Thanks,
I just need a “product key”.
I’m not going to pay for something that should have worked in the first place.
If you have blank CD’s or a USB with 4 gb you can make a live disc of Linux (Ubuntu or MINT) and use it without even installing to the hard drive to see if you like it.
We have an old Toshiba with a corrupted copy of Windows something, probably an “illegal copy” that keeps demanding to be updated, which would render it useless of course.
I am going to get around to installing Linux on it eventually. It might be destined for my nephew and there are versions of Linux catered to kids too.