Windows 10: Reminder - probably stop soon - Old W7/W8 keys STILL working

Hi folks
Those wanting to do CLEAN installs or upgrades (including CU update 1703) can STILL use W7/W8/W8.1 keys from old installations or old Technet keys -- remember though you can only upgrade to similar --e,g W7pro/Ultimate--->W10 Pro for example.

Not sure how long this will still work for but was still working yesterday (Easter Sunday) so if you want to upgrade -- I'd do it now before the gate is closed.

(Note if you don't like W10 and revert back to W7 etc you will still have the digital licence so you can then re-upgrade later when any problems you might have the first time around will have been fixed).

The upgrade only works though for RETAIL versions of W7/W8/W8.1 --not enterprise. Simply install and say I don't have a key at the initial install. Then after ist boot when you get the activation prompt choose change product key, enter your old key and it should work.

I can't say whether OEM editions work as I haven't got any OEM versions of those old OS'es to test it with.

If you were an old Technet subscriber and haven't got your keys or lost them you can still download the keys although you can't download the media of course.

The simplest way is to download as an xml file and then open in EXCEL which then gives you a great formatted spreadsheet where you can easily copy and paste the keys into whatever you need to.

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

Motherboard Dead - Windows no longer activated

Hi!

Was it a free upgrade from W7 or W8? Do you still have the Product Key from the W7 or W8? There may be a way to use that product key to get a new digital entitlement.

 

Windows 10 Pro installation from Scratch

1. Install W8

2. Start Install W10b10240 - than you get 3 options. Whichever you choose, you get activated W10b10240

I don’t know if you can install from scratch W10b10240 with W7/W8 key. Try it. But probably you can’t activate it, because activation server for W10 until 7/29 shutdown is. So, you must use ‘upgrade option’ of activated W8/W7 (wrote Gabe Aul on Twitter).

 

The end is near I think. The 1703 CU install media no longer detects Windows 8 OEM embedded keys. I did a clean install on my laptop and it now prompts for a key. In the past it would just auto install 10 Home, that laptop has an 8 Core OEM embedded key. I have no idea if you could enter the embedded key manually though. All my PC's already have 10 Home Digital Licences, and that key has already been used via the free upgrade offer.

 

Hi there.

I've been using Technet keys -- since all these would activate at least 5 (I think up to 10 computers) you should be able to use the keys more than once -- nothing wrong in testing - if it doesn't work then nothing is lost..

Just enter the key when activation is requested and do it via "Change product key"

No wonder the Technet model was withdrawn --it was just TOO good a deal !!!! anyway I've upgraded 3 computers with 1 key -- no probs --but I've loads more while it still is working.

Cheers
jimbo

 

I have all my old TechNet keys, plus my MSDN keys. Not going to run out any time soon here. I've done so much testing all my PC's now have Home, Pro and Education Digital Licenses. I haven't used any of my MSDN Windows 10 keys yet. I'm all set if I ever decide to build a new desktop PC. =)

 

Thanks for the Tip, but I am way too far into 10. I kind of even like it now. Some will not believe it but it is more stable then windows 7 ever was,

 

i agree but its even better if youre an advanced power user and know exactly how to configure it to your liking.

 

My experience on Saturday was just the opposite. Clean install Windows 10 CU on a laptop with Windows 8 Core product key in UEFI for not ask me for a Product Key nor which version I wanted. It skipped all that and went right to installing and I ended up with 10 Home installed which I then had to manually upgrade to Pro.

 

I don't know what to tell you? I've done close to a half dozen installs on that laptop trying to sort out my Education version issue. MCT Windows 10 ISO and my MSDN (Home Pro) ISO. It always asks for a key?

 

So far clean installs with the CU ISO made by the MCT have behaved exactly as the previous versions. My product keys in UEFI/BIOS have been read and that version installed without asking for anything. Then I've done install with the Windows 10 Pro product key in a PID.txt file and that did not ask for a key and install Windows 10 Pro.

 

These are the only remaining Win 8 key types in CU's primary config...(the Downlevel config. file still has all the previous versions and does not apply in this instance.. AFAIK)





Navy, do you perhaps have SL?

 

Mine is not the SL version or the N version.

 

Yup.... that's why I'm guesing it won't auto-install the corresponding edition...as Core and Pro OEM: DM are no longer in that file... not sure why the others still are tho'

 

Mine was a standard Windows 8 Core OEM from the factory. I was preparing it to give away, so I don't have it now to pull the product key off it. I've got another computer coming up in a couple days I believe has a Windows 8 key in UEFI, so will try that one and post the results.