What's the purpose of the Backup product key in registry

Hi folks

Any of you Learned Windows Gurus can help here please.

There's a backup product key in the registry file in the chain windowsNt-> etc -- anybody know what this actually does and is it the same as the original product key --I can't tell as I've lost the original key. W11 is licensed and activated BTW.

Reg link is : Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

-- anybody know what this actually does and is it the same as the original product key --

Click to expand...

Sorry, I don't know what its used for; maybe it's one of the MS 'generic' keys?

However, I've just checked the quoted registry key on my system and it is NOT my current poduct key.

From memory I think it is there to assist with the OS install for when you don’t enter a product key during install.
Once installed and running, if you’re connecting to your account online, it will identify that you have a digital Windows license key.

jimbo45 said:

is it the same as the original product key

Click to expand...

It’s generic.

@jimbo45

I used my Win 7 retail key to install Win 10 in May 2020.
Then I did an In-Place upgrade from Win 10 to Win 11, in July 2021 (Insider), and again in Oct 2021 (RTM).

The key in the registry is the generic Windows key...

Most times I've seen that is after Upgrading from Win10 to Win11. Some BIOSes may have an older key.

@antspants

@Bree

@Berton

Hi folks

Finally found out why my Windows iot Enterprise on Canary updated to Win 11 PRO rather than the iot enterprise verison.

Somehow I had a load of "Devices" linked to Ms digital licence. So I deleted the lot of them ( note even for store apps you are allowed a Maximum of 10). Then re-entered the generic key (the one from the registry under backup key) and the edition updated again to the proper iot Enterprise version.

Activation then as OK -- somehow the key had got lost / wiped in doing a load of copying from VM to physical machine and back again. Original product key was non existent in the system even using the powershell commands.

The wonder of Windows !!!!!.

So thanks guys.

All working again properly.

@Ghot

100% correct --it;s the generic key -- still useful as there's nowhere on the web to find a generic key for Win11 iot Enterprise which is the edition I have a license for and want to use !!!.

Cheers
jimbo