Windows 10: Windows 10 activation workaround?

UTILITIES THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE: Before your machine goes south you should back up your Product Keys. Windows 8 foreword the "Keys" are embedded in the BIOS. Microsoft does not put Product Keys on a COA anymore. It's your job to back up the Product keys for the ones that you have purchased. (Microsoft does not care if you loose them - means you have to buy another) Software that can be used to get Product Keys off your machine before it goes south. Some are free downloads others are not. Some are OS specific as well as x32 & x64 - Be Aware - Belarc Advisor, Keyfinder, License Crawler, Neo Smart OEM, ProductKey, RW Everything. All of these can be found on the internet. I found that using more than one will confirm key. some will work but give wrong Product Key. Mainly because they are OS Specific and x32 & x64 specific ** Please back up your Keys -- Saves on a big headache. Michael
PS> Windows 7, 8, & 8.1 Product Keys Will Activate Windows 10

 

Or simply out of date. What you did is newly available with the most recent build, 10586.

Not least of all would be checking member Superfly's alternative: https://www.tenforums.com/software-ap...7-showkey.html

 

Herein lies in one of life's mysteries. It should not have accepted an oem key on a new pc, and many have tried. I guess you got lucky, but one should not think this is always going to work.

I suspect the reason is down to poor windows 7 key control.

 

See here ... Activation in Windows 10 - Windows Help


so the November update allows it

 

That is irrelevant. You were lucky to be able to use an oem key on a new mobo.

This contravenes EULA. The fact it worked does not make it legal, but hey you got lucky.

 

Microsoft as posted by Gazurtoids is the one who said any Legit Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 will activate Windows Ten

 

However, using an OEM product key on any computer (motherboard) other than the one it was originally installed on is not legitimate, it violates the EULA - it's just a matter of Microsoft trusting users to comply with the EULA and not to do it rather than physically blocking it.

 

NAVYLCDR -- Point well taken -- but if my motherboard goes south I am not paying for more software I already own. -- but you are correct in pointing out what the EULA states. If Dell Computer can REFRESH old machines with the same software I don't see a problem with the consumer doing the same. When you put the Product Key you retrieved by given software, it will activate it and burn the Product Key into the new motherboards BIOS system.

If you look at the Product Key recovery files you will also note that it saves all other past keys including upgrades or versions [i.e. windows 7 home]. So the original Windows 7 key is listed as well as the new windows 10 key that was installed during activation. Same goes for 8, 8.1 installations

 

Nothing gets burned to the motherboard bios by Windows. Only computer manufacturers can store product keys in bios.

 

NAVYLCDR -- I am very sorry and not trying to step on your toes --- But I worked with hundreds if not thousand of installs and re-installs ===> This is TRUE windows will and does burn, install, or store these keys -- I have seen it first hand many, many times. These files are kept in the ACPI => MSDM Table

 

You are entitled to maintain erroneous beliefs. Run showkey plus from this forum, it will show you the lack of a product key stored in bios.

This is a tablet that has the product key stored in the bios by the manufacturer:



Windows 10 has not, and will not change the product key stored in bios.

This desktop computer has had Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and now Windows 10 on it, no product key in bios:




This is my laptop with just a product key marker in bios:



Again, upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8 to Windows 10. No new product key in bios because Windows does not and never has burned product keys to bios.

Product keys that you upgrade from are stored in the registry for reversion purposes whether or not the manufacturer provided the product key in bios. My Windows 10s have been subsequently clean installed after the free upgrade, so I don't have the old Windows 7/8.1 product keys stored in the registry.

 

Product Keys -- I read some post that say Microsoft does not honor OEM Keys -- Check with MS but I think this is incorrect -- I own two Factory DELL machines both with Windows 7 Pro -- I upgraded both machine to Windows 10 -- One machine got hit with Virus thru Email and I had to reload Windows 10 and when it ask me for a Product Key -- I put the Windows 7 Pro Key back in -- It worked fine and it was activated.

 

Yup 'cos it had prior digital entitlement - you don't need to re-use the Win 7 key in that case - the Win 10 Pro generic key will work.

Thus same hardware + same edition = no key required.

MS does honour OEM keys if they are used on the PC that it was initially activated on.

(NB There is a distinction between Windows 7 OEM:SLP and OEM:COA keys - the latter needs online activation (and thus qualifies for digital entitlement), the former is included with the OEM licencing files from their disc and is done off-line and cannot be used for digital entitlement activation (except as an upgrade from original installation), when used it acquires the prior DE without using the key)