Hi, I have had to do clean installs on several new hd for win 8, but this time I'm a little baffled. I got in a dell with a oem win 8 or 8.1 (not sure) install, dead hd. I replaced it and switched to legacy boot to boot to my win 8.1 retail dvd, used generic key, it installed fine.... then when I run rw-everything like usual to get the actual bios key to activate there is no msdn tab. ...OK, so I hunt down the key from the limping old drive with jelly bean, got it... it won't activate, called msft they say its a bad key. AGH, sooo what did I screw up here? This is a genuine win 8 installed laptop, very new. Do I have to install win 8 first but the key I recovered is invalid, stumped.
Windows 8.1 OEM activation hassles
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MrMacca
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Have you tried to use the latest Produkey to see if that can pull it from the bios?
I have had a similar issue with a dell that I could not get to activate no matter what I would try, I even had the Product key. I even contacted Microsoft regarding it and they suggested that I return the laptop to the people my customer had purchased it from. Sadly, that's what I had to do in the end as luckily it was still under warranty.
I have had a similar issue with a dell that I could not get to activate no matter what I would try, I even had the Product key. I even contacted Microsoft regarding it and they suggested that I return the laptop to the people my customer had purchased it from. Sadly, that's what I had to do in the end as luckily it was still under warranty.
Markverhyden
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On an OEM W8 machine MJB and such is useless for the OS key. You should install the version of W8 that is on the COA. rw-everything will pull the original key it has shipped with. Not sure why you did not see it though. I tested this a while ago on a Gateway W8 box and rw-everything worked fine.
no I have not ever used product key, I'll give it a try, thanks!
So the key I got from MJB will only work on the original win 8 version, not 8.1, so I wipe nuke and pave and try that, thanks.
CLC
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I don't think produkey or magic jellybean can pull key's from the bios. Go here and follow instructions https:// itsolutionsblog.net/3-ways-to-extract-the-windows-8-product-key/
Markverhyden
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No, you misunderstood what I said. MJB will NOT work with OEM W8. All major OEM's are storing their SLP keys in BIOS. Go to the link that CLC posted for assistance. No, not all machines running W8 will have the key in BIOS. Remember, W8 can be installed on all kinds of hardware which does not support BIOS/UEFI key storage.
nlinecomputers
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https://www.technibble.com/forums/t...p-with-new-hdd-no-produkey.55860/#post-434258
First Home or pro? A OEM Windows 8 machine will have a sticker on it that says either Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. If the system shipped with Windows 8.1 then your install should have activated automatically. So likely it is a Windows 8 install instead. If so follow the instructions above.
First Home or pro? A OEM Windows 8 machine will have a sticker on it that says either Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. If the system shipped with Windows 8.1 then your install should have activated automatically. So likely it is a Windows 8 install instead. If so follow the instructions above.
Well I tried all 3 options from the link, nothing, agh so weird. I formatted and installed just win 8 too. Can't get anything from the bios or using powershell. There is a plain white serial number and product key sticker on the bottom, but ofcourse its beat up and can't make out the first two and the last two keys. Guess I'm going to have to order recovery dvds from them.
nlinecomputers
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Windows 8 doesn't have product key stickers.
I went to dell and ran a scan, its a 2012 shipped with win8 it looks like, I always use the technique from your link but for some reason I can't get any msdn tab from rw-everything.
exactly, this one does, and it looks very generic, but it definitely has the windows8 logo on the bottom too, I'm baffled here.
nlinecomputers
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Windows 8 came out in August of 2012. Most PCs that year did not ship with it. It was an free upgrade.
this is from the service tag on the dell site
Inspiron 17R (5720, Mid 2012)
X2F61
1
Label, Gml Inc, Microsoft, Operating System, W8, Consumer
T6CXV
1
DPK, OPERATING SYSTEM, W8H32/64
8FVRM
1
Retail Build to Stock Info SKU #87
'
I still don't get it
nlinecomputers
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Those systems shipped with Windows 7 Home. A copy of Win 8 might have been thrown in the box. Note it says CONSUMER not OEM up there. There is no key to retrieve. Any you absolutely certain that it had Windows 8 on it? Or did it have 7? Your key you retrieved from the system wouldn't work correctly if it was a Windows 7 key.
It has the Win8 logo emblem on the bottom, its not just stuckl on either.
nlinecomputers
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Run Produkey on the old drive. http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html
It will tell you what OS and the key installed. I'm betting one of two things. Either this is Win 7 or this is Windows 8 that was never upgraded to Win 8.1.
It will tell you what OS and the key installed. I'm betting one of two things. Either this is Win 7 or this is Windows 8 that was never upgraded to Win 8.1.
Thanks for the prodkey tip, that actually pulled the right key, I have to quit using jelly bean, I don't know where its key came from.
Its was 8.1 and prodkey did it, thanks! Between jelly throwing out a bogus key (it said 8.1 too) and rw everything not working this was a pain.
nlinecomputers
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Was it a bios key or was it from the old hard drive?
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