Windows 8 ona Dell - Doesn't pull Product key from Bios

[MrMacca]

Whenever I've fitted a new Hard drive or the recovery partition has messed up on someones computer, I always stick in an OEM version of Windows 8 and it all goes smoothly.

It never asks for the Licence key, just pulls it from the Bios and away I go back in the land of Windows 8.

However

Today I am stumped. Customer brings in a Dell that has been refurbished. Tells me he cant get online. I check device manager and no drivers. I tell him i'll sort the drivers and also update it to 8.1

Install 8.1 from the Store, only to find out that it hasn't activated. That's strange, normally it does this itself, so i can only assume the windows 8 install wasn't activated either.

So then I get my OEM 8 disk out and boot from it. It boots to the screen requiring me to enter the licence key, which it normally skips. Strange. So i boot back into windows and use Get_windowsKey as well as RWeverything.

Both return the same product key. Write it down and then I repeat the process. I enter the Key - Rejected.

Anyone experienced this before or know of any work around?

Microsoft have confirmed with me that the License is Valid and is an OEM Version (Was speaking on the phone until they disconnected me)

Any ideas?

 

[mr m]

Maybe the original 8 install wasn't activated or the refurbisher used a different key/version. Since there were no drivers installed it sounds like a half-assed repair so I already don't trust the refurbishers methodology.

MS will not let you activate 8.1 unless 8 was installed and activated correctly. You must go back to 8 and then activate, then upgrade to 8.1.

I think! I'm still trying to get used to UEFI.

 

[nlinecomputers]

A referb motherboard should not have a DPK in the bios. That is supposed to be removed and the key is marked as invalid on M$ activation servers. You'll need to purchase a valid copy of Windows if that is the case.

 

[AndyM]

Have a look at this HP document:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=uk&lc=en&docname=c03486254

It will help you out, regardless of what OEM system you're trying to activate Windows 8 on.

Andy

 

[AndyM]

What Nline says is true....

Have a look at this HP document:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=uk&lc=en&docname=c03486254

It will help you out, regardless of what OEM system you're trying to activate Windows 8 on.

Andy

 

[MrMacca]

Cheers Andy, will take a good look at it tomorrow.

think the phone activation one might do the trick, otherwise I'll have to get them to take it back to where they purchased it from.

 

[anti]

The first time I did a Windows 8 installation I ended up doing activation 3 times (3 windows installations). The third time I had to call and manually activate it.