[Brujo]

I have an acer one netbook which i bought little over a year ago. I recently noticed that the sticker where my product key is at, it's almost unreadable.

I read some of the threads with the same question. I followed some advice given here to installed Belarc Advisor. But I'm wondering why does it always shows a different Key #? I can still read some of my Product key numbers and they're completely different from what this program gives me. I tried other programs on another computer and the same thing happens . Why is that?

My concerns is that i had problems before with my computer, virus, i know it has the recovery to reinstall windows. But i read on different threads that is always better to do a clean install . i have my recovery cd , but if i were to do a clean install, don't i need my Product Key? please help!! How do i recover the Key?

Thanks for your help,

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The key Belarc shows you is what's called a VLK key - it's a key that Acer are licensed to use by Microsoft on all the machines they send out.
It will not activate online or by phone, if you need to do so you'll get asked to change it to the key that's on the bottom of the laptop. Your Acer recovery disk shouldn't ask for a key as it'll end up using the same VLK key again after you use said disk.

Your best bet would be to either contact Acer or Microsoft if you need to use the key on the bottom of the unit.

Edited by Neil Jones, 13 September 2010 - 02:08 AM.

[Neil Jones]

The key Belarc shows you is what's called a VLK key - it's a key that Acer are licensed to use by Microsoft on all the machines they send out.
It will not activate online or by phone, if you need to do so you'll get asked to change it to the key that's on the bottom of the laptop. Your Acer recovery disk shouldn't ask for a key as it'll end up using the same VLK key again after you use said disk.

Your best bet would be to either contact Acer or Microsoft if you need to use the key on the bottom of the unit.

Edited by Neil Jones, 13 September 2010 - 02:08 AM.

[SpywareDr]

VLK = Volume License Key

[Rorschach112]

have you tried magical jelly bean keyfinder ?

http://www.magicalje....com/keyfinder/

[Alzeimer]

Download and run (no need to install) AIDA32 - Worldwide System Tool and you should be able to know the product key install on your computer (check under Operating System info)

[diabillic]

The tool suggested by Rorschach will do the trick.

Also, OEM's such as Acer use SLP keys (System Locked Preinstallation) for their builds, not VLK's.

[Brujo]

Thanks! I'm going to try what you suggested