Solved Need win8 long enough to install win10 - can't find my key

I bought 3 win8 keys from MS way back in 2012. Two of them are unused. I can not find the actual keys. They were on a piece of paper I can't find. I do have the "Registration Confirmations" acknowledging the keys will be sent. And I did get them.

Does anyone know if there is anyway I can get those keys?

I have tried googling for a key but everything it shows seems to be a crack of some sort.

OK. I got some ideas from another forum that look like they might work. However, I FINALLY found my keys.

Only to find that MS seems to have wiped Win 8 from the universe. All links to download a Win 8 ISO point to 8.1 or 10. I think I may have one of those somewhere. But MS really is being a pain. No win 8 means no path from 7 to 10 without losing anything.

It's my understanding/belief you can install 8.1 and use a 8 product key to activate it.
I think you would need to use a generic key when installing 8.1, and then change the product key after the install.
See this tutorial:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2299-clean-install-windows-8-a.html
You can ask questions in the tutorial if needed.

If you need a clean 8.1 ISO for installation, get the ISO downloader from Heidoc here:
https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/techn...icrosoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

alternety said:

No win 8 means no path from 7 to 10 without losing anything.

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I'm not sure what you mean by that, but I believe you may be misinformed. You can still upgrade, the limitations are only for versions that aren't current, like 7 W/O SP1 or W8, and then only that you cannot upgrade using windows update.

DavidE said:

It's my understanding/belief you can install 8.1 and use a 8 product key to activate it.
I think you would need to use a generic key when installing 8.1, and then change the product key after the install.

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I used my W8 key on a W8.1 install and it activated just fine without doing any other key.

I was not clear; my fault. Reading my post you are misinterpreting my need. My objective is Win 10 with no (well mostly) loss of settings or installed programs from Win 7.

Win 7 can not be upgraded to any other version but Win 8 if all settings and installed programs are to be moved intact.
Win 10 will not do an upgrade from either 7 or 8 while keeping all the information.
So, get 8 running, update 8 to free 8.1 which will not lose anything.
Then you can update from 8.1 to 10 without losing anything because 8.1 is the only earlier version that it will allow a lossless update.

I have no idea why MS would ever have made it work this way; but they did. What a pain.

I am in my second full day of updating 7 to 8. First pass ran from early in the afternoon to sometime in the wee hours of the next morning. I came in to see a message to take the USB drive out, reboot, and replace the USB. Then continue. I did that in the early morning, After a couple of hours, it reached 100% and said it would restart in "a few moments". As of 7:30 PM; still doing that. There are no useful indicators on the screen through the entire process except that last % done. No way to tell if it is dead, resting, or still processing. Did I mention pain?

I'm not sure why you think you can't upgrade directly to windows 10 and keep your settings (Those that do carry over) and programs, it can be done.

Windows 10 - Upgrade Installation - Windows 10 Forums

You are doing things in a very convoluted method to get to an outcome that you can get by just downloading the W10 installer and following either step 4, 7 or 8 in the above linked tutorial.

I just did an in place upgrade like that, what exactly do you think you are losing anyway?

The reason I believed that was a post I read from an expert that I believed said that and provided the work-around.

I am looking at other information to verify which view is correct. Thanks for pointing it out. I would certainly cut out a lot of grief. I have so far tried to upgrade Win 7 Pro; failed both times with no reasons given.

Every time I try another direction; garbage falls from the sky.

Here is the full explanation of what I am attempting to do.

I have an old Win 7 Pro motherboard with problems. I have a new motherboard sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for the cpu cooler from the current Win 7 machine. My new objective was to wind up with Win 10 on the new MB using Win 7 Pro to supply the key. From your input, it should work (I.e., move settings and apps) if I just moved the Win 7 image to the new MB using Reflect's (backup system) function that does that.

Then, to be safe, I looked into the existing Win 7 and found what appears to be an OEM key. I had not realized there were any OEM keys running around here. Which means if I upgrade to Win 10 from there, Win 10 will not be movable when this new MB fails or gets too old. Now I know my Win 8 keys are not OEM. So I now have to get Win 7 on the new MB and try upgrading from that point with Win 8 again.

aaargh

Do you really need to do an Upgrade Install ?
Can a Clean Install work for you ?
A Clean Install means you will have to re-install all programs and settings.

Now you say the Win 7 license is an OEM license.
Technically/legally that license can't be transferred to a different PC (motherboard).
It won't activate on the new motherboard, and that might be what is causing your issues with your approach.

Yes I need an upgrade. There are applications that cannot be reinstalled. They also may not work after upgrade; but I won't know until I try. I believe you are correct about moving Win 7. If it will run long enough to let me upgrade it to 8.1, it could work.

It is my understanding that (and I have obviously had a wrong understanding before) Win 10 will upgrade anything. But will not allow me to move the resulting Win 10 if I need to replace a MB in the future. Evidence that this is not true would be quite helpful.

If there is a way to upgrade the Win 7 and give Win 10 an 8.1 key at the time; simplification would result.

If, after reading the whole thread, someone can suggest a simpler process I would promise you my first born. A warning here; I am real old.

The more info you post, i don't know if you can get from where you are to where you want to be
Here are some quotes from your posts, and my response.

If there is a way to upgrade the Win 7 and give Win 10 an 8.1 key at the time; simplification would result.

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I can't answer your question.
Someone at sister site Ten Forums might be able to give better help.
Windows 10 Forums

I am in my second full day of updating 7 to 8

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Are you trying to update from 7 to 8 on the old motherboard or the new motherboard ?
Did you find a Win 8 media to install from, or do you mean 8.1 ?

I looked into the existing Win 7 and found what appears to be an OEM key.

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To be sure what type of license you have run MGADIAG.exe:
Windows Genuine and Activation Issue Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Help Forums
If you have an OEM license,
I've read sometimes MS will issue a new key for transferring to a new MB because of hardware (MB) failure.
You would have to get the right support person on a phone call and explain the situation.
You can search for info about that possibility.

From your input, it should work (I.e., move settings and apps) if I just moved the Win 7 image to the new MB using Reflect's (backup system) function that does that.

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I don't know if Macrium backup can reliably move an OS to a new PC (motherboard).
Here is a tutorial for transferring an OS to a new PC:
Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer - Windows 7 Help Forums

Yes I need an upgrade. There are applications that cannot be reinstalled. They also may not work after upgrade; but I won't know until I try.

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If you have applications that you need to keep and cannot be reinstalled you might want to look for an exact replacement motherboard and keep using Win 7.
You have to decide if those applications are critical, or could be replaced with newer programs, etc.

Win 7 can not be upgraded to any other version but Win 8 if all settings and installed programs are to be moved intact.

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I think you're right about that, see screen print from Shawn's tutorial:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2234-upgrade-install-windows-8-windows-8-1-a.html

Thanks David,

I was trying to update on the old MB. I have now disassembled the old MB system and I am waiting for a new cpu cooler to arrive today. The old cpu cooler was to go on the new MB. At the last moment, even though I had found no reference to the Thermalright cooler part of the "lets' break our Skylake chip with our cooler exercise", I sent an email to Thermalright. Their response was; we really really think you should use our new spacer. $2 shipping and it is yours. They are using a Taiwan web site so I asked how long. Answer about 2 weeks. So I ordered a new cooler from Amazon Prime. And the experience goes on.

Can't do the key authentication. I know it is a good key. I used Belarc Advisor and it indicated it is an OEM key. I trust them.

I don't know either if Macrium Reflect can transfer properly. It is supposed to. The one and only time I tried it before I could not get it to work. That was an older version, so my fingers are crossed. The sysprep solution probably will not work. I am no longer positive, but I suspect that the MB in question was upgraded from XP. sevenforum post warns sysprep will not work in those conditions.

Upgrade path to save applications: yes, I verified that again myself. My initial understanding matches your tables. I have seen multiple posts that are wrong. Some probably because they did not look at the preservation of applications. thanks for taking the trouble to find the tables. It helps to see another active response to verify things.

Cooler just got here. Back to the project.

How are things going with your new build and what you want to do ?
I'm curious

Well, first I ordered the wrong thermal paste. I figured I would just use what I got and replace it. I put everything together and then I noticed there was no matching connection on the MB and the monitor. My bad. Just did not occur to me. So I am waiting for a DVI to HDMI adapter. Probably try again Thursday or Friday. New cooler is as much of a monster as the old one. I had to leave off the second fan to fit in the case with the RAM installed. No big deal. Thermal performance with one less fan is about a 0.5 degree difference. I am making a real effort to make a quiet machine for her. It was not real bad, but I replaced some case fans (one of which was probably mostly responsible for excess noise). I have all Nocta fans. I have used these before and they are nice and quiet. They mount with little rubber nipples instead of solid screws. Then are intrinsically quiet and isolated from the frame.

In the meantime, I found there are some issues just getting Win 7 installed on this MB. Have to do some things; not a killer, but annoying. I am really thinking about just loading Win 8 and going from there. Maybe one more try with 7. I need to take a look at if/how I can get some things moved over otherwise. Most of the other applications I wanted to preserve are mine for diagnostics and management. I would like to keep them; but not a real issue when it is all over.

Probably the only things I MUST get transferred are all of the Thunderbird files, bookmarks for Firefox (Session Manager), Office, and all her files. Files are just a directory restore. Have to look at TBird and Firefox. Office may be a problem. It is a pre-stupid-ribbon version and I have not yet found an installable copy and serial. She does not like LibreOffice. Can't blame her for that; I do not care for it either. It is just too complicated. I spent an hour trying to get it do do paragraph numbering with no success. I went back to Word. Simple things in word are simply not intuitive in LO. It feels like things (specifically documentation) are for a specialized professional rather that a simple old office user.

Anyway, I will see what happens. On the bright side, this month the dishwasher has not failed, the well pump has not failed (500' down), the in-house pressure pump has not gotten hot enough to damage impellers because of air bubbles from some unknown source, and the garbage disposal is running. So this month is much better than last month.

In the meantime, I found there are some issues just getting Win 7 installed on this MB. Have to do some things; not a killer, but annoying. I am really thinking about just loading Win 8 and going from there.

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Do you have a "new/unused" W7 license or are you trying to re-use the W7 OEM license from the OLD MB ?
If you have an unused W8x license you should be able to use that and have a "clean start" on the new PC, and upgrade it to W10.

Probably the only things I MUST get transferred are all of the Thunderbird files, bookmarks for Firefox (Session Manager), Office, and all her files.

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If you have problem(s) you would get more help by creating a well titled thread for a specific problem.

Office may be a problem. It is a pre-stupid-ribbon version and I have not yet found an installable copy and serial.

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You can get Office 2007 and newer ISO's using the ISO Downloader available here:
https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/techn...icrosoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool
You would need an Office license key (serial).

Most of the other applications I wanted to preserve are mine for diagnostics and management. I would like to keep them; but not a real issue when it is all over.

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I wouldn't spend/waste time and effort trying to "migrate" such programs with an OS Upgrade.
I would do a Clean install, not an Upgrade install.
That's what i would do, it's your problem, your choice.

I have all three machines running retail Win 10. For my 8.1 machine; just ran upgrade. For the laptop with OEM 10 I found out in 10 you can just change the key in windows.

The one going from 7 to 10 and changing motherboards was terrible. Days and days of solid working on the thing. Still resolving some driver issues. I finally got to the point where I had 160 or so updates to do before I could move to 8.1. Could not match a list I found of what KBs had to be installed (in a specific order). And just installing a few at a time was being way too time consuming. I finally just ran Win 10 upgrade. Contrary to what I had seen in MS documents, it kept all my applications. So: I won.

I am not fond of the Win 10 interface so far.

Hopefully I will be dead before Win 12.