I have a system that was running Windows 7 and then, back when Windows 8 was cheap, was upgraded to 8 (now 8.1 + Media Centre via separate updates & additions). Now I come to reformat / reinstall I need the original W7 key as I only have the upgrade licence for W8.
I understand that I can't use the W7 key and the W8 key due to the EULA (What happens to the Windows 7 key when upgrading to Windows 8?) and I appreciate that I can use a registry hack to bypass the need to actually install W7 first before W8. But, is it possible, in a "just in case" vain, to recover it somehow? I've got the W7 DVD somewhere, just nowhere I've looked so far.
In a related but unrelated question: I've tried a couple of the key finder apps and they report the "Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center" product key only, but this is different to the W8 key I got when I bought it (I have that in an email); is that a normal thing and which would I use for the reinstall: original or updated?
Edit: This is an OEM version of Windows 7 Pro but self-installed so the key is on the sticker on the DVD box. I was not foresightful enough to stick the sticker to the case however and the box eludes me.
