Lost Windows Key

[The Blue Cryptid]

To make a long story short my area has been having power outages and through these outages my computers registry files became corrupt so I updated BIOS on my mobo and reset Windows in the troubleshhoting process. Now Windows has lost its activation key, Microsoft support says they dont help with OEM keys, and MS servers dont see my computer as the old one so no getting the key that way. Am I just royally screwed?

[Middcore]

Worst case you buy a new one for $10-15. 

[Motifator]

Always link your key to your account... otherwise this can be bound to happen.

[The Blue Cryptid]

11 minutes ago, Motifator said:

Always link your key to your account... otherwise this can be bound to happen.

Yeah always was on my to do list, but I guess I waited until it was too late

[SupaKomputa]

where do you get the oem keys? i would contact the sellers, hopefully he would give back the keys.

if not just get another one.

[Kid.Lazer]

34 minutes ago, Middcore said:

Worst case you buy a new one for $10-15. 

I second this, although these cheap keys are usually gray market. Not sure if telling you where to get them is allowed on the forum, but a simple search should get you there.

[Tan3l6]

Grey market keys are bad though. Morally, not functionally.

[Allan B]

OEM keys are usually loaded into the BIOS and detected automatically, if it is like dell or hp oem key for example.

If you purchased the key with your hardware from a computer store then you would have had to type it in at some point, so maybe the receipt or check the MB box?