Hello guys, i've two legit windows 8.1 keys and assuming i upgraded to windows 10 via normal free offer upgrade and grabbed the upgraded windows 10 key and then formatted my pc and reinstalled windows 10 from iso downloaded image. Will the upgraded key newly obtained would work ?
Only win8/8.1 OEM;DM keys are updated as win10 OEM;DM keys, as it is embedded in BIOS and MS doesn't want to touch it. As for OP's question, Gabe already confirmed that as long as the reinstall is on the same device, it could be done.
Sorry for late reply so all i have to do is actually install windows 10 from scratch using my win 8.1 pro legit key ? Just to confirm the steps are: 1- upgrade windows 8.1 pro to windows 10 pro from windows update 2- then reinstall windows 10 using the purchased key as stated above right ?
No, 2 is wrong. 2- then reinstall windows 10 and login using the 'MS Account' you used in 1. It should auto activate.
And if you use local account? It will be possible to upgrade, backup the license and then restore it on a clean install?
Activation of the 'Free Upgrade' is linked to an MS Account, so you'll need to use one to activate the device in the first place. And probably have to login into the Store or Settings to activate it again after a reinstall.
Iirc the MSA binding is only mandatory for Insiders to stay activated, when installing clean. The Upgrade Offer, when activated by upgrading from legit predecessor can be used with offline account .
Here's the difficult question i have brought two legit windows 8.1 pro keys when they first came out using one microsoft account what are my chances to activate them both ? i always used the offline (local user) activation method then gone online to activate then linked my MS account to be on the safe side on win 8.1
To say some one is WRONG when it comes to KEYs and what MS will or will not do... really is like "which hand do you wash first. the one you s**t on or the one you wiped with. Microsoft has changed minds so often and change as they wish. to say WRONG is really quite foolish. I still have so (suppose to be good for 20 Activations keys) Legit obtained and issued to me by MS... woops - WTF they did later renig on that and voided every one of them
I still hope we get a Win10 key, and if you upgraded from a Retail Win7/8.1 (not laptops etc with OEM) then you will get a Win10 Retail key, that you can use on other hardware and/or computers. 25 days to I know if this is the case. I understand that for OEM computers, it's different. But if you have build your own computer, and got a Retail version of Win8.1, and upgrade to Win10, you want to possible to change hardware or get a new computer, and still have Windows 10.
Nope, you couldn't do that, AFAIK, all win7/8.1 free upgrade must be done, for the first time, within win7SP1 or win8.1, thru GWX, if your free upgrade is successful, you will get a win10 upgrade key bundled to the device, thereafter you could clean install win10 on that device. Also, @Slave77 was correct, activation has nothing to do with MSA, I have said that a number of times, and GaAul has also confirmed this in his blog.
Didn't I hear of an option with 10 to revert back to your previous o.s.? And if so, couldn't you get 10 free, get the .iso from the .esd file and revert back to 8/8.1 You would have an install disk that could have the capability to install and auto activate?
@S1ave77 and Faikee, I thought I read the device activation hash was kept in the store along with your purchase history and synced settings. Maybe Snuffy's right and they've changed the rules again.
I have Windows 8.1 Pro activated by phone, Will I get Windows 10 activated ? If yes, will I be able to do clean install with ISO after after upgrade ?
It might be for "convenience" sake but a MSA is not required for the free upgrade. Gabe was pretty clear about that (of course it might change but that is the latest official post on the subject).