Windows 10: Activating Windows 10 using a Windows 8 Key

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about installing Windows 10 pro using the virtualization station on my QNAP NAS. Because we're still in the free upgrade period and I have access to one Windows 8.1 Pro license key through my school for personal use, I was wondering how best to use my 8.1 pro key to install Windows 10 pro..

1. Can I use a Windows 10 Pro ISO to create the virtual machine, and then use my 8.1 Pro license key to activate it?

2. Or do I first need to install Windows 8.1 Pro and then upgrade to Windows 10 Pro? I know that typically, in-place upgrades of Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 result in digital entitlement. My concern is that if I need to rebuild my virtual machine from scratch I'll lose my Windows 10 license completely.

Any thoughts on whether option 1 will work or not or how to protect my Windows 10 Pro installation would be appreciated. Thanks!

:)

 

activating windows 10 using windows 8 key

Hello,

I suggest you to refer the below wiki article provided by Andre Da costa on
How to install and activate Windows 10 using your Windows 7 or Windows 8 product key.
How to install and activate Windows 10 using your Windows 7 or Windows 8 product key

Also, suggest you to refer the below article on Windows 10 activation.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12440/windows-10-activation

Do let us know the update.

Thank you.

 

activating windows 10 using windows 8 key

Hi,

I have to format the C drive and reinstall the OS (current version windows 10 pro 1511 10586.420) as system got trashed, when I had given to repair the hard disk.

Windows 10 was upgraded from win 8 to 8.1 then finally to win 10 pro 1511.

If I have to reinstall, can I use the windows 8 key for installing and activating windows 10 (I have the USB installation media), OR should I install win 8 then upgrade to 8.1 and finally do all updates to upgrade to win 10?

How to proceed pl reply asap.

 

The problem with virtual machines is that each virtual machine will create a new Hardware ID. The digital license for Windows 10 is stored on Microsoft activation servers based upon the Hardware ID. After July 29th upgrades won't be free so you might not be able to upgrade the Windows 8.1 license (product key) to Windows 10 on a new virtual machine for free after July 29th.

 

Option1 will work.

With VMWare you backup the vmx file - that contains the UUID that has digital entitlement.
Not sure about other types of VM's tho'...

 

Is there a way to do the same with Hyper V - I suspect even it stores VM related ID information in certain files/ settings? XML? Do we have to dig or someone's already found this?