Dell won't provide promised Windows 8.1 license

[knlz]

So i bought a latitude with 7 preinstalled with the belief that I could upgrade to 8 for free. Here is a screenshot that shows Dell promising a windows 8.1 license is included with the computer.

However, the computer shipped without a windows 8 dvd, and the embedded product key does not allow installation of windows 8. Furthermore, every department at Dell gives me the runaround and says the computer does not allow for upgrade to windows 8. I have to buy it yadda yadda yadda. When i point out the product page at Dell.com (!) still shows a windows 8 license is included, they ask me what page I'm talking about. So, the runaround.

I've complained to Dell in various ways, and, as I said, tried to discuss this issue with multiple departments, to no avail. What recourse do I have?

 

[fireberd]

You have to deal with Dell in your country/area. The consumer rights vary by country. You will probably have to contact the consumer protection agency for your country for assistance.

 

[Nuccii]

Did you buy this computer directly from Dell or somewhere else? Does the license key on your COA sticker match the one that is in the computer and is there an additional license?

 

[caperjack]

post the link to the site ,you have in the screenshot ,what country are you in

 

[knlz]

You have to deal with Dell in your country/area. The consumer rights vary by country. You will probably have to contact the consumer protection agency for your country for assistance.

the US of A

 

[knlz]

post the link to the site ,you have in the screenshot ,what country are you in

Latitude 14 5000 Series | Dell

 

[knlz]

Did you buy this computer directly from Dell or somewhere else? Does the license key on your COA sticker match the one that is in the computer and is there an additional license?

Bought it from Dell.
The license on the sticker in the battery compartment is different than the one various tools tell me is the product key. It also does not appear to be the product key for Office, but it also doesn't work as the key for Windows 8.

 

[Saltgrass]

Well, I might mention a couple of things.

Windows 8 and 8.1 are different OSes and need different licenses.

A Windows 7 install would probably not have been done in the UEFI configuration, so the License for it would not be in the firmware. Perhaps there is an 8.1 Pro license already set in the UEFI firmware so all you would have to do is to install 8.1 in the UEFI configuration. And you can now download that .iso file so you can install from that.

I would probably get another hard drive for testing, but you could try installing 8.1 and if that did not work, you might want to move on to Windows 8.2 ... oh, sorry, I mean Windows 10 or Threshold, or whatever it is being called this week.

All this, of course, would depend on whether you system actually has a UEFI bios. I don't really see such a Bios mentioned on your Link. But the page does seem it indicate what you believe as far as the promised license. It is a Black Friday sale, so perhaps some of the sales folks are not aware of the special.

 

[knlz]

Well, I might mention a couple of things.

Windows 8 and 8.1 are different OSes and need different licenses.

A Windows 7 install would probably not have been done in the UEFI configuration, so the License for it would not be in the firmware. Perhaps there is an 8.1 Pro license already set in the UEFI firmware so all you would have to do is to install 8.1 in the UEFI configuration. And you can now download that .iso file so you can install from that.

I would probably get another hard drive for testing, but you could try installing 8.1 and if that did not work, you might want to move on to Windows 8.2 ... oh, sorry, I mean Windows 10 or Threshold, or whatever it is being called this week.

All this, of course, would depend on whether you system actually has a UEFI bios. I don't really see such a Bios mentioned on your Link. But the page does seem it indicate what you believe as far as the promised license. It is a Black Friday sale, so perhaps some of the sales folks are not aware of the special.

I tried installing from the .iso file, but couldn't. It asked me for a product key, and the only one I have available, for sure, is the 7 one.

I bought this computer about 10 months ago, and the wording on the site re: the windows 8 license hasn't changed. Unfortunately I haven't yet found a screenshot from the page at that time. I don't think I took one.

also: re windows 10, the reason I want my 8 license is in case Windows doesn't allow for free upgrades from 7, which might well happen. Also, I'd like to upgrade soon, the reasons for sticking to 7 then don't apply now, and performance on 7 isn't great.

 

[alphanumeric]

In Windows 7, the product code on the COA sticker will not match what is actually in use by the machine with a factory OEM install. It will be using a Dell master product code that is the same across all Dells running that version of Windows 7. The one on the sticker has never been used and is only there for use if you have to do manual clean install from normal media. Also in Windows 7 there is no product code embedded in the BIOS. There is a SLIC table with custom OEM DELL ID Code, but its not a product code. You need custom OEM Dell branded install Media to make use of it. OEM PC's with Windows 7 don't activate online, they activate against the BIOS SLIC table.

Microsoft changed it up with OA3.0 and Windows 8. With OA3.0 the product code is embedded in the BIOS and each PC has its own unique product code instead of the one master code. They also now activate online.

Any utility that you run that retrieves the Product code from the registry is going to pull the Dell Windows 7 master key. To actually see if there is a Windows 8 key in the BIOS you'll likely have to do option 5 from here, http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27129-product-key-find-windows-8-a.html

 

[knlz]

In Windows 7, the product code on the COA sticker will not match what is actually in use by the machine with a factory OEM install. It will be using a Dell master product code that is the same across all Dells running that version of Windows 7. The one on the sticker has never been used and is only there for use if you have to do manual clean install from normal media. Also in Windows 7 there is no product code embedded in the BIOS. There is a SLIC table with custom OEM DELL ID Code, but its not a product code. You need custom OEM Dell branded install Media to make use of it. OEM PC's with Windows 7 don't activate online, they activate against the BIOS SLIC table.

Microsoft changed it up with OA3.0 and Windows 8. With OA3.0 the product code is embedded in the BIOS and each PC has its own unique product code instead of the one master code. They also now activate online.

Any utility that you run that retrieves the Product code from the registry is going to pull the Dell Windows 7 master key. To actually see if there is a Windows 8 key in the BIOS you'll likely have to do option 5 from here, http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27129-product-key-find-windows-8-a.html

Thanks.

Tried options 5 and 6 to no avail.

Opt. 5 told me W7 not supported.
Opt. 6, via the command prompt, returned nothing, null.

 

[alphanumeric]

In Windows 7, the product code on the COA sticker will not match what is actually in use by the machine with a factory OEM install. It will be using a Dell master product code that is the same across all Dells running that version of Windows 7. The one on the sticker has never been used and is only there for use if you have to do manual clean install from normal media. Also in Windows 7 there is no product code embedded in the BIOS. There is a SLIC table with custom OEM DELL ID Code, but its not a product code. You need custom OEM Dell branded install Media to make use of it. OEM PC's with Windows 7 don't activate online, they activate against the BIOS SLIC table.

Microsoft changed it up with OA3.0 and Windows 8. With OA3.0 the product code is embedded in the BIOS and each PC has its own unique product code instead of the one master code. They also now activate online.

Any utility that you run that retrieves the Product code from the registry is going to pull the Dell Windows 7 master key. To actually see if there is a Windows 8 key in the BIOS you'll likely have to do option 5 from here, http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27129-product-key-find-windows-8-a.html

Thanks.

Tried options 5 and 6 to no avail.

Opt. 5 told me W7 not supported.
Opt. 6, via the command prompt, returned nothing, null.

OK, after I posted I figured option 6 wouldn't work when run on 7 so edited my post. I wasn't sure if it mattered what OS the other one was run from, looks like it also has dependencies. There was a utility that would read it right from the BIOS but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called. I used it when 8 first came out, ages ago now. I'd have to look through some really old threads to find it. I'm trying to remember who recommended it originally, it might have been WHS, not sure. Maybe somebody reading this post will remember and post it.

 

[alphanumeric]

Found it, RWEverything | Read & Write Everything Run it. Click on the ACPI Table button at the top. After that click on the MSDM tab. If there is an 8 BIOS product key it is at the bottom.

windows 8 - How to extract Win 8 OEM key embedded in the BIOS? - Super User

 

[knlz]

Found it, RWEverything | Read & Write Everything Run it. Click on the ACPI Table button at the top. After that click on the MSDM tab. If there is an 8 BIOS product key it is at the bottom.

windows 8 - How to extract Win 8 OEM key embedded in the BIOS? - Super User

i don't see an msdm tab

 

[alphanumeric]

I don't on this PC either. This PC doesn't have a Windows 8 embedded code. I would say your PC doesn't have a Windows 8.x Embedded code either. I've run this utility on my laptop in the past and that tab was there along with a code, it came from the factory with Windows 8.0 Core.

 

[knlz]

I don't on this PC either. This PC doesn't have a Windows 8 embedded code. I would say your PC doesn't have a Windows 8.x Embedded code either. I've run this utility on my laptop in the past and that tab was there along with a code, it came from the factory with Windows 8.0 Core.

well alright, thanks for the help again. Seems Dell is telling me the truth that the computer doesn't support w8 upgrades. Now why they advertise something different is another issue.

 

[SIW2]

Check the product key you have on a sticker, by entering it here:

Online PIDChecker

 

[SIW2]

Looks like the OP is correct:






The Dell Online Store: Build Your System

 

[pparks1]

If you install Windows 8 using an ISO and it prompts for the key, then it's not in the BIOS.

We recently had a motherboard replaced in a box that came with 8, and it wouldn't activate. I tried to reinstall 8 and it kept prompting me for a key.

I hunted around and found dell provided a little envelope with the license key that I had to enter manually for this machine. It's possible they sent out the mobo without the license key actually embedded.

 

[alphanumeric]

If you install Windows 8 using an ISO and it prompts for the key, then it's not in the BIOS.

We recently had a motherboard replaced in a box that came with 8, and it wouldn't activate. I tried to reinstall 8 and it kept prompting me for a key.

I hunted around and found dell provided a little envelope with the license key that I had to enter manually for this machine. It's possible they sent out the mobo without the license key actually embedded.

Good point, an embedded key is one way to do it, but that doesn't mean they have to do it. A COS sticker with an actual code on it will work to. I'm guessing if you buy Retail that's what you get. I haven't actually seen one though.