ultimate99 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Went through the phone activation. Thanks all!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timster Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Open cmd with admin rights then type: slmgr.vbs -ipk "Product Key". That should work. that command only inserts a product key into the registry, it doesnt activate the key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daorbed9 Posted January 4, 2015 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. I've activated quite a few machines using a 8.1 fresh install with an 8 key in windows activation once its installed. Even if you use a pre-install key with a real 8.1 disc to install it, it will still activate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead.cell Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 But you don't have to. What you mean by a generic Windows 8.1 key? Just grabbing any off the internet, installing, then activating later with the actual Windows 8 key? Still, I think it's stupid that you must work around something that shouldn't need working around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted January 4, 2015 MVC Share Posted January 4, 2015 What you mean by a generic Windows 8.1 key? Just grabbing any off the internet, installing, then activating later with the actual Windows 8 key? Still, I think it's stupid that you must work around something that shouldn't need working around... Correct, they went full retard on pretty much every aspect of Windows 8 why should the product key be any different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circaflex Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Correct, they went full warwagon on pretty much every aspect of Windows 8 why should the product key be any different fixed that for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praetor Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I've activated quite a few machines using a 8.1 fresh install with an 8 key in windows activation once its installed. Even if you use a pre-install key with a real 8.1 disc to install it, it will still activate. then i guess this is new (the new iso's), because some months ago this was still not possible. and yeah, the Windows 8.x licensing is really messed up. Circaflex 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circaflex Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 then i guess this is new (the new iso's), because some months ago this was still not possible. and yeah, the Windows 8.x licensing is really messed up. Yup, the ISOs have changed, at least something has changed because months ago this was not the case using TechNet ISOs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperAFK 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 I had no problem doing a clean install of windows 8.1, using the generic key to continue the install, and activating with my 8.0 key afterwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protocol7 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I tried installing a fresh 8.1 on a laptop here that came with 8.0. With the MSDN/Technet ISO I was prompted for the product key. But with the ISO downloaded by the official Media Creation Tool I wasn't (it read the key from the BIOS fine). Had to activate it by phone the first time but when I reinstalled it again a short while later it activated online just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gate1975mlm Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I used the Windows 8.1 Pro 64 Bit ISO from here and was able to use my Windows 8 key which was activated just fine without having to make a phone call. This ISO has a generic 8.1 key built in and when you get to the desk top just enter your Windows 8 key and it should activate just fine. http://getintopc.com/softwares/operating-systems/windows-8-1-download/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daorbed9 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Yup, the ISOs have changed, at least something has changed because months ago this was not the case using TechNet ISOs I've done this with every version of the ISO since the MSDN release of 8.1 I currently use an updated ISO. Either way, on new laptops its really a pain to reinstall windows if they have an 8 key. You have to pull the key with RWAnything and then install with an 8.1 disc using a pre-install key. Then when you are in windows you can activate under the PC Settings with the 8 key. The only thing is you can't use an 8 key during the install with an 8.1 disc. Either you need a disc that doesn't need a key or use one of the MS provided preinstall keys. VLK keys are special now and require the Enterprise DVD and use a different activation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead.cell Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 then i guess this is new (the new iso's), because some months ago this was still not possible. and yeah, the Windows 8.x licensing is really messed up. Microsoft licensing* really... It's the most convoluted mess ever, and god forbid you have an audit. I really wish I could bill them for the time they wasted with us, simply because they couldn't get their ducks in a row. It's like one hand doesn't talk to the other over there... Praetor 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praetor Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Microsoft licensing* really... It's the most convoluted mess ever, and god forbid you have an audit. I really wish I could bill them for the time they wasted with us, simply because they couldn't get their ducks in a row. It's like one hand doesn't talk to the other over there... unfortunately, yes. That is changing, but sometimes it's really painful. I've had my share of discussions with Microsoft engineers over several subjects (Office 365, Servers, Licensing) and unless you get someone that really knows their stuff, you are going to waste alot of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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