Product Key Finder is a very simple tool that allows you to retrieve product keys from a Windows computer. Its publisher claims that it supports more than 200 Windows applications. The tool displays the licenses keys it retrieves from the registry in a small window, but it can also be launched on the command line. Thus, you can use it in scripts. Furthermore, it is possible to remotely retrieve license keys with Product Key Finder.
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The tool only supports two command switches: /CSV and /remote. "/CSV" will create a text file in the CSV format. The file name is just the computer name with the extension .txt. You can use multiple computer names with the /remote switch. Product Key Finder will then create multiple CSV files.
It appears that Product Key Finder has problems with Vista x64. It failed to retrieve the Microsoft Office 2007 product key on my test machine. In contrast, it had no problem exporting the Office license key on Vista x86. I tested Product Key Finder 2.0.9
I personally like ProduKey v1.36 from Nir Sofer.
In addition to pulling the product keys for the local system/account, you can also do remote-system access as well. One of the handiest features in a recent version update is the ability to “…load the product keys of external Windows installations from all disks currently plugged to your computer. When using this option, ProduKey automatically scan all your hard-drives, find the Windows installation folder in them, and extract all product keys stored in these Windows installations.”
That’s super-handy when you are doing recovery-work on a system via an image-file of the off-line system (or mounted WIM file).
Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is another freeware goodie that is Open Source now as well.
Unfortunately, many enterprise and home-user anti-virus/anti-malware apps now treat these (maybe rightly so) as potential “hack-tools” and often will nuke them when used on a system. You either have to un-quarantine them (if allowed) or find an alternative that passes the AV test sigs.
To be clear I’m not suggesting these tools are virus/trojan in content in any way, shape, or form. Just that their nature seems to get them blacklisted.
I’m eager to see if this one passes our own Symantec AV scan test. That would make it a handy addition
Thanks for sharing!
–Claus V.
Thanks a lot for the tips. Both tools are now on my to-do-list.
Found 2 virusses inside the download. Use McAfee to trace them. In: “FREE: Product Key Finder – Export software license keys from multiple Windows computers”.
I think it is McAfee’s heuristics module that triggers the alarm. Most of the other antivirus engines at Virustotal classify the tool as harmless.
But thanks for the tip!. One can never be cautious enough.
Thanks for the review!
I’m about to release 2.1.0 which will recover Adobe CS3 (something the other similar apps out there don’t do). It’ll also fix up some x64 detection methods.
The way a lot of the detection methods (currently about 200) get added is based on user feedback. So feel free to drop me an e-mail with the particular edition of office you’re using and I’ll see if i can help.
As for why they get picked up as malware / hack-tools, It’s usually because they’re UPX packed. (At least ProducyKeyFinder is). If you decompress them with UPX the message will likely go away. I’ve tried contacting McAffee about this but the page where you can contact them for removal is broken.
Dave, I am using the German version of Office 2007 Plus SP2. If you post a comment here once the new version is out, I will mention it in my daily news wrap up.
Hi Michael,
The new version (2.1.0) has been released. I’ve added support for what I believe is all the possible office localizations and a handful of Adobe CS3 products. Any users of Adobe products who have problems need just let me know and I should be able to get their license key back.
This version has been largely rewritten to improve reliability.
Hopefully, your German office should get picked up now – let me know.
Thanks,
Dave
I bought a new pc with McAfee Internet Security Suite installed on it, in Japanese, with Windows 7 Home Premium.I want to know my McAfee product key using your program, is it possible? Thanks in advance.