I have a Windows 8 Retail key (Pro) and until few days ago I was able to activate Windows 8.1 RTM in this way(clean install): During the instalation I used a generic instalation key,once instalation was done I used command-mode to delete that Generic Windows Instalation Key and to input that Windows 8 Pro Retail key...Surprise:The server has determined that key could NOT be used... So,no more Windows 8 key to activate W8.1??With that Update 1 the users will be forced to buy a new key??? I called today to MS and they told me that there is no problems with my key...but I should install and activate Windows 8.0 . Is here somebody who have issues like this?
Perhaps you should try again and see. I have done it some time back (8 key on 8.1 and it worked), but not recently. Perhaps, you can try phone activation with 8 key. MS response remains stock. If it happens again and again, you are out of luck.
usually trying again using that same key works or disable your internet and call Microsoft to make a manual activation The customer service people working at Microsoft are muppets. like you, they told me to install Windows 8 then activate then upgrade to 8.1 screw that! I am doing no upgrade, i did a clean install and it activated just fine using my Windows 8 key
I tried many times from installed W8.1 RTM but no luck.Allways is the same answer: on the phone,after I typed activation code the bot tells me my request cannot be filled,cannot generte my activation code.Online the server determine that my key could not be used.
I know that here is true: I cannot use my key.When I call Microsoft Romania they tell me there is not problem with my key.I activated now using the Cody's tool..Should I now deactivate and input my key then take screenshotts and put them here to be trusted???
call Microsoft US number using Skype for Free that should work tell them you live in the US if they asked so they won't advice you to call your own local MS support line
LOL, you can say that again, seems the operators in MS China are even worse, in PCBeta people are flaming those operators, seems those people has a standard answer sheet with just a few standard answers, and they just pick the answer that "they thought" is the correct response.
-'a generic' should be w8.1 pro generic retail key XHQ8N-...to be entered @windows 8.1 setup -Why to delete the generic key? Just activate online entering / changing your key (@win GUI). No need to fiddle with slmgr -IPK / -UPK commands. ...AFAIK that still worked a couple of weeks ago.
If your key is a MAK key then it will not work. You sure it is a retail key? Did you buy it from an authorized place? (some websites sell extra MAK keys which are left unused) I had a MAK key which I used for Windows 8. After upgrading to 8.1 my activation was gone. I had to get a new retail key.
Few days ago I did exactly that: "used a generic installation key,once was done however I didn't use command line, just went to system properties and "Change product key" That worked. maybe try that.
I'm doing it by installing Windows 8.1 without a Product Key, you'll have to modify your 8.1 iso to make this possible (just google: "install Windows 8.1 without key"). After the installation you'll have a non activated Windows 8.1, then open a Command Prompt (with Admin Rights) and use the follwing command to install your Windows 8 Key: Code: slmgr -ipk <key> Windows should now automatically activate the key, if not use this command to activate: Code: slmgr -ato I've already installed about 20 PC's by using this method without any problems, I hope it's working for you.
I have a real Retail Windows 8 key but I chose to not use it ...for now.I activated using the Cody's tool,and about that key....maybe I'll try it later.
From my experience this happens when: - You try to activate a VL ISO with a retail key - You try to activate a different language version e.g. I can't activate the MSDN US retail ISO with my UK 8.0 key
Yep, and even VL Win 8/8.x Pro will become 'RETAIL' version after installing proper Retail key . (No matter the architecture ... )
Well, it's been some time so I can't double check exactly with which 8.1 MSDN ISO my key was not accepted, but it was definitely the case. Then I started using the 8.1 en_GB MSDN retail image and it worked fine there. I don't think key are tied to an arch, are they?
Call their support line and get patched to their product and activation support, if there's an issue due to the key getting corrupted they tend to give a new key if its required or fix your current one.