Without a product key being labelled, is there is any way to identify what Microsoft software product a given product key is meant to activate?
Let's say for example I had the product key ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO-PQRST-UVWXY, but I had no clue if was meant for Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Vista Ultimate, or even Office 2010. Is there a way I could identify the software product the key is meant for (or at least get a good estimate)?
Note: I have searched and searched many times on the Internet, but the only results I ever find are how to recover a lost product key by using something like Nirsoft ProduKey. This is not what I am looking for.
Answer
Unfortunately there isn’t. The product key sequence is according to a mathematical algorithm. The product key is a partially random, 25-character alphanumeric code, specifically designed to defeat against keygens and leaked serial numbers. The code has three (known) components:
- An actual serial number
- Verification data (using modular math)
- A checksum (CRC) for typos
There are several good references to how product keys are utilized. This one is particularly good.
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