Windows 8 Activation question...

pcpickup said:
I read the article and I did not see the part that said "Will only re-install with original OEM Media"
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It doesn't I am speculating. Microsoft in the past has required OEM vendors to BIOS lock install media or provide disk images. Many Dells for example do not ship with image disks. They ship with Windows Install Disks. BUT the disk only work on Dells. Not on Generic white boxes. Not on HPs only Dells. Because of this some piracy could happen. Dells that shipped with Windows Xp home could be upgraded by savy techs who had a Dell Windows Xp Pro disk because the during the install you are not prompted for a COA key. If you used a keyfinder program on a Dell you always get the same key. A key that does NOT work with any version of Windows except the in house versions used on the assembly line at Dell.

Windows 8 will change that because the COA key is built into the BIOS and every Dell will have a unique key not same VLK as before.

In the past we techs could use a System Builder version of Windows and use the COA key on the side of the box. A key unused except in this very situation. A reinstall with out using the image media. I have often on client request taken out of the box installs and nuke them. Installed a generic Windows Xp or 7 using the key on the side of the PC. Now I can't do that anymore, unless the versions of Windows 8 for retail use are able to query the UEFI BIOS for a key.
 
bdoggman said:
From what i'm reading , looks like a lot of people are in the dark on how to reinstall and activate windows 8 if the hdd goes south. i think what im going to do is get a new windows 8 laptop, put a new hdd in, then try to load the exact same version of windows 8 back on it. From what ive read, it should activate off the MB. if anyone else has tried this yet, if you could post it here. But i will try it in the next few days.
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I'm sitting right here anxiously waiting for the verdict. Thanks.
 
Well, we only had one Windows 8 laptop that came in and we sold in two hours after we got it. I have more on order and I will pop the drive out and see what happens on a reload.
 
nlinecomputers said:
Microsoft in the past has required it's major OEMs to produce their own media with the bios lookup code in it. For example the Dell OEM disk would install only on a Dell PC. It never prompts you for a COA key. It either sees a Dell BIOS or stops.
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While all major OEMs use a special key assigned to them by MS to pre-install Windows on their machines, Dell is different in that it is the only OEM with a special disk that checks the BIOS tag for Dell code (unless something has changed recently, correct me if I'm wrong.) The benefit is that you don't need to activate a Dell PC after a standard Windows installation.

Also, any Dell disk I ever used would install on ANY PC, Dell motherboard or not it doesn't magically just stop installation... I continue to use Dell disks to install on all PCs (when for some reason I cannot use my WDS method, for example if the PC won't PXE boot.) When on a Dell you are correct it doesn't prompt you for a key, nor activation; but when used on any other PC, it merely behaves exactly like any other OEM disk - it prompts you for a key and activation is required.

But that point aside, my money is on a hunch that any copy of Windows 8 will install on any PC - those that have the key inserted in the BIOS by the OEM simply won't need a key to install; if the key cannot be read from the BIOS then it will probably behave like in the past and simply ask for a key. Just my guess...
 
FoolishTech said:
While all major OEMs use a special key assigned to them by MS to pre-install Windows on their machines, Dell is different in that it is the only OEM with a special disk that checks the BIOS tag for Dell code (unless something has changed recently, correct me if I'm wrong.) The benefit is that you don't need to activate a Dell PC after a standard Windows installation.

Also, any Dell disk I ever used would install on ANY PC, Dell motherboard or not it doesn't magically just stop installation... I continue to use Dell disks to install on all PCs (when for some reason I cannot use my WDS method, for example if the PC won't PXE boot.) When on a Dell you are correct it doesn't prompt you for a key, nor activation; but when used on any other PC, it merely behaves exactly like any other OEM disk - it prompts you for a key and activation is required.

But that point aside, my money is on a hunch that any copy of Windows 8 will install on any PC - those that have the key inserted in the BIOS by the OEM simply won't need a key to install; if the key cannot be read from the BIOS then it will probably behave like in the past and simply ask for a key. Just my guess...
Click to expand...

Dell is not the only one that does that. My Noblis disks behave the same way. And Dell must have two flavors of disks because MY Windows Xp Pro disk from Dell works ONLY on DELLS. My Nobilis disk ONLY works on Nobilis PCs. If I try to use it on any other PC I get a warning Box with a Dell Logo(Or Equus Nobilis Logo) that says something along the lines of that this disk is only intended for use with Dell branded PCs - Installation Halted.
 
nlinecomputers said:
Dell is not the only one that does that. My Noblis disks behave the same way. And Dell must have two flavors of disks because MY Windows Xp Pro disk from Dell works ONLY on DELLS. My Nobilis disk ONLY works on Nobilis PCs. If I try to use it on any other PC I get a warning Box with a Dell Logo(Or Equus Nobilis Logo) that says something along the lines of that this disk is only intended for use with Dell branded PCs - Installation Halted.
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I stand corrected, Dell and Noblis (never seen one of those in the wild before!)

As to your disk issue, that's a new one on me. You in some country other than US or what else could be the difference, maybe your disks are scratched lol
 
FoolishTech said:
I stand corrected, Dell and Noblis (never seen one of those in the wild before!)

As to your disk issue, that's a new one on me. You in some country other than US or what else could be the difference, maybe your disks are scratched lol
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No I am in the USA. I think Microsoft has simply changed the rules over the years. Probably depends on what they were able to negotiate that year on the contracts. Different OEMs get different rates and get different rules imposed on them. Dell like Microsoft is a 400lb Gorilla and no doubt get better terms then Acer or Lenovo that has to use image disks.
 
nlinecomputers said:
No I am in the USA. I think Microsoft has simply changed the rules over the years. Probably depends on what they were able to negotiate that year on the contracts. Different OEMs get different rates and get different rules imposed on them. Dell like Microsoft is a 400lb Gorilla and no doubt get better terms then Acer or Lenovo that has to use image disks.
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Hmm, point taken. Maybe something in recent years they were able to add to block install on other PCs. My last Dell XP disk is quite old, but it does have SP2 and it runs just fine on all PCs, and my Dell Vista disk (can't remember the SP level) also works fine. I have a Dell 7 ISO but never tried it - most PCs that come with 7 can PXE boot just fine so I install them with my WDS setup.
 
I'll know tomorrow

I made space on my hard drive, so I could have a second partition and dual bot with 7.
I just got a new hard drive, so tomorrow I will take out the current hard drive, install the new hard drive with just windows 8 and we'll see what happens as far as activation goes.
I'll report tomorrow afternoon
 
carlitos31 said:
I made space on my hard drive, so I could have a second partition and dual bot with 7.
I just got a new hard drive, so tomorrow I will take out the current hard drive, install the new hard drive with just windows 8 and we'll see what happens as far as activation goes.
I'll report tomorrow afternoon
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uhh, how will that answer any question posed by this thread if your PC didn't come pre-loaded with Windows 8.......????????????
 
I could test his, I have multiple retail windows 8 machines I can play with, however I only have windows 8 pro disc images. We need just Windows 8 to test this theory as hp/acer/toshiba/asus are all preloaded with windows 8 not windows 8 pro. As of yet I cannot find a version of just windows 8. Even the one you buy online is pro.
 
I'm still trying to get over the no COA thing.

Has anyone been able to verify if you can see the key in the BIOS in case you need it for any reason?
 
carrcomp said:
I'm still trying to get over the no COA thing.

Has anyone been able to verify if you can see the key in the BIOS in case you need it for any reason?
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It's encrypted and not even a COA key in the traditional sense. More like a hash code combined with the serial number of the motherboard. The process is very much like how Apple checks a Mac's UEFI before OS X can even be downloaded let alone installed.
 
Ok this is an HP video posted on YouTube with a private link. So it may get nuked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLP7Jl77SPk&feature=youtu.be

It details how Windows Product Activation 3.0 works.

The only question it doesn't really answer is how retail/sb Windows 8 media reacts to seeing a DPK in the bios? Can you use Retail or System Builder Windows 8 media? Or must you use a media provided by a Royalty OEM?

Also what about upgrades. I get Windows 8 on a machine then upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. Then the HDD goes out. If I reinstall Windows 8 Pro will it see the damn key in the bios and load Windows 8? Will I have to load the first version in order to upgrade to Pro? Doable but PITA.
 
nlinecomputers said:
Ok this is an HP video posted on YouTube with a private link. So it may get nuked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLP7Jl77SPk&feature=youtu.be

It details how Windows Product Activation 3.0 works.

The only question it doesn't really answer is how retail/sb Windows 8 media reacts to seeing a DPK in the bios? Can you use Retail or System Builder Windows 8 media? Or must you use a media provided by a Royalty OEM?

Also what about upgrades. I get Windows 8 on a machine then upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. Then the HDD goes out. If I reinstall Windows 8 Pro will it see the damn key in the bios and load Windows 8? Will I have to load the first version in order to upgrade to Pro? Doable but PITA.
Click to expand...

On the last part, probably, yes. I know my XP-Vista upgrade required me to first install XP, then upgrade to Vista. After about the second time of this, I said never mind on that and created an image. If they are your customers at the time of upgrade, just offer them an image for each machine. (Note, if you have to change motherboard, I doubt a image will work for long, once online MS realizes the new one does not have the key...)

Please note, this is just guess work only.
 
Rocco said:
On the last part, probably, yes. I know my XP-Vista upgrade required me to first install XP, then upgrade to Vista. After about the second time of this, I said never mind on that and created an image. If they are your customers at the time of upgrade, just offer them an image for each machine. (Note, if you have to change motherboard, I doubt a image will work for long, once online MS realizes the new one does not have the key...)

Please note, this is just guess work only.
Click to expand...


There was a trick with both Vista and 7 that you install with out having to install XP first. You'd wipe the drive and install Vista but NOT put the serial number in on install. It would install with a 30 day trial copy. You then reran the setup and installed vista again. This time with the key. You still had two installs but being Vista or 7 the process went faster.
 
lan101 said:
I'm in basically the same position you are in. Hopefully there is something because you know no one is going to pay attention to what they are suppose to do. If it's in the bios, I suppose that would be ok.
Click to expand...

I've been using clean tweaked windows images for reinstalls, then simply changing the prod key to theirs. I wonder if its tied to the bios if they will just activate then.
 
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