Windows 10 product key and activation questions.

[waeras]

Okay, so I've upgraded two computers so far from 8.1 to 10 and I'm still not sure what happened or how it works, I hope someone here can bring me some clarity.

My process was this:

1) Upgrade via Windows Update to Windows 10, Windows 10 on both computers became activated.
2) Use Keyfinder to save the product keys.
3) Downloading ISOs and creating bootable USBs (used RUFUS since the Microsoft tool didn't manage to make the USB bootable on the UEFI-computer).
4) Formated the computers, made clean installs, entered my product keys from step 2 during installation.
5) Problem with activation, re-entered product key, had to go to Store which confirmed I had a genuine copy of Windows etc, re-entered product key again etc. (Guessing problems with the activation servers or something, because after 15 minutes one computer was activated, the other one was activated after approximately 1 hour.)

However, when I started Keyfinder again today I noticed I have a new product key on the clean installs. It's not the same product keys I saved after upgrading from 8.1 or entered during and after the clean install.

Does this mean that the whole step of saving the product keys was unneccesary? And more so, does this mean that the upgrade was completely pointless? Since the clean install gave me new product keys, and genuine versions of Windows 10 which both got activated.
And if this is the case, does this mean that I can go on and do clean installs on computers with Vista/pirated versions/Linux/etc? (On 'Blogging Windows' Microsoft said that upgrading a non-genuine version of 7/8 would lead to a non genuine version of Windows 10, however if a clean install isn't using the product key gained from the upgrade and still activates Windows 10 seems to be free for all.)

 

[jason2234]

When you upgrade from 8.1 to 10 you get a new windows 10 key. Keep this key! 8.1 is no more lol. I missed this step and now im stuck trying to find an 8.1 Iso i can follow the correct path you followed

 

[a5cent]

Does this mean that the whole step of saving the product keys was unneccesary?

Yes. It was completely unnecessary and achieved absolutely nothing other than to add steps to the setup process where mistakes can be made. The people recommending this approach don't really understand what is going on behind the curtains...

And more so, does this mean that the upgrade was completely pointless? Since the clean install gave me new product keys, and genuine versions of Windows 10 which both got activated.

Not at all. It was the most important part of your upgrade process. I think everything you're wondering about is explained in our FAQ:

http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...0015-windows-10-upgrade-installation-faq.html

The keys you extracted with your software were likely nothing but temporary keys that are used to temporarily run W10 until proper activation occurs.

If the FAQ doesn't answer all your questions you can then get back to us here. ;-)

 

[waeras]

Thank you a5cent

Option (b) does the following:

a) creates a new W10 license key based on your existing/active/installed license key
b) associates that new W10 license key with your hardware and your Microsoft account
c) stores the W10 license key in the cloud

^^This part from your FAQ kinda cleared it out for me and explains why the clean install activated again without the key I managed to sniff out.

Not sure if I like this approach though, I can only imagine it causing problems down the line (what if I sell a computer or pass it down to my family or something, do they have to revert back to 8.1 and then upgrade again to get a license? And what happens if I give a computer away after the free-upgrade-year is over? Do they have to buy Windows 10 since the license is connected to my Microsoft account which obviously won't be available to them?)

 

[a5cent]

Do they have to buy Windows 10 since the license is connected to my Microsoft account which obviously won't be available to them?)

I don't understand this part of the Windows licensing scheme. I have a lot of suspicions but nothing really worth communicating since it's all just guesswork. Maybe MS will clear this up later on at some point.

 

[waeras]

I don't understand this part of the Windows licensing scheme. I have a lot of suspicions but nothing really worth communicating since it's all just guesswork. Maybe MS will clear this up later on at some point.

Yeah, I hope they'll provide more information at some point

Thanks again! (Feel free to close this thread if you want to.)