Re-installing windows, but...

I've got an ooooold HP DV7 laptop that I want to re-install Vista on. This poor old thing doesn't run quite as well as it used to. I want to start fresh. There are 3 partitions on the drive. C, D (storage only) and E, which houses the Vista installation data.

Only problem is: the sticker that normally has the 25 digit key is completely unreadable. I took the name "laptop" to heart, it normally sits on my lap when I use it. Also doesn't help that it's in a somewhat caustic environment.

Is there any way to retrieve the product key? Can and/or will HP dig that up somehow?

Go to My Computer and then click System Properties at the top. At the bottom, it should have your product key listed next to
Product ID:.


Was that what you were looking for?

He want's the install key so that he can reinstall. That isn't the product ID. See this blog: Find Windows Vista's product key
I hope this helps.

Oh, whoops! How is it that you know everything?!

I knew that there is software that looks up serial numbers so I just googled it.

Go figure it'd be that easy. I'll try that out when I get a chance, thanks!

Well, the software mentioned in the lifehacker article, the free version at least, is trying to force me to install some search toolbar and change my homepage. That's not going to happen. There was another one mentioned in the comments section that seems to work just fine. So thanks!

There isn't the option to not install the toolbar? That's strange. Well I'm glad that you found an alternative.

Nope. They grayed out the "do not install" option, made it unselectable. Tricky tricky. I'm sure the paid version lets you deselect that.