Windows 10 Technical Preview - Insider Program

[NeoNarchy]

It's not accepting the key in any of the installs.

Model
HP ENVY Touch Smart 15-j151ei Notebook PC (ENERGY STAR)

Seems like this shipped with Win 8 & not 8.1, could you remember what version SL or Pro, if it shipped with 8 & you are not certain what the product key is, rw everything & Aida64 would read the key correctly. Installing 8 first would detect the key correctly from the bios & be able to activate, you would then have to upgrade to 8.1 via store. it is possible to do the upgrade with media but that entails first reading the correct key after 8 install, doing a upgrade with a dummy key & then removing the dummy key via the command I posted earlier & then activating with your correct key.
It sounds complicated but is very easy. The issue usually is that laptops shipped with the first version of 8 would not read the key correctly from the bios when doing a install on 8.1 media unless doing a clean install. What makes it worse is Microsoft just putting an 8 sticker on the laptop without specifying what version or distro of 8 it is.

 

[AchmatK]

Seems like this shipped with Win 8 & not 8.1, could you remember what version SL or Pro, if it shipped with 8 & you are not certain what the product key is, rw everything & Aida64 would read the key correctly. Installing 8 first would detect the key correctly from the bios & be able to activate, you would then have to upgrade to 8.1 via store. it is possible to do the upgrade with media but that entails first reading the correct key after 8 install, doing a upgrade with a dummy key & then removing the dummy key via the command I posted earlier & then activating with your correct key.

It sounds complicated but is very easy. The issue usually is that laptops shipped with the first version of 8 would not read the key correctly from the bios when doing a install on 8.1 media unless doing a clean install. What makes it worse is Microsoft just putting an 8 sticker on the laptop without specifying what version or distro of 8 it is.

I think it was pro. Not 100% certain though. I have all the windows versions created using the windows media creation software.

Just frustrated as I have to work on my Dell 10" latitude tablet running windows 8.1 Pro 32bit.

Do you have a link to the tool to get the correct key. Not sure if you have it already.

 

[AchmatK]

Found the links to the tool

 

[NeoNarchy]

I think it was pro. Not 100% certain though. I have all the windows versions created using the windows media creation software.

Just frustrated as I have to work on my Dell 10" latitude tablet running windows 8.1 Pro 32bit.

Do you have a link to the tool to get the correct key. Not sure if you have it already.

https://www.bios-mods.com/tools/index.php?dir=RW-Everything+1.6.5.9/

This will read the key dirrectly from the bios, I dont think it will say what version of Windows so you should check with SL & the Pro

Clean install should work with the correct key on 8.1

here is a guide how to use rw everthing: https://itsolutionsblog.net/3-ways-to-extract-the-windows-8-product-key/

Try RW on the OS thats on the laptop now by doing this:

"Click on the ACPI Table button at the top. After that click on the MSDM tab. Your BIOS’s product key is at the bottom."

is your version the I7 one? If so then I am 99% sure you would have Pro on.

 

[AchmatK]

https://www.bios-mods.com/tools/index.php?dir=RW-Everything+1.6.5.9/

This will read the key dirrectly from the bios, I dont think it will say what version of Windows so you should check with SL & the Pro

Clean install should work with the correct key on 8.1

here is a guide how to use rw everthing: https://itsolutionsblog.net/3-ways-to-extract-the-windows-8-product-key/

Try RW on the OS thats on the laptop now by doing this:

"Click on the ACPI Table button at the top. After that click on the MSDM tab. Your BIOS’s product key is at the bottom."

is your version the I7 one? If so then I am 99% sure you would have Pro on.

Thanks.

Yes its the i7 model. I currently have 8pro installed and 95% downloaded the 10 iso.

Will let you know how it goes.

So your suggestion I'd to do a clean install of 8.1 pro over the 8 pro currently installed?

Will first try to do a clean install of 10 pro and see what happens.

 

[NeoNarchy]

Thanks.

Yes its the i7 model. I currently have 8pro installed and 95% downloaded the 10 iso.

Will let you know how it goes.

So your suggestion I'd to do a clean install of 8.1 pro over the 8 pro currently installed?

Will first try to do a clean install of 10 pro and see what happens.

if you have pro on check if your keys match, the one you have & the one rw everthing reads, check in PC Settings if the last 3 or 4 digits match as well. If you install without a key it uses a temp/placeholder key, if the keys don't match then its a good thing.

 

[AthenianOwl]

So does a retail (transferrable)win 8.1 key become a non-transferrable win 10 key?

No, it doesn't work like that. You get a free win10 OEM license if you upgrade from genuine 7/8.1. Your win8 key is still a win8 key. It cannot be used to activate a new win10 install. A clean win10 install will be automatically activated as long as it's reinstalled on your device.

 

[Nirv]

No, it doesn't work like that. You get a free win10 OEM license if you upgrade from genuine 7/8.1. Your win8 key is still a win8 key. It cannot be used to activate a new win10 install. A clean win10 install will be automatically activated as long as it's reinstalled on your device.

So how do upgrades involving the motherboard work then? Buy win 10 key?

 

[AthenianOwl]

So how do upgrades involving the motherboard work then? Buy win 10 key?

If your motherboard is changed/dead, your free win10 license (Oem) will be voided. That's the catch. Buy a win10 retail key (transferrable) if you plan to upgrade to skylake/zen.

 

[NeoNarchy]

So how do upgrades involving the motherboard work then? Buy win 10 key?

"Can I reinstall Windows 10 on my computer after upgrading?
Yes. Once you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer, you will be able to reinstall, including a clean install, on the same device. You won’t need to purchase Windows 10 or go back to your prior version of Windows and upgrade again.

You’ll also be able to create your own installation media like a USB drive or DVD, and use that to upgrade your device or reinstall after you’ve upgraded."

http://www.microsoft.com/en-za/windows/windows-10-faq

Seems so yes

 

[Nirv]

If your motherboard is changed/dead, your free win10 license (Oem) will be voided. That's the catch. Buy a win10 retail key if you plan to upgrade to skylake/zen.

In that case, I wonder if I can hold off on the upgrade to win 10 then, upgrade system, update to 10 before July 29th 2016?

 

[AchmatK]

if you have pro on check if your keys match, the one you have & the one rw everthing reads, check in PC Settings if the last 3 or 4 digits match as well. If you install without a key it uses a temp/placeholder key, if the keys don't match then its a good thing.

Rw came back with the key that i found earlier. I removed the key that does not want to activate via the CMD command. It still does not want to accept the rw key.

Currently their is no activation key in windows.

 

[NeoNarchy]

Rw came back with the key that i found earlier. I removed the key that does not want to activate via the CMD command. It still does not want to accept the rw key.

Currently their is no activation key in windows.

Is that normal 8 & not 8.1? can you do a clean install with 8.1?

 

[AchmatK]

Is that normal 8 & not 8.1? can you do a clean install with 8.1?

It's 8 pro.

Should I install 8.1 Pro/8.1 Pro N/8.1 Pro SL?

 

[NeoNarchy]

It's 8 pro.

Should I install 8.1 Pro/8.1 Pro N/8.1 Pro SL?

8.1 PRO, N We dont use here, & no way they would ship an I7 with SL

 

[Orbiter]

both of these were on 8.1 and had accounts on it before upgrading

Might have to delete it all and start outlook fresh.

But i have tried creating a new outlook profile and adding an account - does the same thing on that profile

I had the same issue with the preview.
It's not Outlook but windows itself.

You need to run the repair tool that scans the system files and replace a corrupt one with a good one from the cache.

Not at my pc now, Google windows repair tool.

 

[techead]

evening all

I was hoping someone could assist me with a product key issue I am having with my windows 10 install.

I have a MSI GT72 laptop which came with Windows 8.1 which whenever I have had to reload in the past Windows always picks up the product key and does the activation for me. I never have to do ANYTHING.

I know what my product key is as I used a tool previously to make a note of it.

Today I formatted my drive like normal, and installed using the new Windows 10 ISO which I created with the media creator tool from microsoft. Now I enter the key and it tells me that it is invalid. More details below.

Does anyone have any ideas??

edit : worth noting at this point that what it labels as my "current product key" is NOT CORRECT. It doesnt match the one I have on record at all. In fact, I have no freakin idea where it gets that from!?

 

[Necuno]

getting

Windows Can't Activate, Try Again Later

though upgrade is complete and everything

Activated without an issue after a clean install. wtf.

 

[biometrics]

Activated without an issue after a clean install. wtf.

pics?

 

[Arthur]

@techead: did you us a Microsoft Account with your previous installation? If so, just click SKIP (near bottom left) when asked for the Win10 key. The system should activate after a few minutes.