Windows 8.1 questions.....

Massa9 · June 13, 2014

I got Windows 8 Pro (OEM) last summer. The biggest selling point was the new OEM license options which allows the end user to transfer Win 8 to new hardware or PC as long as that PC belongs to you....don't have all the details off the top of my head.. I have not used the free 8.1 update yet as I did not feel like re-installing on this PC again. I recently read that Windows 8.1 OEM license is different from Win 8. More specifically the part about using the OS on other hardware....Don't know all the details myself yet. Is this true? I am looking for more sources and sites to verify this claim so if anyone knows anything about this I would like some input. Also I did plan on using Win 8 pro but I read that Microsoft will stop support for Win 8 around Q1 2016. I imagine this is because of Windows 8.1 selling more Copies. And The free update... and a few other theories. you know, feel free to comment or leave a link.

neon · June 13, 2014

It technically doesn't matter, even though your Windows 8 key won't work on a fresh Windows 8.1 install, you can always install Windows 8 then upgrade it to 8.1 for free.

Then if the OEM Windows 8 does let you transfer to other hardware (which it never did for any other Windows before so I don't know why they would change it for Windows 8 then change it back for 8.1) you can just install Windows 8 activate it and remove the old install from the old machine, and then upgrade to 8.1 if you want.

Windows 8 will stop support sometime before 8.1 does but think of it like Windows Service Packs before, Windows 7 is no longer supported but Windows 7 SP1 is.

Massa9 · June 14, 2014

Ok..I read a of a few issues but I still cannot find whether or not I get Windows 8.1 pro or just 8.1 using the free update....

Why did have to make an 8.1, The only other significant Windows OS that I can think of with is Windows 3 .0 and 3.1. that uses a whole new OS for an update. but The Changes from 3.0 to 3.1 were more significant than 8 to 8.1