Author Topic: Windows 8 Pro (Read 13934 times)

BCHOWDHURY · « **on:** July 10, 2014, 11:17 AM »

Can you activate Windows 8.1 Professional with Windows 8 Professional key?

40hz · « **Reply #1 on:** July 10, 2014, 11:47 AM »

~~AFAIK~~ If it's an OEM copy (as opposed to Retail) the answer is no.

Officially, you'd need to install Windows 8 first - then it's highly recommended you install all the available updates for Windows 8 - and then download and install the free upgrade via the Windows Store to bring it up to 8.1. 'Official' process is documented here.

Unlike previous versions of Windows, the Windows 8.1 upgrade (from Win8) is only available through the Windows Store. If you don't see it in the store, look here for possible issues with your copy of Win 8. Note: the rules can change depending upon how you licensed it. (Leave it to Microsoft to have such a muddy licensing model.)

However, the official process may not be the best for you. See following post by 4wd for better info...

Luck!

4wd · « **Reply #2 on:** July 10, 2014, 11:50 AM »

Are we talking OEM or Retail?

OEM = No
Retail = Yes

See here.

If it's a clean install of 8.1 Pro RETAIL, then from point 4 onwards should work fine - I've done a clean install 8.1 Pro and activation using 8.0 Pro keys at least 3 times without a problem.

40hz · « **Reply #3 on:** July 10, 2014, 11:53 AM »

^ My bad. I just assumed he wasn't using a full retail copy. OP updated.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #4 on:** July 10, 2014, 05:15 PM »

^ My bad. I just assumed he wasn't using a full retail copy. OP updated.
-40hz (July 10, 2014, 11:53 AM)

I had the same initial reaction (/answer), but didn't have time to post it. However in retrospect I don't actually recall seeing a OEM COA with a Product Key on any of the new Windows 8 machines I've encountered. So are you saying that there is no "latitude" in the OEM self activation scheme?

40hz · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2014, 06:27 PM »

^Same here - and so I've been told. Never really tried to get around it because my clients are all businesses. If anything ever blew up over licensing issues, it would be my head on the block. So even when I do know how to get around activation or authentication controls, my official position is: "I don't know how to do that." If a phone call to Microsoft doesn't get it straightened out, you're SOL AFAIC.

Anybody who doesn't like what Microsoft is doing license or otherwise (and there's a lot not to like) is welcome to let me set them up for Linux. (I've had a few clients that did just that, and have been very happy with Nix and Libre so far.)

FWIW I also have a rule about always paying for the software I use. Or contributing to it if it's a FOSS title. I'll also abide by whatever rules the software author sees fit to impose. If I don't like the deal, I'll just buy something else. Or forget about it completely if there isn't any alternative available. Life is too short to get into a battle over software licensing. Or at least in my universe it is.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2014, 10:10 PM »

Yes, but there are always those odd occasions where the OEM media has been lost - or was never provided - and the machine needs to be flattened/reloaded. Previously Dell media has always been the cleanest fallback when paired up with another OEM's COA key. So a totally legal repair that doesn't leave the client hanging for days waiting on a disk, or hemorrhaging stupid money for overnight shipping.

The behavior surrounding 8/8.1 implies that the paying customer must suffer the time/money loss to protect the poor starving corporation... This is simply unacceptable.

40hz · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2014, 10:28 PM »

The behavior surrounding 8/8.1 implies that the paying customer must suffer the time/money loss to protect the poor starving corporation... This is simply unacceptable.
-Stoic Joker (July 10, 2014, 10:10 PM)

Agree. Hence I prefer to go with the alternative.

there are always those odd occasions where the OEM media has been lost - or was never provided - and the machine needs to be flattened/reloaded.
-Stoic Joker (July 10, 2014, 10:10 PM)

Oh I agree. What I meant was going through gyrations to get around doing a regular product activation. Using a valid product key with a different set of installation media isn't going around it in my book. If the product installs and activates (with or without having to call mother in Redmond first) I'd consider that a legitimate and acceptable hack. It's when you start doing registry surgery or "borrowing" keys that I draw the line.

I'm not a boy scout. But I do try to stay legal as much as possible while still getting work done and keeping my clients up and running.

BCHOWDHURY · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2014, 07:37 AM »

Thank you 40hz, 4wd and Stoic Joker for your replies. I have a retail product key because I bought it from Microsoft Store. The problem is that it's Windows 8 Professional x64 key. I am neither able to download Windows 8.1 Pro nor able to activate it. I keep getting the message, this key is for a different version of Windows.

4wd · « **Reply #9 on:** July 12, 2014, 10:46 AM »

I have a retail product key because I bought it from Microsoft Store. The problem is that it's Windows 8 Professional x64 key. I am neither able to download Windows 8.1 Pro nor able to activate it. I keep getting the message, this key is for a different version of Windows.
-BCHOWDHURY (July 12, 2014, 07:37 AM)

That's how I got my version of Windows 8 Pro x86 and x64 licenses, from the MS Store.

~~If you follow the steps given in the post I refer to, (starting at point 1 which refers you to this article at MakeUseOf), you should be able to download a Windows 8.1 Pro ISO.~~

Looks like the ***holes at MS have neutered that particular form of ISO download now, worked for me when I did it but that was a few months ago. It might be different if tried from a previous Windows version, (I'm running 8.1 on my netbook so that might be screwing it up), as it says you should.

There's another way but we don't mention BitTorrent around here.

Basically, if you can get an 8.1 Pro ISO you can activate, (not install), with an 8.0 key.

BCHOWDHURY · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2014, 01:14 PM »

Thanks for the reply 4wd.

Innuendo · « **Reply #11 on:** July 18, 2014, 06:31 PM »

Basically, if you can get an 8.1 Pro ISO you can activate, (not install), with an 8.0 key.
-4wd (July 12, 2014, 10:46 AM)

And...if you search Google you can find out the documented official Microsoft way to alter your new ISO to not ask for a key when installing. You can then skip it & then enter your legal key once you hit the desktop.

4wd · « **Reply #12 on:** July 19, 2014, 01:25 PM »

^ Neat ... off to do a little Googling ... thanks

Ahhh, change it to a Volume License version ... simples!

Cuffy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 20, 2014, 06:27 PM »

I bought Win8 Pro 64 at the initial offering of $39.99. Win Media Center was thrown in free with that offer.
Win Media Center has its own product key and when you install it it changes the Win8 Pro key to reflect the add'n and the machine becomes Windows 8 Pro w/Media Center with a new key.
The update from Windows Store trashed my install of Win8 /WMC because of that different key. There was a lot of chatter and some bad advice floating around on the web but there was some good advice too.
When I got finished I had Win8.1 Pro w/WMC installed and working with a legal activation. The spring update also installed without incident.
Long story short, I'm running an up to date system with Win Media Center and my out of pocket expense is solely the $39.99.

I usually save the web page, rather than a shortcut, and the necessary ISOs are easy to find.
A clean install from an ISO is the only way to go. Stay away from the Windows Store for the update!
If you haven't resolved the problem and have a valid, retail, Win8 Pro 64 product key you can start fresh, get a clean install, and activation will be no problem.

If you want to go that route left me know and I'll round up the info I've ratholed so you get the right instructions and links to the ISOs.

BCHOWDHURY · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2014, 09:44 AM »

Dear Cuffy, I welcome your help.

IainB · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2014, 10:17 AM »

Not sure whether this might be of use/help:

...Then, a couple of days ago, I decided to try and upgrade from Win 8.1 to Win 8.1 PRO (Professional). I wanted to use an unused licence for a Win8 PRO upgrade that I had previously purchased for about US$40 whilst it was just coming to the end of its "special offer" period, back in January 2014 when I was using Win7-64 Home Premium.
So I did some searching and came up with this very helpful post from October 29, 2013 which covered my case almost exactly: Easily Change Windows 8.1 Edition Without Reinstalling.

I followed the steps in that post, and to my great relief the upgrade was painless - it all took place without hitch in about 15 minutes elapsed time, including download and 2 auto-reboots. I then spent 30 minutes migrating/installing other software from my old Win7 disk, including the latest version of W7FC (Windows 7 Firewall Control) - for which I have a paid licence. The W7FC was a bit tedious, as it had to be taught all the rules for the programs as they were run.
I have come to the tentative conclusion that W7FC could well be redundant on the Win8 OS. (Some people may think it was redundant for Win7 too.)

So far I am very pleased with Win8.1 PRO.
If anything, it is/feels faster than the preceding Win8.1 version.
The UI is a bit different/slightly improved, but I still dislike certain aspects of it. I may set about fixing that to something that suits me better, now that the system has arrived at a stable end-point.
I shall now set about exploring the extra functionality that Win8.1-64 PRO offers, to see what use I can make of it.
-IainB (July 11, 2014, 05:58 AM)

Cuffy · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2014, 03:31 PM »

Dear Cuffy, I welcome your help.
-BCHOWDHURY (July 21, 2014, 09:44 AM)

OK, I'll see what I can dig up.
In the words of Dr. Verner von Braun, the rocket scientist, "before we can get where where we ain't, we gotta know where we IS!

I downloaded the media and burned an ISO to install the original offering of Win8.0.
Recapping from memory here, that offering for $40 bucks was an upgrade version. I had a copy of Win7Pro 64 on the machine that I wanted to install Win8.0Pro 64 onto and I didn't want to lose that copy of Win7.
I pulled the drive, installed a spare, installed a copy of WinXP 64 on that and downloaded the Win8 ISO media, along with the free key to install Windows Media Center.
With the new ISO I upgraded WinXP to Win8.0 and activated it.
I then installed Windows Media Center through the Windows Features thingy and using my free WMC key I activated that.
The WMC key changed the Win8.0 key and that DE-activated my Win8.0 install.
The deactivation problem was wide spread and a big fiasco. In the process of trying to get all the keys straightened out the update to Win8.1 was offered at the Windows Store and installing that trashed my install of Win8.0 /WMC.
Eventually Nirsoft's Produkey plucked my keys out of that trashed install so I again had valid keys to work with.
Now the ISOs to start over came into the picture so let me start there and see if I can determine where I got the media and we can go from there if we are still on the same page.
What media do you have and are you prepared to download what you need (if I can find the source that I used)?
talk to me while I look through my miscellaneous file of a TB or so....

Cuffy · « **Reply #17 on:** July 21, 2014, 04:47 PM »

OK, guess I got back before you did but here's a link on how to get a copy of the ISO to upgrade Win8.0 to Win8.1 without using Windows Store. Burn it to DVD or a flash drive and you have a hard copy that you can use as often as you like.
http://www.cnet.com/...oft-windows-8-1-iso/

BCHOWDHURY · « **Reply #18 on:** July 24, 2014, 10:16 PM »

Thanks for the link, Cuffy.

Cuffy · « **Reply #19 on:** July 24, 2014, 11:11 PM »

You're welcome.
Follow those instructions closely and you should be up and running with Win8.1 in no time.
Let us know how you make out.