Windows 10: Installataion and Activation of Windows 8.1

Well I have now spent the best part of 4 weeks trying to sort this problem out. I originally had Toshiba Laptop with Windows Home premium already installed and the sticker stuck on the bottom blah blah blah. I went through all the free upgrades from windows 8 through to windows 10 Anniversary with no problem whatsoever. And I was really happy with the windows 10.

unfortunately my system and hard drive crashed and failed so I had to try and fix it with a live Linux disk. When it came to installing windows back on the system well windows just wouldn't entertain it. I tried for a solid week to get some sort of windows installation back but had Constant driver not available errors. I tried all windows editions which were all legally downloaded from the Microsoft account. I even went to the extent of trying a windows 98 edition that's how bad things got.!!!!

However after hours and hours of not giving up and NOT throwing the laptop out of the window, which I was tempted to do so many times. Windows finally started to load up on the windows 8 version. I completed installation signed in Microsoft remembered my account and everything. I had no intention of keeping windows 8 I wanted to go back to the windows 10 that was previously installed. But Microsoft have other ideas. Now I am unable to upgrade to windows 10 as Microsoft want the product key which I have tried to activate but with constant errors. I have phoned the support tried numerous times but they will just not accept the activation code. The original windows7 code has practically rubbed off and I can barely see the numbers. I just feel there is no support whatsoever and I am certainly not paying for another product key that I don't want anyway. I have tried again with a complete reinstall for windows 10 but the dreaded driver problem appears again. Just seems funny that the only disk to load is the windows 8 no driver problems there with a wiped hard drive. I think this is just Microsoft's method to conning people.!!!!!

If this problem persists I will have no choice but to remove Microsoft completely from every device my family and I own an even the business ones and I will opt for a LINUX Distro..

If anyone has a solution I would be greatly appreciated.

:)

 

Update not support for N97 with windows 7

i have win7 pro and i updated to v21 via OVi suite with no troubles.





(although on my PC, after win7 installataion, i did have troubles with my UPS drivers, which had a confliction with AVG)

 

Is there a way to downgrade to the Anniversary update or to Windows 8.1?

No, a Windows 10 product key cannot activate Windows 8.1. If you want to downgrade and activate Windows 8.1, you need to purchase a Windows 8.1 license (product key).

 

The official free upgrade period is long over.. although some have reported successfully upgrading. It sounds as if you have only recently upgraded to Win 10.

Activation guidance and 'rules'
Activate Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials
Clean install Win 10
Clean Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

I would suggest you also check your disk.
Hard Disk Sentinel (trial) is very good if you have Windows running.
If not you need a boot disk such as Kyhi's, available from the top of the Software and Apps Section.
HD Tune is one of the programs included.

 

If that was a factory OEM install or Windows 7, it would have originally been activated an OEM-SLP key. That key is not the same as the key on the COA sticker. That is a OEM-COA key. That key on the sticker is not the key it used to do the free upgrade with. That being said, if you did the free upgrade to Windows 10, it should have a Digital License stored on the activation server, and you shouldn't need to enter a key. It should auto activate with the Digital License. Assuming you installed the correct Edition. 7 Home Premium gets you 8 Core that gets you 10 Home. What Edition did you install? If you installed 10 Pro, or 10 Home Single Language, that's your issue. You need to install 10 Home, which is listed as just "Windows 10" in the Media creation tool menu. Installing with that install media, when prompted to enter a key, click I don't have one. You will then get you a menu asking if you want to install Home or Pro. Select Home and continue. Wjhen all is said and done it should activate with the DL already stored on the activation server.

 

Was there a free upgrade from 7 to 8?
My memory was that I had to pay a small amount for a machine which at the time was a recent Windows 7 purchase (less than 6 months old if I remember), but in doing that, I got Windows 8 Pro.
My key point is, the OP may have paid a small amount but in doing so, got themselves Win 8 Pro (which would lead to 8.1 Pro and then 10 Pro).

I imagine that getting the right edition of Windows 10 is the important thing to resolve here?

 

Try installing Windows 8 again and upgrade to Windows 10. Since you have a digital license for Windows 10, when it asks you for a key, just use Windows 10 Generic Keys. It will automatically activate when you go online. You have to install the same version of Windows you had previously (Home, Pro or Home Single Language).

Generic key to install Windows 10 RTM - Winaero

 

No need to enter any key at all!

 

That Winaero article gives THE WRONG GENERIC KEY for Windows 10 Home. I have that on the highest authority - @Superfly told me off for giving out the one ending in H8Q99.

But as cereberus says, you don't need a key at all. Skip entering a key for 10 and it should activate from the digital licence on Microsoft's activation servers.

 

I was trying to remember if 7 to 8 was free, when typing that post. Memories not what it used to be. I was already running Windows 8 when the free upgrades started happening. 8.0 to 8.1 was free, and 8.0 or 8.1 to 10 was free. Then they latter on also allowed free upgrades from 7 to 10. I think 7 Home Premium gets you 10 Home. It has to be Pro or above to get 10 Pro. That's what I based my assumption of the OP needing to install 10 Home on. Like you said, getting the right edition of Windows 10 is the important thing to resolve here.

 

Confirmed. I had Win7 Home Premium, the free upgrade took me to 10 Home.

 

Ooohhh... I wasn't that harsh was I?... lol

But yup, MS changed the key for very valid reasons... we had many activation issues with 10240 with that key.