Windows 10: Installation and Activation of Windows 10 Pro

Well, I'll be darned! I was told that Windows 7 wouldn't have the key embedded in the BIOS!

Yes, very confusing, to say the least. So, I'm assuming you started out with OEM Windows 7 Home or Home Premium?

 

Oh! No wonder it's confusing! Confused the heck outta me!

 

OEM Embedded Keys started with Windows 8.0. Before that, all that's in the BIOS on an OEM PC is an OEM marker/SLIC table. It has the manufacturer info, HP or Dell etc, And what Edition of Windows is authorized, XP, Vista, 7, etc. No product code is stored in that marker. To make use of the SLIC table you need matching custom OEM branded install media.

 

No, this PC was tainted with Windows 8 when I purchased it, but I quickly "upgraded" to a Windows 7 Pro key. I believe the 10 key is stored in the BIOS, I'll have to check. Doesn't seem to realize I own 10 Pro though.

EDIT: Yep! It had Win 8 RTM Core, an OEM version. *shudder* My poor baby. I was so disappointed about that when I bout this PC. Not only that, but it had all the ASUS bloatware that I so despise. I love their machines but their software.... not so much. It has its uses, but I prefer to do without.

Thanks for that link to ShowKey. I've used similar software in the past, but don't recall ever seeing the BIOS key before. Now I have my Win 10 Pro key AND the Win 8 BIOS key just in case MS decides to discontinue the ability to use a 7 or 8 Pro key to upgrade Win 10 in the future.

 

Microsoft has already discontinued most of the free Upgrades to Win10, haven't yet seen any mention of whether they will offer a cheaper Upgrade version of Win10 in the Retail channels that would rely upon those keys. But then I am not reading all the news about Windows "out there", tend to rely more on forums as long as the Subjects remain in the proper categories, i.e. News within News, problems within problems, etc.

 

A lot of those key finder utilities just pull the current key in use from the Windows registry. And that's not always the key you want. The 10 Pro generic key is all you need if the PC has a Digital License for 10 Pro. Put it in a PID.txt file, as already mentioned, and you can skip having to enter it and doing the extra steps of upgrading from Home to Pro.

 

Where is the PID.txt supposed to go, if you wipe the hard drive to reinstall Windows?

 

I knew, but I've forgotten, Guy. Let me see if I can find where I was told how to use it.

 

PID.txt should go in the \sources folder of the setup ISO/DVD/USB for the Windows version to be installed.

 

Yep, it goes in the sources folder of your install media.

 

Ahh, OK, that makes more sense then.

 

Right, but the instructions would be very helpful for those who never had them, or, as in my case, have forgotten.

I remember that you need to create a text file with the actual product key, but that's about all I remember.

I'd love to have it again; this time I'd save it.

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-ca/.../hh824952.aspx

I was asked not to post the full generic keys in the past so I won't. If you run showkey on an install that is activated with a Digital License it will show you the matching key.
The one ending in -3V66T is for 10 Pro, Home I think ends in -HCFC6. I can't find the text document I saved that info too at the moment.

 

Thanks, Alpha! I think I can go back and recreate it now.

BTW, I have my Windows 8.1 Pro product key, so I should be good to go. I will do a clean install within the next few new Builds, so I'll be ready for 'em now!

 

I can PM you the list of generic keys if you want? I know where its saved on my desktop PC, just can't find it on my laptop at the moment.