If you own a legitimate copy of Minitab 17 but cannot find your credentials, do not panic. Do not download a "key generator" (which are always viruses for this software). Instead, try these locations:
Older enterprise versions of Minitab 17 shipped with a physical USB hardware dongle (typically red or purple). If you have the dongle, you do not need a key. The software detects the dongle and runs automatically.
If you have lost your key permanently and do not wish to engage in piracy:
The internet is flooded with websites claiming to offer "Minitab 17 product key + crack." Here is what is actually happening on those sites:
When users search for a "product key," they are usually looking for a string of characters to paste into an installer. With Minitab 17, the authentication process requires one of two things depending on your license type:
1. License Type: Concurrent Network License (Corporate/University)
2. License Type: Single User (Perpetual License)
Crucially: If you are typing random 25-character strings into Minitab 17 and they are not working, it is because you are using the wrong format. The software uses a .LIC file or a server connection, not a traditional product key.