Windows 8.1 Requiring Activation Key - Issue

[TripsG]

I have an older HP Laptop that was running a licensed version of Windows 8. I have the product key and everything. This was an upgrade from Windows XP, again with a product key. After downloading 8.1 it won't do anything as it is asking for a product key. When I enter either product key, it says it's not valid.

Any thoughts on this or is my HP doomed to Windows 8 for good?

 

[Kieta]

And you downloaded 8.1 from the store?

 

[TripsG]

Yes. Seems the download has rendered my wireless internet useless so I can't activate the key without it? Possibly? Would it need the internet to run the key? Ugh...

 

[TripsG]

Plugged in a wired internet cable, now the whole thing is just frozen. Before I could move between desktop and metro or even click on apps, even though they wouldn't do anything. Now I can't do squat.

I'll wait it out for a while and see if it's just doing the voodoo it do in the background or something. The thought of doing this a 3rd time, while maybe a charm, makes my **** pucker a bit.

 

[MrGoodSmith]

This is a serious issue. Are you saying you purchased the Upgrade version of Windows 8 and got a product key for that and used it to activate Windows, and now after downloading Windows 8.1 it's asking you for a product key?

And me wondering if I can do a clean install of Windows 8.1 with the key used to activate Windows 8 Upgrade edition

 

[TripsG]

Yes. I have an HP Laptop that ran Windows XP with a product key (which I have) and upgraded it to Windows 8 Pro with a product key (which I have) and, prior to me adding the internet cable, it would download 8.1 (rendering my wireless internet dead) and it would install, but then it would get to the installing apps part and just not do anything. I could click around but nothing worked. When you go to Settings>Change PC Settings>Activate Windows it would ask for a key, but would not accept either key I gave it. I have done this twice.

I then decided to hardline my internet and it has now just frozen for lack of a better term. I may force a restart and do it all again at this point.

 

[a5cent]

And me wondering if I can do a clean install of Windows 8.1 with the key used to activate Windows 8 Upgrade edition

Unfortunately, no, you can't. The main problem is not that the W8.1 installer won't accept a W8 key, but that MS hasn't released a public W8.1 ISO file that anyone can use to do a clean install. At the moment, the only way to legally get such an ISO file is to have access to an MSDN or TechNet subscription. MS support staff claims that such an ISO file will be made available for everyone at a later time.

After downloading 8.1 it won't do anything as it is asking for a product key. When I enter either product key, it says it's not valid. Any thoughts on this or is my HP doomed to Windows 8 for good?

You can try one of these:

Core: 334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT
Professional: XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB

These are not an illegal keys.

These are the default W8.1 installation keys. Previous versions of Windows automatically used such a key to execute the installer, but for some reason W8.1 does not. What this key won't do is activate Windows for you. For that you will need to provide your own key, but I suspect you may need to call MS (or Skype them) to get an updated key for W8.1.

Having said that, I would strongly recommend you do a clean install as soon as MS releases the 8.1 ISO files for everyone. If you get a new key from MS, then that will work both for installation and activation.

EDIT: It sounds like MS' support staff were wrong. Apparently MS doesn't intend to ever release such an ISO file.

 

[TripsG]

I'm going to try to get my Surface Pro updated this evening. The download has been brutally slow. Once I have it running right I'll go back to the HP and see if I can try it all again tomorrow. I restarted it (again) and it just reinstalled Win8 Pro again so at least it is functional.

Tomorrow I'll try the install with the wired internet just in case that actually matters somehow.

 

[Dragunov2]

Those key works indeed, then u go to 'Change PC settings' and there u can use your Win8 key