Windows 8 Product key suddenly not working.

[elecxonica]

This week I got a replacement Western Digital Blue 1 TB. after several attempts of restoring my Acronis image of the drive, I decided to completely start afresh with a new install of windows 8. Except, my product key, which had worked on my laptop and then later my desktop last year apparently was no longer accepted by Windows as being correct. after verifying the code was in fact correct, it still doesn't work. I then decided to try the code in a virtual machine to no prevail. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to get around it or get it to work.

 

[scaryjam823]

Give them a call and tell them what happened, they will let you use it again. It's common for product keys to stop working when you upgrade parts and microsoft knows this. They will let you continue to use it with a phone call.

[L.E.D]

You will have to call and talk to them about it, I assume you used an OEM license which locks to the hardware that was used to install windows in the first place.

[asickduckie]

if you use your key on both your laptop and desktop of course you will get problems like this

[GoodBytes]

Can you please clarify. By "not working" You mean can't activate, or can't resume the setup?

[TheProfosist]

Did you remember to deactivate before reinstalling? Also uou can just activate by phone. Just dont do it too often otherwise they may blacklist you key.

[GoodBytes]

There is no deactivation of Windows. This is why it goes with hardware configuration so that you can re-install without trouble.

[TheProfosist]

There is no deactivation of Windows. This is why it goes with hardware configuration so that you can re-install without trouble.

Theres that bit o code you can use in command line. I forget what it is off hand but ever since using that I havnt need to call in.

[DeathSentinels]

You got the "upgrade" version of windows 8, what you need to do is install windows 7, use windows upgrade via windows 7 to upgrade to windows 8, and the key

will work, try to do a fresh install, and the key won't work, because it's not an upgrade, it's a fresh install.

oddly enough ran into that exact same issue, it's a pain in the behind to do, but thats how yeah do it

[TheProfosist]

You got the "upgrade" version of windows 8, what you need to do is install windows 7, use windows upgrade via windows 7 to upgrade to windows 8, and the key

will work, try to do a fresh install, and the key won't work, because it's not an upgrade, it's a fresh install.

oddly enough ran into that exact same issue, it's a pain in the behind to do, but thats how yeah do it

Or you could get a 8.1 ISO clean install it using the microsoft provided temporary product key (make sure you grab the correct core or pro one) then with out restarting initiate a upgrade from within windows and do a upgrade using the same key. Once installed restart once and activate windows with your actual key and your good to go. Make sure to run a disk clean to get rid of the OS files that were kept from before you upgraded.

[DeathSentinels]

Or you could get a 8.1 ISO clean install it using the microsoft provided temporary product key (make sure you grab the correct core or pro one) then with out restarting initiate a upgrade from within windows and do a upgrade using the same key. Once installed restart once and activate windows with your actual key and your good to go. Make sure to run a disk clean to get rid of the OS files that were kept from before you upgraded.

 

That sounds a lot quicker and effient, I'll remember that for my next clean install, thats for sure!

[TheProfosist]

That sounds a lot quicker and effient, I'll remember that for my next clean install, thats for sure!

Yea I should really write something up for it. its worked since Vista but changed a bit with 8.1 since you can use 8 keys for 8.1 but can use them in the install process since its not technically a 8.1 key. If you have any questions in the mean time let me know.

[elecxonica]

Can you please clarify. By "not working" You mean can't activate, or can't resume the setup?

When I load up the install and get to the product key, it doesn't accept mine. and i have checked it against my Receipt and the code in the ISO downloader.

 

Or you could get a 8.1 ISO clean install it using the microsoft provided temporary product key (make sure you grab the correct core or pro one) then with out restarting initiate a upgrade from within windows and do a upgrade using the same key. Once installed restart once and activate windows with your actual key and your good to go. Make sure to run a disk clean to get rid of the OS files that were kept from before you upgraded.

I have tried this but it gave me another error when I tried to install. Honestly starting to think it doesn't want me to install it.

[TheProfosist]

When I load up the install and get to the product key, it doesn't accept mine. and i have checked it against my Receipt and the code in the ISO downloader.

 

I have tried this but it gave me another error when I tried to install. Honestly starting to think it doesn't want me to install it.

What is the other error?

[elecxonica]

What is the other error?

It was something about not being able to install to the drive.

 

That said, this morning, with a combination of Acronis and BCDBoot I got the thing to boot windows 8 from my backup.