📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses the discrepancy between the serial number displayed in Speccy and the actual hardware serial on an Acer ID card, clarifying that Speccy shows the Windows-generated system serial, not the manufacturer’s serial. Contributors explain that Speccy does not display the Windows product key, but tools like Magic Jellybean Keyfinder or AIDA64 can be used to recover it. The overall sentiment confirms that OEM Windows keys can often be retrieved with appropriate software, and the confusion over serial numbers and product keys is addressed.

davidhk129

Senior Member
Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
1,315
Thread Author #1
Ran Speccy first time ( free edition).
Under Operating system, it show the Serial number but it is not the same one shown in my Acer Identity Card.
It does not show my Product key either.

I was under the impression that Speccy will show both.
Have I misinterpreted?
 

Solution
Thank you for replying.
I need to clarify what I had said.....
1. I know serial number is not the same as product key.
I was referring to the serial number I have on my Acer ID card, and it is not the same as the one shown by Speccy.
2. Someone said Speccy can help locate product key. Hence my question.

Addition question : My OS is an OEM version. I thought, for years, that keyfinders will not be able to locate an OEM product key. Am I wrong?

Thank you.
Acer's serial number is likely for the unit and not Windows.. The serial number you are looking at in Speccy is generated by Windows every time a product key is installed on the system. Even on OEM systems, the product key is defined for the Windows installation process. The...

Mike

Windows Forum Admin
Staff member
Premium Supporter
Joined
Jul 22, 2005
Messages
9,260
Ran Speccy first time ( free edition).
Under Operating system, it show the Serial number but it is not the same one shown in my Acer Identity Card.
It does not show my Product key either.

I was under the impression that Speccy will show both.
Have I misinterpreted?
The serial number is not the same as the product key and you are correct. To get the product key use Magic Jellybean Keyfinder or AIDA64. AIDA64 has support for diagnostics and is a general information and benchmarking program, while Magic Jellybean has been around for a long time and simply supplies license data from your system.
 

davidhk129

Senior Member
Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
1,315
Thread Author #3
The serial number is not the same as the product key and you are correct. To get the product key use Magic Jellybean Keyfinder or AIDA64. AIDA64 has support for diagnostics and is a general information and benchmarking program, while Magic Jellybean has been around for a long time and simply supplies license data from your system.

Thank you for replying.
I need to clarify what I had said.....
1. I know serial number is not the same as product key.
I was referring to the serial number I have on my Acer ID card, and it is not the same as the one shown by Speccy.
2. Someone said Speccy can help locate product key. Hence my question.

Addition question : My OS is an OEM version. I thought, for years, that keyfinders will not be able to locate an OEM product key. Am I wrong?

Thank you.
 

Mike

Windows Forum Admin
Staff member
Premium Supporter
Joined
Jul 22, 2005
Messages
9,260
Thank you for replying.
I need to clarify what I had said.....
1. I know serial number is not the same as product key.
I was referring to the serial number I have on my Acer ID card, and it is not the same as the one shown by Speccy.
2. Someone said Speccy can help locate product key. Hence my question.

Addition question : My OS is an OEM version. I thought, for years, that keyfinders will not be able to locate an OEM product key. Am I wrong?

Thank you.
Acer's serial number is likely for the unit and not Windows.. The serial number you are looking at in Speccy is generated by Windows every time a product key is installed on the system. Even on OEM systems, the product key is defined for the Windows installation process. The licensing terms between retail and OEM license keys are different. The product key for any copy of Windows can be identified, but the transfer of the license from one system to another is restricted by the End User License Agreement (EULA).
 

Solution

davidhk129

Senior Member
Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
1,315
Thread Author #5
Acer's serial number is likely for the unit and not Windows.. The serial number you are looking at in Speccy is generated by Windows every time a product key is installed on the system. Even on OEM systems, the product key is defined for the Windows installation process. The licensing terms between retail and OEM license keys are different. The product key for any copy of Windows can be identified, but the transfer of the license from one system to another is restricted by the End User License Agreement (EULA).


Thank you for the explanation.
I would consider this question of mine has been answered.