I bought a used windows 8 desktop that was wiped of Windows 8. It did not come with a recovery disk or windows key (hp said it was embedded in the motherboard). Is there any way to retrieve it or install windows 8 without buying a new copy or the recovery disks from hp? I talked to microsoft and hp and they weren't very much help. I talked to cowboom, where I bought the computer from, and they said I can send it back because it didn't come with the code (it was supposed to). But I don't want to send it back because I got a good deal on it. HP said that I could buy the recovery disks but it would be about 16 bucks. I was hoping there would be some way to recover the license from the bios or something to avoid this, but I don't know if this is possible. Anyone have any ideas?
I would buy the recovery disks, reinstall....pull your serial number, format again and start from scratch without all the factory BS that is installed
Is there a recovery partition? On some computers, during bootup and splash screen appears, if you repeatedly press F11, you can access the recovery partition. I have an HP w/ Win Vista, and that's how I was able to reload Vista when the OS became corrupted
The BIOS has nothing to do with the Windows key, and getting the Windows key is your problem right now. The BIOS exists without an OS at all. You really have no choice but to A. buy an OEM copy of Windows (usually ~100 bucks, or it was with Vista and 7) or B. Send it back. (..Unless you're just overlooking it? Should be somewhere on the case) Recovery disks, AFAIK, won't contain your Windows key, so you won't be able to activate it. If you can't activate it, you essentially don't have a legal copy, as far as Microsoft is concerned. Still won't have an activation key.
Windows 8 is different...the activation key is embedded into the motherboard so as soon as I put the recovery disk in it will sort itself out...at least that is what HP told me (and I have read on other places online). I bit the bullet and bought the disks. The whole system still cost me about 287 (with price of disks included) when it sells for 650 new at best buy...still a deal, but I'm kind of annoyed. Oh well, it should work out fine.
