ultimate99 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I did a UEFI USB install of win8.1pro using Rufus. When I installed win8.1 it didn't ask for a key at all. After booting up to windows, I wasn't able to activate using my original 8 key or the generic 8.1 key here. Suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dot Matrix Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Was the key used previously? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultimate99 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Was the key used previously? ya... I did a clean install.... ....or am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praetor Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I did a UEFI USB install of win8.1pro using Rufus. When I installed win8.1 it didn't ask for a key at all. After booting up to windows, I wasn't able to activate using my original 8 key or the generic 8.1 key here. Suggestions? if you installed 8.1, you can't use the 8 key. And those generic keys are only for KMS activations. Aergan 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultimate99 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 if you installed 8.1, you can't use the 8 key. And those generic keys are only for KMS activations. there should be a workaround to this, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anibal P Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 there should be a workaround to this, no? Sure is, install 8, activate, upgrade to 8.1 dead.cell 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dot Matrix Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Yep. You'll need to clean install 8, and then upgrade to 8.1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circaflex Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Like others have mentioned: If the computer/key was originally Windows 8 you must reinstall using Windows 8, then use the store to upgrade to Windows 8.1 If the computer/key was originally Windows 8.1 you must reinstall using Windows 8.1 media. It makes no sense to me and is really annoying, seeing as .1 was a free upgrade; luckily this meant my technet gave me a few more keys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultimate99 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 I guess I'll clean install again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timster Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 you say 8.1 pro, are you sure you installed the correct OS. I've done the accidentally on my laptop, installed 8.1 Pro when I should have installed 8.1 Core. As for installation media, my laptop shipped with 8 Core, I can use 8.1 media without any issues and it activates just fine. Aergan 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 You have to install the matching edition (pro or non-pro) using the right generic product key (there is one for pro and one for core). If you used an upgrade key you must change the MediaBootInstall registry key. If you have a 8 key you must do a SLMGR /rearm and then activate by internet/phone. If you download the newest ISOs with the new official tool (those discs also include Update 1, 2 and 3) you can finally install directly with your original Win8 key without other workarounds (except for the MediaBootInstall registry key if you are using an upgrade key and don't want to install Win7 first). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted January 4, 2015 MVC Share Posted January 4, 2015 Like others have mentioned: If the computer/key was originally Windows 8 you must reinstall using Windows 8, then use the store to upgrade to Windows 8.1 If the computer/key was originally Windows 8.1 you must reinstall using Windows 8.1 media. It makes no sense to me and is really annoying, seeing as .1 was a free upgrade; luckily this meant my technet gave me a few more keys Not true at all. I have a Windows 8 Pro upgrade key. I can just install Windows 8.1 Pro FULL clean install using the generic 8.1 keys then go into settings and change the product key to the Windows 8.1 upgrade key. Activates just fine. I've reinstalled TONS of machines that had Windows 8 Core using the generic 8.1 core key. I clean install 8.1 Core and then just grab the 8 core key from the bios and activate it using that key Eric and FunkyMike 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aergan Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 If you purchased Windows 8 Pro from Microsoft, you can try contacting Microsoft support and they may activate it for you over the phone. I've had to do this twice for the "upgrade to Windows 8 Pro" promotion keys offered previously and once for the Windows Media Center upgrade key. If it's the key for your OEM install (what your device shipped with or SLIC), you need to use your original media / factory restore mode to install Windows 8 then upgrade to 8.1 via Windows Update. Microsoft wont help you activate this way and will redirect you to your OEM's support channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 If it's the key for your OEM install (what your device shipped with or SLIC), you need to use your original media / factory restore mode to install Windows 8 then upgrade to 8.1 via Windows Update. Microsoft wont help you activate this way and will redirect you to your OEM's support channels. The latest official Win8.1 discs (the ones downloaded with the tool I linked above) activate with the key automatically read from the BIOS like the original Win8 discs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted January 4, 2015 MVC Share Posted January 4, 2015 If it's the key for your OEM install (what your device shipped with or SLIC), you need to use your original media / factory restore mode to install Windows 8 then upgrade to 8.1 via Windows Update. Microsoft wont help you activate this way and will redirect you to your OEM's support channels. Once again not true. I've done TONS of reinstalls of Core on OEM machines that shipped with Windows 8 Core. I Install 8.1 Core using the generic install keys then just took the OEM key from the bios and went to settings activate and changed the product key to the one from the bios and it activates just fine. FunkyMike, Arachno 1D, primexx and 1 other 4 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultimate99 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 ok, I did a reinstall to win 8 pro. I tried to activate my original 8 key from MS and it said the is already being used by another computer. Is it because I switch the install from my laptop to a desktop pc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhangm Supervisor Posted January 4, 2015 Supervisor Share Posted January 4, 2015 ok, I did a reinstall to win 8 pro. I tried to activate my original 8 key from MS and it said the is already being used by another computer. Is it because I switch the install from my laptop to a desktop pc? If you've already used this key to activate an installation (it doesn't matter where, just that you used it), then yeah, that would be the problem. I believe retail licenses can be transferred to different hardware - I've moved licenses to new hardware and activated over the phone. If it's an OEM license, then it's stuck to the original machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose_49 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Oopsy. Sorry for not writing sooner. I had this problem too. Warwagon is correct. if your key does not work, as happened with mine, you just need to do a Phone Activation. Do it via Skype. support.microsoft.com/kb/950929 Check this out too: www.softwareok.com/?seite=faq-Windows-8&faq=40 After that, it works perfectly! Or: Press Win + R (This will open the run menu) and type "slui 4" without commas. And follow accordingly. MorganX 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xendrome Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 ok, I did a reinstall to win 8 pro. I tried to activate my original 8 key from MS and it said the is already being used by another computer. Is it because I switch the install from my laptop to a desktop pc? Technically keys are licensed to the 1 machine, reinstalls are OK but you cannot change it to a different system. Do the phone activation and it should work though Jose_49 and MorganX 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satysin Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Is it because I switch the install from my laptop to a desktop pc? Yes. Windows will let you reinstall on the same machine and it should activate fine as the activation hash it creates will be the same so when it sends it to the activation server it will see it is the same machine as the original activation. The reason it won't activate for you automatically is because the machine is different so the activation has is different and as the key is already activated it will fail activation. You can just call Microsoft and activate manually over the phone (or Skype). Strictly speaking the key is non-transferable (OEM key) so if asked say you had to replace the HDD or something and had to do a reinstall as MS might (never happened afaik but possible) deny activation as it is a new machine. timster 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knife Party Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Open cmd with admin rights then type: slmgr.vbs -ipk "Product Key". That should work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Depicus Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 ok, I did a reinstall to win 8 pro. I tried to activate my original 8 key from MS and it said the is already being used by another computer. Is it because I switch the install from my laptop to a desktop pc? Just phone the Windows Activation line and go through normal activation, do this all the time with the same key when I am developing and probably on my 12th install. First two activated ok but now every time I just ring the activation line and you don't even need to speak to a real person just make sure when it asks you how many machines it is on you say 1. dead.cell 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted January 4, 2015 MVC Share Posted January 4, 2015 Just phone the Windows Activation line and go through normal activation, do this all the time with the same key when I am developing and probably on my 12th install. First two activated ok but now every time I just ring the activation line and you don't even need to speak to a real person just make sure when it asks you how many machines it is on you say 1. I wish the activation line had a number I could press which meant "Shut the ###### up and lets get started" seeprime, timster and Intersect 3 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead.cell Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Just phone the Windows Activation line and go through normal activation, do this all the time with the same key when I am developing and probably on my 12th install. First two activated ok but now every time I just ring the activation line and you don't even need to speak to a real person just make sure when it asks you how many machines it is on you say 1. Upvoting - Do exactly as he says. I do this a lot at work. It's not a big deal, and like he said, you don't even talk to a real person. Just say 1 when it asks; shouldn't have any problems. And yeah, it is stupid that you have to install Windows 8 to use the key. Not sure why it's like that... Depicus 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted January 4, 2015 MVC Share Posted January 4, 2015 And yeah, it is stupid that you have to install Windows 8 to use the key. Not sure why it's like that... But you don't have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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