>>> wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
>>>>
>>>> returns my the original product key
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> At this registry location:
>>>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
>>>> \SoftwareProtectionPlatform
>>>>
>>>> I find BackupProductKeyDefault, which is different than the original
>>>> product key
>>>>
>>>> What's the difference?
>>>>
>>>> (As you may know, I did a factory reinstall a few days ago. The
>>>> above commands/registry location gives the same results.)
>>>>
>>>
>>> Did you need the product key when you reset the device to factory
>>> condition?
>>
>> No.
>>
>>> If not, the device is digitally licensed and a product key is no
>>> longer necessary to install/reinstall Windows 11.
>>>
>>
>> Ok, the 'device' is digitally licensed. Do you mean that the hardware
>> (motherboard?) is shipped with a digital license, that activates the OS
>> without going online or calling Microsoft? Or, does one have to be
>> online at some point because the digital licensing of the device comes
>> down from, and is recorded by Microsoft in case of future reinstalls,
>> including clean installs, on the same device?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>
> I found this:
>
> https://www.dell.com/community/Windows-10/Where-is-my-Windows-10-product-key/m-p/8279874#M18211
>
> Product keys are on the motherboard. I understand, now.
>

Just an fyi for those reading along with this thread

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

For retail(not OEM) Windows 10/11 devices custom built using a retail
Windows 10/11 o/s or byo the above command in an Admin Command or
Powershell window may yield(normally) a null(no result) response.
- including those scenarios where the original retail os
install/activation was Windows 10/11 Home(the product key which was/is
the 'original Product key') and later upgraded to Pro(using Change
Product key).

In retail cases like above, other 3rd party tools e.g. Belarc or Nirsoft
can be used to show the product key.

--
....w¡ñ§±¤ñ

On 28/05/2023 16:09, ...winston wrote:
> snip <
>
> Just an fyi for those reading along with this thread
>
> wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
>
> For retail(not OEM) Windows 10/11 devices custom built using a retail
> Windows 10/11 o/s or byo the above command in an Admin Command or
> Powershell window may yield(normally) a null(no result) response.
>  - including those scenarios where the original retail os
> install/activation was Windows 10/11 Home(the product key which was/is
> the 'original Product key') and later upgraded to Pro(using Change
> Product key).
>
> In retail cases like above, other 3rd party tools e.g. Belarc or Nirsoft
> can be used to show the product key.
>

Thanks. I'd forgotten about that one, even though I have it in my notes.

--
Regards
wasbit