Product keys for Windows 8 computers aren't printed on a sticker. They're encrypted in the BIOS. How might that affect you? Lance Whitney is a freelance technology writer and trainer and a former IT ...

No one who assembles a PC or sets up a new computer can avoid the BIOS or UEFI. That’s where you define the basics, from the boot sequence and memory profiles to security features like Secure Boot.

If you bought a pre-built desktop PC, it’s a safe bet that the manufacturer optimized the basic input/output system (BIOS) settings for the hardware in the box—though it never hurts to check them out ...

In brief For the longest time Windows PCs came with a product key sticker that was placed outside of the machine or with your computer's manuals. But in recent years manufacturers started storing this ...