Can I use my OEM Product Key to activate Windows 10?

[djdelarosa25]

My laptop came with Windows 8.1 Single Language. I want to clean install Windows 10, so I downloaded the ISO and burned it to a DVD (Windows 10 Home Single Language, since I've read you can only use the same license key to upgrade to the same edition of Windows). Now I'm wondering, will the OEM key actually work and activate the OS when I proceed to do a clean install of W10?

[AlphaGamer46]

2 minutes ago, djdelarosa25 said:

My laptop came with Windows 8.1 Single Language. I want to clean install Windows 10, so I downloaded the ISO and burned it to a DVD (Windows 10 Home Single Language, since I've read you can only use the same license key to upgrade to the same edition of Windows). Now I'm wondering, will the OEM key actually work and activate the OS when I proceed to do a clean install of W10?

Unfortunately, no.

 

You will have to clean install Windows 8.1 and then upgrade to Windows 10.

 

Windows product keys don't go across different operating systems, and if they did, nobody would ever buy Windows, ever again.

 

Sorry man, but yeah, install Windows 8.1 using your product key on the laptop then upgrade to Windows 10. You won't have to activate Windows 10, because Windows 8.1 was already activated.

[djdelarosa25]

1 minute ago, AlphaGamer46 said:

Unfortunately, no.

 

You will have to clean install Windows 8.1 and then upgrade to Windows 10.

 

Windows product keys don't go across different operating systems, and if they did, nobody would ever buy Windows, ever again.

 

Sorry man, but yeah, install Windows 8.1 using your product key on the laptop then upgrade to Windows 10. You won't have to activate Windows 10, because Windows 8.1 was already activated.

 

After I upgrade to Windows 10 Home SL, can I use the disk to perform a clean install? Would Windows still be activated?

[Mark77]

IIRC, Microsoft changed the Windows 10 activator so it accepts Win7 and Win10 product keys.  So you don't even have to go through the step of 'upgrading' first. 

 

But this might not last forever. 

[AlphaGamer46]

1 minute ago, djdelarosa25 said:

 

After I upgrade to Windows 10 Home SL, can I use the disk to perform a clean install? Would Windows still be activated?

 

If you google for some code as to how to get your Windows product key, yes you can. Once you get the product key, you can reinstall Windows 10 using that product key.

 

http://www.howtogeek.com/206329/how-to-find-your-lost-windows-or-office-product-keys/

Use the guide on that website.

[Mug]

4 minutes ago, AlphaGamer46 said:

Unfortunately, no.

 

You will have to clean install Windows 8.1 and then upgrade to Windows 10.

 

Windows product keys don't go across different operating systems, and if they did, nobody would ever buy Windows, ever again.

 

Sorry man, but yeah, install Windows 8.1 using your product key on the laptop then upgrade to Windows 10. You won't have to activate Windows 10, because Windows 8.1 was already activated.

This used to be the case, but Microsoft changed it a couple of months after they released Windows 10.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/activation-in-windows-10

[Enderman]

9 minutes ago, AlphaGamer46 said:

Unfortunately, no.

 

You will have to clean install Windows 8.1 and then upgrade to Windows 10.

 

Windows product keys don't go across different operating systems, and if they did, nobody would ever buy Windows, ever again.

 

Sorry man, but yeah, install Windows 8.1 using your product key on the laptop then upgrade to Windows 10. You won't have to activate Windows 10, because Windows 8.1 was already activated.

lol thats wrong

 

since november you can activate windows 10 with any 7/8/8.1 key

 

and yes I know OEM works 100%, I did it myself, TWICE

[Tenshi017]

Strange....  I had an old pc that was win7 32 oem hp I installed win7 64bit and used an activator.  Got that key and used it for my rig with win7 64.  Later I upgraded to win 10 64 no issues.