Windows 8.1 serial

[omricn]

Hi guys,

 

I have a conundrum for you..

 

Say I have a brand new laptop that came with an activated windows 8.1 OEM. 

Say I found a way to get the serial key (it didn't come with any document\sticker which provides the serial number).

Say I wrote down the serial - reminding you the serial says "windows 8.1 pro 64bit (the '.1' being the important part).

Say I formatted the HDD and installed win7 ent and sent it away.

Say I am now in the future, 6 months from now. I bought a new pc for myself. I want to install windows 8.1. I download it, install it and enter the serial key I got from the above.

 

Couple of questions:

1. Should I download windows 8 or windows 8.1 for the serial above?

2. Will the activation work (reminding you the serial key is OEM)

3. Does formatting the original HDD with the 8.1 installation "release" the serial to be used on another computer?

 

Some info:

The above is not by any stretch illegal, the laptops that came with win 8.1 were bought as is by the company I work at as the main IT technician, and the licence would have just been wasted if I hadn't taken it.

Also - this was done, of course, with the knowledge and permission of my supervisors.

 

Also important to mention - the reason I'm having this debate is that I purchased windows 8 upgrade offer about 2 years ago for 15$, basically as soon as it was available. since then I upgraded to 8.1, also - I've lost the email with the serial key provided to me when I purchased win 8. (Really.. I deleted all of the emails that were under the 'promotions' tab in my Gmail account..) and to be honest I don't know if that serial I got from Microsoft when I purchased win8 would have worked on another PC for a couple of reasons, first - in the invoice Microsoft sent me after purchasing win8 it says the OS can only be installed on the PC from which I placed the order.. Second - the upgrade offer was for windows 8 and not 8.1 so if for some reason it would have worked I would need to install win8 > enter the serial > upgrade to win8.1 and eventually to win10, which I'd hate to do to my brand new SSD. Third - it's an upgrade offer, I have no CD, the serial I got was for an upgrade and not for an installation, who knows if it'll work..  

 

Come on experts

[LLOYD-AF]

Hi guys,

 

I have a conundrum for you..

 

Say I have a brand new laptop that came with an activated windows 8.1 OEM. 

Say I found a way to get the serial key (it didn't come with any document\sticker which provides the serial number).

Say I wrote down the serial - reminding you the serial says "windows 8.1 pro 64bit (the '.1' being the important part).

Say I formatted the HDD and installed win7 ent and sent it away.

Say I am now in the future, 6 months from now. I bought a new pc for myself. I want to install windows 8.1. I download it, install it and enter the serial key I got from the above.

 

Couple of questions:

1. Should I download windows 8 or windows 8.1 for the serial above?

2. Will the activation work (reminding you the serial key is OEM)

3. Does formatting the original HDD with the 8.1 installation "release" the serial to be used on another computer?

 

Some info:

The above is not by any stretch illegal, the laptops that came with win 8.1 were bought as is by the company I work at as the main IT technician, and the licence would have just been wasted if I hadn't taken it.

Also - this was done, of course, with the knowledge and permission of my supervisors.

 

Also important to mention - the reason I'm having this debate is that I purchased windows 8 upgrade offer about 2 years ago for 15$, basically as soon as it was available. since then I upgraded to 8.1, also - I've lost the email with the serial key provided to me when I purchased win 8. (Really.. I deleted all of the emails that were under the 'promotions' tab in my Gmail account..) and to be honest I don't know if that serial I got from Microsoft when I purchased win8 would have worked on another PC for a couple of reasons, first - in the invoice Microsoft sent me after purchasing win8 it says the OS can only be installed on the PC from which I placed the order.. Second - the upgrade offer was for windows 8 and not 8.1 so if for some reason it would have worked I would need to install win8 > enter the serial > upgrade to win8.1 and eventually to win10, which I'd hate to do to my brand new SSD. Third - it's an upgrade offer, I have no CD, the serial I got was for an upgrade and not for an installation, who knows if it'll work..  

 

Come on experts

 

My understanding is that with 8.1 OEM the key will only work with that motherboard, I could be wrong but be careful, I'm sure someone else will know more than me but that's what I've heard somewhere.

[Prestonification]

^^

[omricn]

I guess you guys are correct.. OEM keys are useless in that scenario.. guess I'll try and find my purchased upgrade licence key by using Belarc Advisor. hope it'll get me somewhere since I'm running win 8.1 now but the original purchase was for win 8. confusing stuff..

[omricn]

OK, I have a followup question:

 

I have now discovered my 8.1 key using BelarcAdvisor.

I do not know if it is the same key I received when I purchased my win8 upgrade offer. never the less, when I enter my key in this key verifier website - http://d-fault.nl/PidCheck.aspx I get a "win 8.1 retail" verification which leads me to believe I have a valid 8.1 licence key.

After some research I discovered that I should be able to re-use this licence key AFTER I format\release the key on my current machine. some say I can only use this key to activate windows twice.

I need someone who went through the exact process I described and with the same variables (bought win8 upgrade offer, updated to 8.1, built a new PC, deleted the current OS and reinstalled it using his\her current win 8.1 licence key.).

[insayan]

OK, I have a followup question:

 

I have now discovered my 8.1 key using BelarcAdvisor.

I do not know if it is the same key I received when I purchased my win8 upgrade offer. never the less, when I enter my key in this key verifier website - http://d-fault.nl/PidCheck.aspx I get a "win 8.1 retail" verification which leads me to believe I have a valid 8.1 licence key.

After some research I discovered that I should be able to re-use this licence key AFTER I format\release the key on my current machine. some say I can only use this key to activate windows twice.

I need someone who went through the exact process I described and with the same variables (bought win8 upgrade offer, updated to 8.1, built a new PC, deleted the current OS and reinstalled it using his\her current win 8.1 licence key.).

I have done that exact thing before and it worked just fine, you do however have to download the windows 8 ISO and then download the 8.1 update (it won't let you download the 8.1 file with a windows 8 key). http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only more information there.

[omricn]

I have done that exact thing before and it worked just fine, you do however have to download the windows 8 ISO and then download the 8.1 update (it won't let you download the 8.1 file with a windows 8 key). http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only more information there.

Thanks for the info buddy, but isn't my key a windows 8.1 key now? I believe what you have done is enter the key you received when you bought the win8 upgrade offer, which is indeed a windows 8 key, but the key I have now is a windows 8.1 key..

Can you please enter your key in the key verifier website? http://d-fault.nl/PidCheck.aspx, and tell me what version of windows it shows? if it shows 'windows 8' then you have a windows 8 key. when I enter my key it says 'windows 8.1".

[insayan]

Thanks for the info buddy, but isn't my key a windows 8.1 key now? I believe what you have done is enter the key you received when you bought the win8 upgrade offer, which is indeed a windows 8 key, but the key I have now is a windows 8.1 key..

Can you please enter your key in the key verifier website? http://d-fault.nl/PidCheck.aspx, and tell me what version of windows it shows? if it shows 'windows 8' then you have a windows 8 key. when I enter my key it says 'windows 8.1".

It says "Win 8 RTM Professional Retail"

[omricn]

It says "Win 8 RTM Professional Retail"

great, so this assures me that I have a windows 8.1 key since my result is "Win 8.1 pro Retail", so all I need to do is download a windows 8.1 iso from HERE and I'm set Thank's allot buddy!

[omricn]

*Marked solved for now, will update when I build a new PC and attempt to install