A product key is needed for Windows 7 and 8.1.
In comparison a product key is not needed for Windows 10 or 11 once the Windows operating system has updated.
After an update licensing data is on Microsoft servers.
Once the data is on Microsoft servers a clean install or drive replacement can be performed without a product key.
To clean install Windows 10:
1) Find a flash drive that you can format (> or = 8 GB)
2) On a working Windows computer create a bootable Media Creation Tool (MCT) (Windows 10 iso:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2376-create-bootable-usb-flash-drive-install-windows-10-a.html
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/9230-download-windows-10-iso-file.html
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
3) Move the bootable flash drive to the applicable port on the problematic computer and boot to the flash drive
https://www.disk-image.com/faq-bootmenu.htm
4) Delete all partitions making an unallocated disk drive
5) Perform a clean install:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-clean-install-windows-10-a.html
6) Install drivers displayed on the Lenovo website
7) Install applications
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