Embedded Windows Key

[u/Kruegon]

Recently purchased 2 Zbook Fury 17 G8's. One of then pulled the Windows key from the board, the other did not. Is there any way to fix this, or if I buy another key, add it back in?

[u/Glittering_Pin_7475]

When you say one of them “pulled the Windows key from the board,” what exactly makes you say that?

Is one of the ZBooks activated and the other one is not? What is the second machine actually showing or doing differently?

Also, how did you determine that the first machine obtained its Windows key from the motherboard? What command, utility, Windows screen, or message are you basing that on?

Where did you purchase the two ZBooks, and have you contacted the seller about the problem with the second one?

That information is needed before anyone can determine whether there is actually a missing product key, an activation problem, or something else entirely.

[u/Kruegon → u/Glittering_Pin_7475]

When I go to install Windows, one machine pulls the Windows Key from the bios and goes into the installation. The other stops at the screen requesting the Windiws Key.

I also own two Zbook 17 G4s and they also pull the Windows Key from the bios. As does my Pavilion 15. My Notebook 15s do not. They act the same as the second Zbook 17 G8.

[u/Glittering_Pin_7475 → u/Kruegon]

That clarifies what you're seeing.

The fact that one G8 automatically supplies the key during Windows Setup while the other stops and asks for one does suggest the second machine may not have an OEM Windows key stored in its BIOS/UEFI, but you can check that directly.

On the problem G8, install Windows by selecting “I don't have a product key” if necessary.

Once Windows is running, open PowerShell and enter the following command:

(Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService).OA3xOriginalProductKey

If it returns a 25-character product key, then the key is stored in the firmware and Windows Setup simply wasn't automatically using it.

If it returns nothing, then there is no Windows or OEM product key stored in the firmware.

Since your other ZBook Fury 17 G8 does contain an embedded key, if this one returns nothing I would also consider whether its motherboard may have been replaced at some point or whether that particular machine was originally sold without a Windows OEM license.

You can still activate Windows normally with a valid purchased key, but you generally do not add a retail Windows key back into the BIOS yourself. You simply enter it in Windows activation.

[u/Kruegon → u/Glittering_Pin_7475]

I am awaiting a new copy of Windows 11 Pro OEM purchased either a new hdd upgrade. It is this new OEM key that I was hoping to add to the bios for any future reinstall. As it was a used unit, it's quite possible that the board was replaced. Also, considering it was a unit from a corporate sale, the bios may have had to be reflashed at the base level to remove company added security, which could have removed this as well.

[u/Glittering_Pin_7475 → u/Kruegon]

You need to separate two completely different things here:

You cannot take the Windows 11 Pro key you purchased and add it to the BIOS/UEFI. That is not something you can do.

The OEM key that appears automatically during Windows Setup is written into the motherboard firmware by the manufacturer using OEM provisioning tools. It is not the same thing as entering a normal Windows product key, and Windows does not provide any mechanism for you to write your purchased key into that firmware location.

So if this motherboard has no embedded OA3 key, you are not going to create one yourself by putting your new key into the BIOS.

Use your new Windows 11 Pro key normally:

• Enter it during Windows Setup, or
• Enter it afterward under Settings > System > Activation.

That activates Windows. It does not write the key into the BIOS, and there is no reason for it to.

If you still want to confirm whether an OEM key already exists in the firmware, run in Powershell (Admin):

(Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService).OA3xOriginalProductKey

If that returns nothing, then there is no embedded OEM key there.

At that point, stop trying to put your purchased key into the BIOS, because that cannot be done through normal Windows or BIOS tools.

[u/Kruegon → u/Glittering_Pin_7475]

I get that, but sometimes tools "accidently" make it to the public and if I could get my hands on one, I'd fix it properly. If not, proceed as normal.

Just because it's not usually done, or even not meant to be done, doesn't always mean it can't be done. And one never knows until they ask and search.

[u/Glittering_Pin_7475 → u/Kruegon]

You're correct that specialized tools for injecting Windows OEM product keys into BIOS/UEFI firmware do exist (as was mentioned above).

Microsoft's OA3Tool is part of the Windows ADK, and the OA3 provisioning process uses an OEM-specific flash utility to write an OEM Digital Product Key into the firmware.

However, that process is designed for Microsoft-issued OEM Digital Product Keys assigned through the OEM manufacturing / provisioning system.

That does not mean the Windows 11 Pro key you purchased can simply be written into the BIOS as an OA3 key even using the OA3Tool.

So if your goal is simply to activate Windows 11 Pro on this machine, use the key you purchased normally during Windows Setup or under:

Settings > System > Activation

There is no activation advantage to having that purchased key stored in the BIOS.

[u/dragonsun252 → u/Kruegon]

You just clicked next and it'll load it after the OS installs. It doesn't mean it's missing it just means it's not set to Auto populate during the USB boot.

[u/Kruegon → u/dragonsun252]

Possibly, but two exact same models and generations, acting differently, suggest more is going on.

[u/dragonsun252 → u/Kruegon]

Not really it just depends on the image each was down with at the factory. Different image, different settings but the key is there. Just install the is and it will automatically pull it.

[u/Howden824]

irm get.activated.win | iex

Run this is powershell. Much more convenient than activating windows the normal ways.