License Key on Toshiba Restore Discs?

[Corrytonapple]

Hello Tom's Hardware!
First, I will say that I have been reading these forums for years, and this is just now my first post.
Anyway, in the battle to get Windows 7 to work in an Ubuntu VM, I have about won. I have used the developers copy (The one on MS's site for web developers. This allows us [I am one] to see how our websites work on IE 7, 8, and 9)
On the other side, I installed a program called Smart Defrag 2. It worked great, and I restarted my computer as normal, until one day when I hit a snag. BSOD, and it was because of a SD2 driver. I was able to remove it, and continue using 7. But, it was very, very slow. CPU and HDD at full speed. Thus, I ended up trying all Virus scanners in safe mode that I could. I finally decided to nuke 7 (But not the recovery partition) and start over. I am also a dual booter with Ubuntu, and a seperate NTFS Data Partition. But, my Toshiba Recovery discs wanted to nuke the whole drive, and I don't have any external HDDs or days to move my data around. So, I chose to leave it be and continue using Ubuntu. I tried using the Restore DVDs in a Virtualbox VM. Of course, it did not work do to it not being "Toshiba Hardware". But later I remembered the mentioned Dev Copy of 7. So I have it all downloaded, and after it getting a BSOD (I fixed that, too) 7 finally boots up. But instead of never being able to save my data, I would like to put in my license key (for these copies only last for 90 days at max) so I can keep my installed applications, data, and anything else I put on there. Since I no longer have 7, I figured I would use that OEM key. Now, I understand it won't work and all of that. But, I cannot read the license key numbers, since they have rubbed off. Toshiba told me when I called them that the license number for 7 is inside of the restore DVDs. Being there are 5 DVDs, IDK where it would be. So, to sum up my story (and, stop using these things), where on the disc would my License number be.
Most of this is just background information, but, all I need to know is where my License number is on the discs. We don't have any other Windows computers in the house, two macs, and then this Ubuntu only machine ATM. The Recovery Partition is still there, but the system files were all nuked and reformatted to NTFS.
So, anybody have any ideas?
Thank you so much for any help. This one month journey has been a long one, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Wamphryi]

I think what Toshiba means is that the key is coded as part of the installation process thus removing you of the need to put key in during install. They don't mean the number is written on the disk either physically or as a specific file on the disk. I doubt that you will be able to cherry pick the number out of the installation disks. Sorry Dude.

 

[Corrytonapple]

I'm gonna end up cherry picking it out. I am not paying $200 for a real key or just giving up on Windows. Though I would like to, work requires we have it.
If it is i coded in, I just need to find what file it is in. I have a binary reader where I can convert uft-8 text to binary. So, I figure I search for a part of the key that I do have, then go through each of the files searching for it in uft-8, then convert it to binary. Then, copy that binary code and just keep looking through all of the files with that code.
If that is what I have to do, that's what I have to do.
Any ideas? Any ideas maybe on what disc it would be on or what the file would be called? I know it is not on disc five/five in install.exe.
Thanks!

 

[FALC0N]

The key on the disk is OEM SLP key. Its the same key as every other toshiba model with that edition of windows. It is NOT the same key that was on the case. It wont work like a regular key.

Is your intent to reinstall the 7 on the toshiba?

 

[Corrytonapple]

Oh well, I still want it.
As stated in the first post, I am installing it in a VM (Virtual Machine). I know what you are thinking, it won't work. I'm going to make it work. I am simply trying to find the product key.
Some people tell me it is in a blank .txt file. I will keep looking for the .txt file, but am yet to find it.

 

[FALC0N]

Oh well, I still want it.
As stated in the first post, I am installing it in a VM (Virtual Machine). I know what you are thinking, it won't work. I'm going to make it work. I am simply trying to find the product key.
Some people tell me it is in a blank .txt file. I will keep looking for the .txt file, but am yet to find it.

No, it really wont work. OEM slp keys cant be activated either online or over the phone.

If you really want to find it, just run a key finding utility on any toshiba. ITS THE SAME KEY.

 

[JDFan]

Easiest method I can think of that should work would be to get an extra laptop HDD either new or out of an old system (should be able to get one cheap from a used computer\repair shop) -- remove the current HDD from the laptop - install the other HDD and use the recovery disks on that HDD -- it should reformat and install the system back to the way it was when you purchased it -- activate the install (if as toshiba told you the key is already included in the recovery media it should activate without problem) -- Once it activates download a keyfinder program ( I use the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder ) - the free version works fine for the windows key.

Once you have the key - remove that HDD - reinstall you original HDD - install the virtual machine and use that key you retrieved.

 

[Corrytonapple]

Falcon:
When you say it "No, it really wont work." I think you misunderstood something. I Do Not Care. I am going to either make it work, or keep the key for my own records. If it is the same for all of the keys, I cannot see how MS would like that, but hey, if they are all the same that is fine for me. Would work out great.
Is it possible there is a key finder that would look on a DVD, as if it knows the line of code it is looking for? Or does the program just go to a certain filepath in the Windows C: system?
Thanks, so far!

 

[JDFan]

I think there is a bit of confusion here --- the Key that Falcon is saying is the same for all Toshiba systems is only a part of the Key that is presented to the Activation Server (and is the same for all Toshiba Systems) and that is different from the Key you are looking for. To get the activation code the OS combines that OEM key -- the machine specific Product Key (the one you can no longer read) and portions of the various serial #s of parts of your system (ie, the MOBO serial - which is why OEM installs of the OS are tied to that specific MOBO and expire when that MOBO dies - unless you contact MS support and get a new Activation Code which by their EULA they are not required to give you but normally will !)

Since you say there are 5 DVDs ( or more likely CDs) included in the restore disks they are most likely a backup image of the HDD after the OS and various other software programs were installed to your specific system (so include the combined activation key) that is most likely compressed and or encrypted by TOSHIBA and is only useable as a complete system restore after formatting the hdd and not able to be used to simply pull a specific portion out of (ie. retrieving the key you are seeking) since it must be decoded\decompressed before being useable -- Which is why I suggest getting a new HDD and using the restore media to restore the system onto it. -- Since finding it on the media will be near impossible while the entire image is compressed into the image file spanning the 5 disks.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

Toshiba (or other large PC manufacturers) Manufacturers OEM Windows 7 disks do not require activation so do not need you to enter a license key.

The installation process & anti piracy system checks the motherboard is a Toshiba Motherboard every time the PC starts up.
Microsoft could issue a license key which gets round this problem but probably wont.
( Microsoft once let me transfer a Hard disk from a Dell PC with a dead motherboard into a new non Dell PC)

As other people have said the license key on the Toshiba Windows label wont enable Windows to work on any PC, virtual or real

How about using Parted Magic or G-Parted to shrink the linux partition to leave space for Windows c: (make no change to recovery partition D: which has files used by recovery disk builder)

Format C: as NTFS then see if recovery disks will recover to C: without wiping Linux partition

I may be wrong (check with Toshiba)
On a new or blank hard disk the recovery process creates boot manager partition, C: (windows) and D: (recovery)

but if C: exists only re writes windows on C:

best of luck

Mike Barnes

 

[FALC0N]

Ok, let me explain this again.

Royalty OEM's use System locked Preinstallation or SLP. This is a key provided to the OEM along with certificate and a table placed in the OEM systems bios. If windows has these SLP keys installed AND the certificate AND the bios table is present, the system activates offline. This is the key imbedded in the restore disks. Not the license key on the case/COA.

This is why restore disks don't require activation IF they are loaded on their home machine. Its also why every toshiba machine with the same windows edition will have the exact same key from the factory. Its also why the key on the case is different than the key installed at the factory. The case key is an actual OEM key that can only be activated over the phone.

BUT OEM SLP keys cannot be activated online or over the phone. There is also no reason to keep it. I could tell you what your key is right now. But it is useless for your purposes. They are all the same. And they will not activate.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

further to my post above do you have a Microsoft 'Action Pack' subscription ?
(or know someone who does?)

This gives you multiple copies of Window 7 pro and one copy of ultimate (actually license keys and download rights)
(These are for internal use in computer companies and not for sale, theoretically the license to use the software lasts as long as your annual subscription to Microsoft )

regards
Mike Barnes

 

[Corrytonapple]

Alright, alright, I give up.
Put it like this: Although I find the information valuable, I have been told by friends (and seen it done) that this is possible, and this is normal Microsoft scare tactics. But, I can see that I won't be able to find this key. If I cannot find the key, then how could I go about "safely" installing 7 back on? I have my Recovery Partition as first, then my blank Windows partition. Which, I could then safely install 7 to. But, what if that goes wrong? I have a NTFS Data Partition, about 100GB worth. Also, I have an ext3 Ubuntu Natty install. How could I install (or force it to) install to the Blank 7 Partition? There seems to be no option there.

Also, Geek Squad made these and ended up ripping me off. $100 gone, so they could do the GUI backup disc creator. They did use good DVDs (it says DVD right on it) though......
Thanks for the help. I really liked knowing how this all works!

 

[FALC0N]

Alright, alright, I give up.
Put it like this: Although I find the information valuable, I have been told by friends (and seen it done) that this is possible, and this is normal Microsoft scare tactics. But, I can see that I won't be able to find this key. If I cannot find the key, then how could I go about "safely" installing 7 back on?

I doubt your friends even know what a SLP key is. Everyone assumes the COA key on the case is the same as the installed key.

How do I know your friends fall into this category? Your friends would tell you what your key is if they did know. They are talking about the COA key.

If you have the COA, you might be able to get MS to give you a new key, even if you can't read the COA. Worth a try.

 

[Corrytonapple]

Won't Microsoft charge me for the support call?
Oh, and BTW, I just gave the link to my friend straight to this post. We both find what you say quite insulting. He has contacted you about that.

 

[FALC0N]

No he didn't. You just created a new account and sent me a private message pretending to be someone else.

And this is what you wrote, in case anyone else is curious......

Sir, I was reading what you had said to Corrytonapple, whom of which is a great friend of mine. And I wouldn't know what an SLP key is? Really? Please do not under estimate Corryton and I. And yes, we can get the key off the DVD, it is in a plain text file; congrats, you didn't even know that. Farther more, you should not comment when you do not know the information yourself. If you think false information is fun, then I might as well give you my IP and say come at me. Cause you cant touch this. So... I dunno my SLP now, do I? Cause I can tell you everything about it... Can you tell me the year it was introduced? I dont think so.

Please think before you post an insult.
Without any sincerity;}
-ADW-

......and to answer your question, they were first introduced in 2001.

 

[FALC0N]

Won't Microsoft charge me for the support call?

I don't know. Never had to call Microsoft.

 

[AustinD]

Sir, I am not my friend Corrytonapple. I'll personally give you both of our IPs to check the distance between us... SECOND: How would you know? This is not something you would know. You would not know. You would. Not. KNOW. So dont act like you do. I'm really irritated by how little respect you have. You have no idea, and therefore no right to judge of that. If you cant respond like a man, go grow some or get off this forum.

 

[Corrytonapple]

You sure seem to be an insulting person.
That was not me, that was my friend. We are two different people. He lives in PA, and I live in TN. You think you know stuff, you don't. Run an IP check, have anybody you want check. We are different people. He is one person on my forums, and I am the admin. ADW is his real initials. What makes you think you know? What makes you think that I am pretending? I just linked it to him via Skype? Why would I not show him? Why would I like? Notice also, that our posting style is completely different. The way we talk is completely different.

So this is what the Windows 7 side of things is like. This is why I switched to Ubuntu...... also how we've come to connect to.
If you want to answers these, go ahead. If not, get off this thread.

 

[FALC0N]

Sir, I am not my friend Corrytonapple. I'll personally give you both of our IPs to check the distance between us... SECOND: How would you know? This is not something you would know. You would not know. You would. Not. KNOW. So dont act like you do. I'm really irritated by how little respect you have. You have no idea, and therefore no right to judge of that. If you cant respond like a man, go grow some or get off this forum.

So you whine like 2nd grader and then lecture me about being a man?

Your both new to the forum, you both use the same writing style, your both equally ignorant of the topic despite claiming knowledge, you both have the exact same baseless complaint about me, and you both complain like your in elementary school.

Your either the same person, or clones of each other.

 

[AustinD]

So you whine like 2nd grader and then lecture me about being a man?

Your both new to the forum, you both use the same writing style, your both equally ignorant of the topic despite claiming knowledge, you both have the exact same baseless complaint about me, and you both complain like your in elementary school.

Your either the same person, or clones of each other.

Sir. We are just good friends. And I am joining the forum AS A STARTER, because of what you said, and insulting as if you had no brain or common sense. I am not no little elementary student. Those years are far gone. And where do you grasp authority to tell us who we are? Or how we write? Or anything? You MA'DAM have no right. I doubt that you know nothing of being a man, nor even out of the junior high. I do not have a baseless complaint; have you not read a word I've written? I find you shameful to anyone who is an avid user. You do not know what you are talking about, and you post false information of hopes of a good answer to be chosen? Hah, Psh. As if. It's nice, you're a veteran to the site and all. Congrats on that. There is no ruling nor no power that comes with that. You cannot act as if you know us. You cannot say who we are. You cannot say what we know. You cannot say how we act. You cannot speak. You're argument is as good as a childhood feud. Ma'dam. Please, take my advice. Learn some respect and take my words into thought.
-ADW

 

[Corrytonapple]

How is he wining? How is it that you THINK you know anything that you say? Eh?
New to the forum:
Google Corrytonapple. I dare you....... I have an excellent rep on the internet, very popular on sites such as the official Ubuntu Forums and the Offical Apple Forums. Go ahead, keep ignoring out questions.....
Same Writing Style: He is trying to be a lot nicer, and I am quick to get out and say this ain't happening. Look dude, our writing style is the same? Again, prove to me that we have the same IP. Do that first..... then say what you say.
Ignorant of the topic? This has worked for us. Just because it did not work for you does not mean that it cannot happen. Another friend tried Ubuntu linux. It did not work on his system (Wireless drivers). Does that mean my wireless won't work too?
Baseless complaint? WTH, you are the one insulting me and my friend. If your gonna do that, put up two fists and come at me.
Complain like we are in elementary school, how so? Prove to me where we complain like so? I am telling you if your gonna act like an arrogant prick we are gonna be really unkind back.
Clones? WTF.....................
What makes this funny is AD, is that he thinks that we are the same person. OUR IP'S ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE! I kinda wish you could see that, but you are acting like you know something you don't, which is that we are not identical.
Keep in mind the root cause of this is you saying my friends are idiots. I asked a question (OP), and you said "cannot do that". I've already said, I Do not care. I just would like to know where, more specifically, the file may be.
This is one great welcome wagon to Windows 7 Forums at Tom's Hardware..........

 

[FALC0N]

No offense, but I really don't care.

You came with a question. I gave you the correct answer and and you didn't like it. So ever since you have just whined and complained and pretended to be someone else so could have a tag team partner.

And your just not very good at being two people.

 

[Corrytonapple]

You don't really care, yet you continue to be offensive later in your post. Yeah, great........
Just because you are a Veteran here does not mean anything towards me. That does not mean I am two people. You say how we are alike, yet cannot prove it. That is pretty sorry of you. I went ahead, Googled your username. If I found the right you, your rep on other sites is not all that great. I have an excellent rep, and you can even see that my friend is on other sites with me. Which is why I do not understand why you insist that I am being two people. We are the same age (Or close to it) thus we do type somewhat similar. How do you think I can go about being insulting as can be to you as "corrytonapple", yet on under AustinD I am much calmer, and type much more relax. Eh? A tag team partner? Who gave you permission to begin insulting my friend? If I were to call your friends a bunch of idiots who don't know crap, what would you do? I would think you would defend yourself. Or, are you just going to let that happen?
What makes this all funny is you have posted several times, the same thing (about the OEM key) and you insist it is not possible. As said, just because you have never done it does not mean it is not possible. I have used MS software for years, and these scare tactics are not new to me. As for the question itself, for you this is all a game. Isn't it? You want me to mark you as best answer because of your experiences, but never answered the question. I was asking more specifically (There are 5 DVDs, full to the 4.7GB Brim of Data) what folder this key may be in. It is there, just where? You told me that what I want to do is not possible. You went too far, I was not asking that. The question was "More specifically, where is the key on the DVD." I don't want to hear that it won't work. None of that matters for me. If you don't know where it is, then please quietly back out of this discussion and stop repeating yourself.
Whine and complained......... because you did what now?

 

[FALC0N]

You don't really care, yet you continue to be offensive later in your post.

I don't think you know what offensive means. Your command of the english language is quite poor if you think I have insulted either you or your alter ego.

You say how we are alike, yet cannot prove it. That is pretty sorry of you

Your not the first person I have seen pretend to be someone else. Your not very good at it either. And if you were in fact different people, you wouldn't be in such a huff about the issue.

I went ahead, Googled your username. If I found the right you, your rep on other sites is not all that great.

Really? Then why don't you just post a few links to said sites. Why do I get the feeling you just made that up?

Who gave you permission to begin insulting my friend? If I were to call your friends a bunch of idiots who don't know crap, what would you do? I would think you would defend yourself. Or, are you just going to let that happen?

And if I had said any such thing, that would mean something. But I didn't, so it doesn't.

You and your "friend" took issue with the fact that you were wrong. Sorry but that is the way it is.

What makes this all funny is you have posted several times, the same thing (about the OEM key) and you insist it is not possible. As said, just because you have never done it does not mean it is not possible. I have used MS software for years, and these scare tactics are not new to me. As for the question itself, for you this is all a game. Isn't it?

Pretending you know more than you do will get you nowhere. If you actually knew what you were talking about, you wouldn't have asked the question to begin with.

I have your key in front of me RIGHT NOW. How is it that I know your key and you don't?

But of course you have used MS software for years and you know scare tactics! They are not new to you!

And yes, arguing with you and yourself is more or less entertainment for me. I don't understand why people like you ask for info and then get mad when they find out their info is wrong.

You want me to mark you as best answer because of your experiences, but never answered the question. I was asking more specifically (There are 5 DVDs, full to the 4.7GB Brim of Data) what folder this key may be in. It is there, just where? You told me that what I want to do is not possible. You went too far, I was not asking that. ?

Of course, giving you actual information is going to far in your mind. Somehow that doesn't surprise me.