Is the Win 8 upgrade key tied to a particular machine?


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I am going to do a new build in December.

If I purchase the upgrade now, and install it on my current machine, can I re-install it on my new machine?

After I build the new machine, I plan to re-install the original Win 7 Home Premium on the current machine and donate it to the primary school I used to attend,

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As long as 8 is removed from the other PC first then yes. You shouldn't have any problems. :)

OK, then. It isn't tied to a particular machine like an OEM copy.

Great. I'm all set.

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If I purchase the upgrade now, and install it on my current machine, can I re-install it on my new machine?

According to this article:

Can I transfer my copy of Windows 8 to another PC?

You may transfer the software to another computer that belongs to you. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between computers.

You may also transfer the software (together with the license) to a computer owned by someone else if a) you are the first licensed user of the software and b) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. To make that transfer, you must transfer the original media, the certificate of authenticity, the product key and the proof of purchase directly to that other person, without retaining any copies of the software.

So the answer is, yes.

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According to this article:

Can I transfer my copy of Windows 8 to another PC?

You may transfer the software to another computer that belongs to you. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between computers.

You may also transfer the software (together with the license) to a computer owned by someone else if a) you are the first licensed user of the software and b) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. To make that transfer, you must transfer the original media, the certificate of authenticity, the product key and the proof of purchase directly to that other person, without retaining any copies of the software.

So the answer is, yes.

Thanks. However, I have a new problem:

I use the Upgrade Advisor, and everything goes well until I click "Buy".

I get this:

"We couldn't process your order. Please check your payment Info"

What gives?

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OK, then. It isn't tied to a particular machine like an OEM copy.

Great. I'm all set.

Even OEM copies that are for systems that you have built yourself no longer have that stipulation either.

There's now a Personal Use license that allows you to transfer the license to another PC or to another person as long as the new user agrees to the Terms and as long as you have removed it from all other PC's.

Thanks. However, I have a new problem:

I use the Upgrade Advisor, and everything goes well until I click "Buy".

I get this:

"We couldn't process your order. Please check your payment Info"

What gives?

That would indicate an issue with the payment method you are attempting to use to pay for the product, or with the address or something like that being used.

Does all your payment information match up 100%, including billing address and such?

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Even OEM copies that are for systems that you have built yourself no longer have that stipulation either.

There's now a Personal Use license that allows you to transfer the license to another PC or to another person as long as the new user agrees to the Terms and as long as you have removed it from all other PC's.

That would indicate an issue with the payment method you are attempting to use to pay for the product, or with the address or something like that being used.

Does all your payment information match up 100%, including billing address and such?

Yes, it does. I double, triple and quadruple checked.

It also asks for a "promo code". I have no idea what that is.

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Yes, it does. I double, triple and quadruple checked.

It also asks for a "promo code". I have no idea what that is.

The promo code is something optional. Just to check, this is for the normal sale-priced upgrade and not for the upgrade that is ultra low cost for new machines just bought recently correct?

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Thanks. However, I have a new problem:

I use the Upgrade Advisor, and everything goes well until I click "Buy".

I get this:

"We couldn't process your order. Please check your payment Info"

What gives?

I had the same problem trying to pay with my credit card, so I had to do it with paypal (using the same credit card)

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The promo code is something optional. Just to check, this is for the normal sale-priced upgrade and not for the upgrade that is ultra low cost for new machines just bought recently correct?

Yes. It's for the $39.99 upgrade.

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Yes. It's for the $39.99 upgrade.

If you only want the upgrade key then why pay $40 when you can pay $16. Just do the windowsupgradeoffer.com and lie about when you bought the pc. They don't ask for a recipt. I got a key for my laptop (5 months old) and a key for my pc (3 yrs old) for $32.

WHen you get the promo code to get Win8 for $16 with tax you have till January to claim it. If your building in December then it works out fine and you save some money

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I am going to do a new build in December.

If I purchase the upgrade now, and install it on my current machine, can I re-install it on my new machine?

After I build the new machine, I plan to re-install the original Win 7 Home Premium on the current machine and donate it to the primary school I used to attend,

I don't think you can use Windows 7 at the same time as your Windows 8 upgrade, so that means you can't give the Windows 7 OS to the school, so i think you would have to buy a system builders Windows 8 costing alot more to still be able to use Windows 7.

If i am wrong i am sure someone will correct me!

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If you only want the upgrade key then why pay $40 when you can pay $16. Just do the windowsupgradeoffer.com and lie about when you bought the pc. They don't ask for a recipt. I got a key for my laptop (5 months old) and a key for my pc (3 yrs old) for $32.

WHen you get the promo code to get Win8 for $16 with tax you have till January to claim it. If your building in December then it works out fine and you save some money

Thanks. Trying it now.

Edit: Didn't work. Says I am not eligible for the offer.

Also, Upgrade Advisor now tells me (after the umpteenth try) that:

"We couldn't finish processing your order. Creating a purchase order failed."

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Maybe your bank is holding the purchase back. Call them and ask if they are blocking an online purchase.

The license will work on any computer as long as it is the only one with that license. I have used the Upgrade Advisor to buy 3 upgrades in the same computer and I activated 3 different computers with them. One already had the MSDN Windows 8 Pro installed with a generic key.

I have yet to install it on a clean hard drive but my guess it should work. If not, we will need to resort to the registry key that tells Windows it was installed booting from media or from another Windows installation.

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Why would you be ineligible. Did you put august 2012 or September 2012 as the purchase date? It has to be a date in the last 3 months.

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Why would you be ineligible. Did you put august 2012 or September 2012 as the purchase date? It has to be a date in the last 3 months.

Yeah, stupid me. Will try again with September. (Used July 1st time).

Update:

Nope. Still Ineligible.

Machine purchased at Best Buy August 2011 (or thereabouts)

Compaq Presario CQ52705 with Home Premium.

Edited by Ice_Blue
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Got no idea why Microsoft makes it so difficult to buy Win 8.

If they want it to sell, why put all these hurdles in their online store?

Doesn't make any sense.

Is it worth trying through PayPal?

I've never used it before, so would have to go through another learning hassle.

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