Solved Dell 3020 Reload 8.1 After MB Replacement and HD Swap

We just replaced the office computers with Dell 3020s except for mine which was going to be a 9020. After loading and network connection one of the 3020s sparked up and quit.

To keep the office going I swapped the 3020 HD with my uninstalled 9020 which went well. I contacted Dell and they sent a guy to replace the MB on the dead 3020 which now has the Win 7 (with Win 8 upgrade) HD.

I was going to restore the 3020 with the Win 8 restore cd which shipped with the 3020 so they all would be running Win 8 and call it a spare.

It wants a product key to load from the restore cd that shipped with the computer. Is that because the Win 8 key was in the BIOS of the old board or does it have something to do with the HD now having Win 7 from the other computer.

Would a complete format help or would I then have no OS?

Thanks
Dave

Windows 8 keys are embedded into the Bios - the replacement board does not have an embedded key and you need to contact Dell, again

Or you need to type in your upgrade key - if you have it..

KYHI said:

Windows 8 keys are embedded into the Bios - the replacement board does not have an embedded key and you need to contact Dell, again

Click to expand...

Thats what I thought but wasn't sure. Glad I talked to you before I formatted the HD and had no OS.

Sounds like a job for after Jan 1.

Thanks for the quick reply
Dave

try option 5 or 6 ,in link ,to get your windows key .6 should work

caperjack said:

try option 5 or 6 ,in link ,to get your windows key .6 should work

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting but I don't see a link.

Dave

DaveJ said:

caperjack said:

try option 5 or 6 ,in link ,to get your windows key .6 should work

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting but I don't see a link.

Dave

Click to expand...

lol, sorry about that ,I thought I put it in ,
anyway here it is ,
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27129-product-key-find-windows-8-a.html

caperjack said:

DaveJ said:

caperjack said:

try option 5 or 6 ,in link ,to get your windows key .6 should work

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting but I don't see a link.

Dave

Click to expand...

lol, sorry about that ,I thought I put it in ,
anyway here it is

Click to expand...

Thanks, the link worked but didn't help. The Powershell shows no key while all the other Win 8 machines do report the valid key. Is this key in the BIOS? If so would it make any difference that the HD has a perfectly good Win 7 OS installed?

Anyway, Thanks I'm going to print that page for future problems.

Dave

KYHI said:

Windows 8 keys are embedded into the Bios - the replacement board does not have an embedded key and you need to contact Dell, again

Or you need to type in your upgrade key - if you have it..

Click to expand...

You need to contact dell for a windows key or purchase a retail key.. I would simply request a complete replacement to the PC since this issue will not go away until you get a working PC with windows 8 (oem embedded or retail)product key - that is what you paid for..