I just wanted to extract my activation keys of Windows 7 and 8 x64. I used several programs to test, if they produce the right results. In System screen > Details about windows activation I can see the last five digits of my currently used installation key. I used the programs Speccy and License Crawler.
License Crawler yields the right code which is called Product Key. Speccy on the other hand yields a Serial Number, which also has the format XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX, but is not the actual installation key.
So what is the second code (Serial Number) about?
Best Answer
You can think of the Serial Number as a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) if that helps. You can think of it as a person's name. You can think of it as the bar code on a can of tuna. The Serial Number is an identifier for that product or object. If there was an issue with your particular object, product, or OS installation media, tracing the serial number could result in revealing a problem during production... as that serial number can be used to identify when and where something was manufactured. That's down to the date, time, and location in a particular production facility.
The Product Key... that's not a serial number. In this specific case (since cans of Tuna don't have Product Keys... unless you count the Can Opener) the Product Key is just that... a key. The installation (identified by the serial number) is locked, and must be unlocked to be used. To unlock (activate) it, you need the key.
A Serial Number can be publicly displayed. It can be openly available and searched. A Product Key must be kept out of the public eye and reach... which means you might say that a Serial Number is the number posted on your house or mailbox, while the Product Key is the key to your front door.