OMG, it happened! Now what?

Used Win 7 HP (SP1) for 4 years. HDD crashed. Can NOT READ the sticker on the bottom of laptop to get Product Key; Most letters/numbers are legible, but some are not. What the heck do I do, now? I ain't gonna' buy Windows 7, again!!!! That's for sure. How can I, within the time limits imposed by M$, get this re-registered?

Any suggestions or known good ideas would be a blessing!

Thanks, in advance, y'all!

Bubba Euler:major

 

My best legal advice is to contact Microsoft Tech Support here ---> http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/

Tell them via chat everything that happened and give them all the Product Key that you can.

I did this with a laptop that I fried the hard drive but happened to have the Windows 8 upgrade. When I installed Windows 8, it wouldn't activate because it was an upgrade only. So I contacted Microsoft's support and told them exactly what happened. They then activated it proper. I don't see them having an issue against helping you with a similar problem.

 

PapaDuke, your response to me has made my day! Thanks for the link, too! I'll try it and hope for the best. Again, thank you!!!!

 

Well, M$ didn't do squat!!!!!!!!!! They wanted the OEM number, yet, to register the OS I am asked to provide the Product Key located on the bottom of the device, which I provided once when I had to do a Windows REPAIR install from CD!!!!! This is awful. Oh, BTW, M$ just quit responding after their rude answer. If I could afford an Apple, I'd junk this M$ crap.