Cheap Windows 8 upgrade may now require your Windows 7 key

People who bought a Windows 7 PC on or after June 2 can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $14.99, but they now have to supply the Windows 7 product ID.

Microsoft kicked off registration for the $14.99 deal in August. Anyone who bought or will buy a new Windows 7 PC between June 2 of this year and January 31 of next year can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for that special price. Shelling out the $14.99 lets you download a copy of the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant, which helps you install the new operating system.

Read more at source:
Cheap Windows 8 upgrade may now require your Windows 7 key | Microsoft - CNET News

 

[azasadny]

Makes sense, M$ has done similar things before...

 

[alphanumeric]

Hm, so what key are they looking for? The key on the COA sticker or the key you get if you run the magical jelly bean key finder?

 

[azasadny]

Acronis did this with the True Image Home v13 upgrade. When you install it, you must provide the v13 code as well as the v12 authentication code for the new version to install. You don't have to have the previous version on the hard drive, you just have to provide the code for it...

 

[Brink]

Hm, so what key are they looking for? The key on the COA sticker or the key you get if you run the magical jelly bean key finder?

It'll be for the key on the COA sticker.

 

[Lee]

If your copy is real and not a pirated version there should be no problem. . .

 

[pparks1]

I was absolutely astounded when I upgraded a machine we purchased at work from Dell to Windows 8, they didn't ask for anything to confirm that we had really purchased anything. They simply gave me the $40 upgrade with a $25 discount making it $15. Seemed like anybody could buy it without any effort whatsoever.

 

[robinb9]

I was absolutely astounded when I upgraded a machine we purchased at work from Dell to Windows 8, they didn't ask for anything to confirm that we had really purchased anything. They simply gave me the $40 upgrade with a $25 discount making it $15. Seemed like anybody could buy it without any effort whatsoever.

Same here and since I bought 2 machines I did the form 2x the same way you did

 

[alphanumeric]

If your copy is real and not a pirated version there should be no problem. . .

If that's directed at me. I was just thinking that in a lot of cases the OEM-SLP key would be what a keyfinder would list. And whether they would accept it or make you get the one on the COA sticker.

 

[tw33k]

The first 2 times I used the offer I didn't need to provide a key. The 3rd time however it asked for one. I tried a Technet key but they won't accept them. It has to be a retail key

 

[alphanumeric]

Microsoft must have concluded that that upgrade offer was being abused somehow and wanted to tighten up requirements some? None of my PC's qualify so I didn't even bother trying to get one.

 

[NoelDP]

IIRC, it has to be an OEM COA Key activated for the first time after June2 to qualify - retail keys are excluded.

 

[Lee]

If your copy is real and not a pirated version there should be no problem. . .

If that's directed at me. I was just thinking that in a lot of cases the OEM-SLP key would be what a keyfinder would list. And whether they would accept it or make you get the one on the COA sticker.

Have an OEM and the installation app found the OEM key and upgraded my installation on a HP dv7 laptop. All I have to do was set there and read my book.

 

[alphanumeric]

If your copy is real and not a pirated version there should be no problem. . .

If that's directed at me. I was just thinking that in a lot of cases the OEM-SLP key would be what a keyfinder would list. And whether they would accept it or make you get the one on the COA sticker.

Have an OEM and the installation app found the OEM key and upgraded my installation on a HP dv7 laptop. All I have to do was set there and read my book.

I was just mulling over in my mind, what the average Joe would do, if he or she was asked to "enter" their product code online to get the upgrade offer. There would be some that know what a COA sticker is and use that. I'm sure some would try to enter the PID from the System page and when that didn't work they would try a keyfinder. It just made me wonder what Microsoft would and wouldn't accept. I wasn't thinking about it from a lets cheat it point of view, more of a "what were they thinking" point of view.

 

[tw33k]

I was just mulling over in my mind, what the average Joe would do, if he or she was asked to "enter" their product code online to get the upgrade offer. There would be some that know what a COA sticker is and use that. I'm sure some would try to enter the PID from the System page and when that didn't work they would try a keyfinder. It just made me wonder what Microsoft would and wouldn't accept. I wasn't thinking about it from a lets cheat it point of view, more of a "what were they thinking" point of view.

That's a good point. My dad had no idea what or where his product key was. Not sure what he would have done if I wasn't there.