Win 8.1

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sapphire125

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I have a small problem that perhaps someone could cast some light on for me
I currently have a desktop and a laptop both Acer both have drives that have failed good news is fabs managed to recover all required data from both, but on further investigation both drives have had their recovery partition nuked don't know why but my problem is I can download 8.1 from Microsoft but I don't know what version and 32 or 64 but also if I download it will it go in and activate automatically ?
Any pointers to help with this would be appreciated
 
Computer Bloke said:
Very simply, if the source drive has a "Program Files (x86)" folder then it's a 64-bit operating system.

Since you're doing a clean install anyway, why not install Windows 10 and activate it with the Windows 8.1 keys? You're going to be assimilated one day so you might as well get it over with.
Click to expand...

Didn't know you could do that, I thought that was a time limited offer from Microsoft that would be the nicest solution all round
 
sapphire125 said:
Didn't know you could do that, I thought that was a time limited offer from Microsoft that would be the nicest solution all round
Click to expand...
I have been able to do that a couple of weeks ago. I used the Windows 7 OEM key when I installed Windows 10 Creators update on it (clean install).
 
fabs said:
sapphire125 said:
Didn't know you could do that, I thought that was a time limited offer from Microsoft that would be the nicest solution all round
Click to expand...

I have been able to do that a couple of weeks ago. I used the Windows 7 OEM key when I installed Windows 10 Creators update on it (clean install).
Click to expand...

Yep, Microsoft is pretty hell bent on getting people onto Windows 10. So much so that they've left a lot of little "easter egg" type methods of installing it (legitimately) onto systems that didn't come with it originally.

So far you can:

Fresh Install - Use a Win7/8.1 key during a fresh install of Win10 and it works (and, if the system supports it, will embed itself in the bios for future activations.)

In-place Upgrade - If you "use" any sort of ease of access options, you can upgrade to Win10 free of charge still. Microsoft doesn't track whether or not you use EoA tools after the installation and it will activate just like a regular license.

In-place Upgrade 2 - If you have a Windows 10 disc or USB key (e2b ftw!), supposedly you can do an in-place upgrade of Win10 while also using your current product key (7/8.1), after installing it will ask you to activate which you can do by typing in your 7/8.1 key again and it will accept it. I have not verified if this one works or not but I've heard it can be done this way. (Would love to hear from anyone who's tried it?)
 
I just got a laptop that is running Windows 7 Home that has never been on the internet or updated with a single update!
It is even pre SP1.
I connected it to the internet and ran Windows Update. Churned away for a few minutes and said there were 147 updates available.
I let it download and install them, then tried again.
I got a blue screen (no, not that one!) that asked if I would like to upgrade to Windows 10, keep Windows 7 or upgrade to Windows 7 SP1.
I chose Windows 7 SP1.
Wish I had grabbed a screenshot!
 
Fresh Install - Use a Win7/8.1 key during a fresh install of Win10 and it works (and, if the system supports it, will embed itself in the bios for future activations

For this I assume it has to be Win 10 retail edition ? And not just an OEM copy of Win 10 ?
 
sapphire125 said:
Fresh Install - Use a Win7/8.1 key during a fresh install of Win10 and it works (and, if the system supports it, will embed itself in the bios for future activations

For this I assume it has to be Win 10 retail edition ? And not just an OEM copy of Win 10 ?
Click to expand...

So far I've used it successfully using both ISOs created from the MCU as well as the 'pure' ISOs from TechBench. They both work fine.
 
Computer Bloke said:
You can do a clean installation and activation of Windows 10 in about thirty minutes on a reasonable machine. That's quicker than waiting for an answer from somebody else - in the three-hour gap between asking your question and getting a reply you could have done this six times and then known from your own experience how it works!
Click to expand...

Yeh your right I could have done that, but I thought the idea of this forum was to be able to ask other people's advice and that's all I was doing with my question
I am pleased I asked as I now know a few things that I didn't know before and will be trying next time problem comes up
 
sapphire125 said:
I now know a few things that I didn't know before
Click to expand...
With no disrespect intended to you, Windows 10 will be 2 years old in July. If you have not taken the time to embrace it and get used to it and all of its differences and potential issues you and OTHERS are late to the game. It is not going anywhere.
When anyone has some free time read some of the tutorials at the link below. I have learned much from there and from experimentation.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/
 
fabs said:
I have been able to do that a couple of weeks ago. I used the Windows 7 OEM key when I installed Windows 10 Creators update on it (clean install).
Click to expand...

I did this exact same thing last night. Boot to Windows 10 USB, put in customers Windows 7 COA on the required screen. Installed and activated no problems.
 
I can confirm that using "retail" media for Windows 10 that this works. Had some Dell All in One PCs with Windows 7. Booted from the USB drive and did a clean install of Windows 10. Had legit license keys ready but was not asked during install or I told it to skip. Was surprised to learn that Windows 10 reported as activated shortly after the install.
 
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timeshifter said:
Booted from the USB drive and did a clean install of Windows 10. Had legit license keys ready but was not asked during install or I told it to skip. Was surprised to learn that Windows 10 reported as activated shortly after the install.
Click to expand...
Because it was shipped with the Win 8 Bios key even though it had 7 on it or it had 10 at some point and it activated online with MS servers. (Previous digital license)
 
Last edited:
Porthos said:
Because it was shipped with the Win 8 Bios key even though it had 7 on it or it had 10 at some point and it activated online with MS servers.
Click to expand...
I'm 99.99% certain that Windows 10 was never installed on them (this happened on two identical systems).
 
timeshifter said:
I'm 99.99% certain that Windows 10 was never installed on them (this happened on two identical systems).
Click to expand...
If they were manufactured after 8 was released then they had a bios key no matter what OS they shipped with.
That is why those won't ask for a key.

The ones you have to skip key on that activate had upgraded at one time and were reverted back to the previous OS for whatever reason and the activation always remains on the MS server for that specific device and will activate when you go online.

You can always run the program from the link below to find out if it has a BIOS key.
https://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/2577-showkeyplus.html
 
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