Windows 10: Product key rejected

I have downloaded the 10 iso and tried to install it on my laptop running 8.1 Home Premium. The setup guide asks for the product key and does not give me the option to skip. When I input the key (determined by pcadvisor) it rejects it saying that key did not work.

What am I doing wrong?

:)

 

unable to install windows 10 on a oem Windows 8.1 laptop

When trying to upgrade to Windows 10 on a Windows 8.1 oem laptop via an iso image I am asked for a product key. When the product key is entered it is rejected.

 

Product key is rejected when installing Windows 10 after replacing the hard drive

"And the PC has UEFI so I guess USB is out" -
this is not true:

If you have problems booting from a boot disc, you may have UEFI BIOS, go into your BIOS and make the following changes:

• Insert the Bootable Media
• Disable Secure Boot
• Enable Legacy Boot
• If Available enable CSM
• If Required enable USB Boot
• Move the device with the bootable disc to the top of the boot order
• Save BIOS changes and restart your System

You cannot skip the step to provide a product key when doing an in-place upgrade to Windows 10 from inside Windows 7 - you need to boot your system from the installation media and perform a clean install of Windows 10 (this will allow you to skip the steps)

 

How exactly did you "download the ISO"? And what version of Windows 10 is it?

 

That won't work if you don't upgrade first.

 

Downloaded from Microsoft.
Win10_N_English_x64.iso

 

I'm trying to upgrade Windows 8.1 Home

 

You downloaded the wrong version. You want Windows 10 Home without the N.

 

Where did you get that file? Did you rename the file? There ain't no N file.

You can upgrade to Home there:
Windows 10 Home: Upgrade or Purchase - Microsoft Store

Or download it there but you'll have to Mount the file instead of clean install:

Windows 10

 

There most certainly are N versions, both from Media Creation Tool and Microsoft Tech Bench:

Windows 10 ISO Download - Windows 10 Forums