Windows 10: activating w10

I have an older drive with windows 8.1 on it, I have copied the key from the OS. This drive was never updated to w10 but is a fully legal activated version of w8.1

I have just put together a new system and figured I could do a clean install of 586 w10 and just plug in the w 8.1 key and be all good for activation. Not so fast, activation will not accept the key.

MS tech on chat line said I would probably need to install old drive, fully update it and then upgrade to w10. That's a boat load of updates considering this drive was taken out the first moment w10 became available.

My question is I guess is there no less painful way to accomplish this?*Smile

:)

 

Updated hardware and now windows won't activate

Ok, what did the Dell I7 have on it before you slipped the SDD in it? You can readily slip a SDD into a properly activated W10 PC. However, the SDD from an activated W10 will not activate a W10 PC that was never properly activated.

I am moving my fleet from HDD to SDD without activation issues. However, the base W10 PC is activated and could care less about the HDD/SSD.

Unless the I7 is W10 activated, then look forward to buying a W10 license. If the I7 did come with W10 activation, then provide more details as to just what you have in the I7.

 

Retail key comes up as invalid when trying to upgrade win 7 to win 10

You have to upgrade from W7 to W10 in order to (automatically) activate the later.

Once W10 is activated, you can do a fresh W10 install (don't give any key). But not before !

W7 key won't work for W10 !

 

What error message appears when you select the "Change product key" option and enter your Windows 8.1 key?

 

Is the original Windows 8.1 install a factory OEM install? If yes you cannot use that key on another PC, it has to be a Retail key.

 

I don't recall the error code. I did look for it for a couple mins without success.

The key is from an Asus laptop I bought last year. I have since done the 188 windows updates *really

When the system rebooted the upgrade to windows 10 icon was in the taskbar and I am currently downloading w10. I think all will be good when the download process is complete. At that point I will remove the spinner drive currently doing the update and upgrade. Put my ssd back with w10 and see if it activates. I will be sure to have 586 w10 on both drives before proceeding.

When I talked to the MS tech on chat I told her my scenario and she was in agreement. Once I have an activated w10 on the spinner drive it is mated to my new system. The scenario I told her was like if I have legal windows 10 on a drive and the drive dies for instance... I don't need to buy windows 10 again, I just buy a new drive.

At worst I think is maybe a call to MS support to activate but frankly hoping that will not be necessary.

 

In your first post you stated you were building a new system, not just replacing a hard. Transferring the Windows by moving the hard drive from the old computer to the new computer is illegal to do with the OEM license that came installed on the old computer.

 

I hope that is not the case. I clearly told the MS tech support person what I was trying to do and was not told that there was this kind of issue at all.

If so I will just buy a new key from store...

 

In Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, run winver (win+r will open run dialogue and then enter winver or type winver from command prompt). There will be link on the screen for terms and conditions or license. I don't have the exact Windows 8/8.1 text but:
Microsoft radically overhauls license agreements for Windows 8 | ZDNet

In addition:
Licensing FAQ

 

OEM licenses are not transferable. If Windows was preinstalled by the manufacturer its OEM. Looks like NavyLCDR beat me too it.

 

I hit the store and gave MS some money. *Sad
Thanks for all the replies.

 

That's the way it goes some times.