Windows 10: Reinstall Windows 8 after 10 upgrade

I am trying to remember..

After a machine has been upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 8, let us say a year later, will the license key allow you to download, create a Windows 8 iso and reinstall that. Someone has a Surface Pro 2 (I think thats what it is) that was upgraded to 10 and I am just curious if it can still be rolled back.

During the upgrade is the license key changed? or is it still the Windows 8 key, I just can't remember how all of that goes.


thanks

:)

 

Reinstall windows 10 after upgrading from windows 8?

Microsoft said windows 10 is free to upgrade from windows 8 in one year after 1st Aug 2015. So I have a few questions:

1. Does that mean windows 8 user owns that windows 10 copy like normal user who purchases windows 10?

2. If yes, then can windows 8 user reinstall windows 10 directly after that? For example, each time user want to reinstall windows 10, user must reinstall windows 8 first then upgrade it to windows 10, or user can reinstall windows 10 directly after upgrade
from windows 8?

3. What if user want to reinstall windows 10 after one year from 1st Aug 2015?

Thanks

 

Reinstallation Upgrade to Windows 10

Is there some confusion here? You can't upgrade from 8 to 10 : '8' isn't a qualifying version for the 'free' Windows 10 Upgrade.

After reinstalling Windows 8, you have to do the free upgrade to 8.1 first, then install all required Windows 8.1 Updates, then you qualify for the 'free' Upgrade to Windows 10.

 

The license for W8 is stored in the Bios, so you should be able to install and activate W8 if you wanted.

You can get the Iso file here.

Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool

 

Microsoft surface products should have embedded keys.

Otherwise, Windows 8 product key may be embedded if the OEM installed Windows 8 came from one of the larger PC manufacturers. Small PC assemblers and DIY built PCs with Windows 8, and PCs that have been upgraded to Windows 8 may or will not have an embedded Key.

ShowKeyPlus - Windows 10 Forums will help to establish if your Windows 8 key is embedded or available from your Windows 10 system. Ask Superfly, the author, if you have difficulties on that forum thread.

Oherwise is there a sticker with a COA OEM product key supplied with the system? Does it refer to Windows 8 or an earlier version?

 

COA stickers with product key died out with Windows 7.

 

Oh, did it? @cereberus

 

Not in all cases. Only when the Windows 8 or 10 is installed by a manufacturer that has the ability to store the product key in BIOS/UEFI. A Microsoft Certified Refurbisher or Reseller won't have the ability to store product keys in UEFI, so they will affix a COA sticker with the product key to the computer. The certified refurbished laptop I just bought for my wife was upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 by a certified refurbisher and it had a Windows 10 COA on it with a product key, the first 5 characters of which were covered by the silver scratch-off type material.