Is it possible to pull windows 7 product key off dead computer?

[FlyingSheep]

I just bought a new computer, as my previous computer's mobo had a BIOS meltdown. Every other part is in good working condition minus the mobo, and I wanted to know if I could get the product key using a recovery program I bought to pull the information off of the HDD. I'll be upgrading the system and taking out the dead/dated parts, and I would rather use the same key.


Also, I have a very important firefox bookmarked site. It basically allows me to get free windows 7 keys (legally, it's a university perk) and a few other neat programs. It's saved as a bookmark on Firefox though, not a bookmarked exported file. The actual program. I don't really care for this website as I do for the key above.

If I'm able to pull one or two off from that computer, I would be set. I know there are some free programs out there to recover your key, but I'm not sure how that would work in my situation.

Or, if I just hooked up my drive to my new PC? Well no, considering it has the OS installed on it. >.<

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

If it is a retail key that you bought,you can reuse it on the new computer.

If it's a key from a prebuilt computer it's more than likely OEM,read below

Your copy of Windows is locked to the PC on which you purchased it. You cannot transfer that license to another PC.
You can upgrade any components or peripherals on your PC and keep your license intact. You can replace the motherboard with an identical model or an equivalent model from the OEM if it fails. However, if you personally replace or upgrade the motherboard, your OEM Windows license is null and void.

 

[FlyingSheep]

Thanks for the hasty response, since I got them for free I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they're not reusable.

I'm still at a loss for option B then, snagging it from firefox. My course of action would have been to use my restore program I bought to take all the firefox files and try to work something out from there.

 

[womble]

i was wondering if you could take the old drive out of the machine and maybe boot it into safe mode (disconnecting the new drive I guess). There used to be a program called ABR (automated backup recovery) that would copy installed key then when you did a fresh install you could just run the restore part and it would write them. It was for Vista but there was a beta for 7.

If it will boot into safe mode you can probably export your firefox bookmarks too.

 

[FlyingSheep]

i was wondering if you could take the old drive out of the machine and maybe boot it into safe mode (disconnecting the new drive I guess). There used to be a program called ABR (automated backup recovery) that would copy installed key then when you did a fresh install you could just run the restore part and it would write them. It was for Vista but there was a beta for 7.

If it will boot into safe mode you can probably export your firefox bookmarks too.

Hmmm, I highly doubt that. Everything will be new, I've got some seriously upgraded parts in this beast I'm making. I mean that, it's overkill for gaming.

I was always told that if you have a hard drive and you replace/change parts around it will typically be unusable. I'll have to try that tactic as well. I've been browsing through my firefox program, seeing if I could find a list or file where they save all the bookmarks. So far no luck.