Solved Installed Win8 wont activate after clean install

Jason Webb

New Member
Messages
7
Location
Cardiff
Hello,

I have had Windows 8 Pro since the relase but this is the first time that I have actually managed to install the OS because I'm busy in work. Installation went well, clean partition, installed very quickly and now I am on my desktop. I went to activate and it tells me I have an invalide key. I double checked that I haven't made a mistake and I didn't. Then it dawned on me that this was an upgrade version and not the full version therefore, it would require Windows 7 first and then upgrade to Windows 8.

I have never done up upgrade of an OS and I'm not going to start now all because Bill Gates has decided to stop EU from installing a new OS each time MS release a new OS. The problem with upgrading from one OS to another is the CAB files can become corrupt, or even worse WINSOCK is corrupt. If MS don't want you to run a cleam install... why the heck have they an Advanced section where you can proceed with a clean install.

Therefore, MS have us in all direction. Cough! so to speak. you have to upgrade from one OS to another. Or you could hack the registry which is plain and simple and fool the OS into thinking that you have actually registered your OS when you haven't. I paid for this OS therefore, I want to register honestly... but, what if I slui.exe 4 to bring up the Windows Activationb via phone and ring MS and get them to activate it for me...? Then it's done honestly.

If it comes to it, I shall install Windows 7 which is about what... 20 - 23GB with with the Windows upgrade I would image that it'll be no more than 28GB...?

Any help would be deeply appreciated. :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Rig (AMD Build)
    CPU
    AMD FX 8150
    Motherboard
    ASUS Crosshair V Formula/Thunderbolt
    Memory
    Corsair XMS3 1600MHz DDR3 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    2x Sapphire HD 6870 Toxic OC Edition 1GB DDR
    Sound Card
    Thunderbolt
    Monitor(s) Displays
    DELL Widescreen Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    3x OCZ Agility 3 SSD 120GB SATA 6gb
    2x Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATA 6gb
    PSU
    OCZ ZX Series 1.2KW
    Case
    NZXT Phantom Blue Neon lights (nice)
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H100 EPL CPU Cooler/Air cooled system
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Virgin Media 100MB (July upgrade to 120mb)
    Other Info
    All ofthe above is subject to change, Next build will be Coolermaster COSMOS II. New MB with PCIE 3.0 GFX cards will all be AMD HD 7870 PCIE 3.0 . 4x 240GB SSD with 1TB SATA 6gb HDD for backup and other...?
"Then it dawned on me that this was an upgrade version and not the full version therefore, it would require Windows 7 first and then upgrade to Windows 8."

I don't think so. I used the $40 "upgrade version" to do a clean install on a laptop with only Win 8 RP installed (which doesn't qualify), and it activated with no issues. I haven't seen any evidence that the Win 8 upgrade installer checks for a legit, paid-for version of Windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
The whole Upgrade vs System Builder editions is confusing to say the least. I think the $40 Upgrade edition checks the PC you use to purchase it. If you are using a PC with WinXP SP3, Win7 and I believe Win8RP, you will be allowed to purchase and download the upgrade. And you will get 32 bit or 64 bit based on what Windows version your PC is running. In my case, I was running Windows XP SP3 32 bit. I did a "clean" installation by telling the installer to bring nothing over from the existing Windows XP. (This is an option during the installation process.) I am not sure what would happen if you purchased the upgrade on one PC, then elected to install later and saved an iso file to use later and then tried to install on a different PC.

Good luck, Jim
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
"Then it dawned on me that this was an upgrade version and not the full version therefore, it would require Windows 7 first and then upgrade to Windows 8."

I don't think so. I used the $40 "upgrade version" to do a clean install on a laptop with only Win 8 RP installed (which doesn't qualify), and it activated with no issues. I haven't seen any evidence that the Win 8 upgrade installer checks for a legit, paid-for version of Windows.

I purchased the OS from Currys PC World Mega Store and it was wrapped in plastic as well with a notice on there is you experience any problems to call. When I installed the OS I left the tick in to register after it was installed. I only registered the OS for the first time today and it said the licence key was invalid.

This answers my answers my question, so basically MS has their EU by the Cough! Nads I am not getting any errors, it just wont exept my licence key and I thought this was the same reason why my version would not activate because I installed on a clean HDD well actually SSD with no previous OS.

You upgraded to Windows 8, but didn't have a previous version of Windows installed (error 0xC004F061)

If you see error 0xC004F061 when you try to activate Windows 8, it means that you're using a product key for an upgrade version of Windows 8 and a previous version of Windows wasn't on your PC when Windows 8 was installed. To install an upgrade version of Windows 8, you must already have Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP installed on your PC.

If you formatted the drive before the upgrade version of Windows 8 was installed, you won't be able to use your upgrade product key to activate Windows 8. To activate Windows 8, you'll need to install your previous version of Windows, and then reinstall Windows 8. For help with the activation process, contact support.

Source: Microsoft


Update

Use the Step Program instead. What an inane way of performing a clean install but one that does make sense. If you uninstall your previous OS then install Windows 8 it will not activate. But, if you install from your previous OS and select nothing when it asks you Choose what to keep nothing and then selecting Instal now is basically a clean install. So I have to install Windows 7 first, which on an SSD is just over 10 minutes. Then pop in the Win 8 Pro DVD and select nothing is the same.

We have all bee so used to running a clean install the same way for decades, then MS throws away the book and starts again. Thanks MS. It's not a problem, it's a bit of a ball ache but on an SSD Windows 7 installs like lightening. Oh well never mind.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Rig (AMD Build)
    CPU
    AMD FX 8150
    Motherboard
    ASUS Crosshair V Formula/Thunderbolt
    Memory
    Corsair XMS3 1600MHz DDR3 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    2x Sapphire HD 6870 Toxic OC Edition 1GB DDR
    Sound Card
    Thunderbolt
    Monitor(s) Displays
    DELL Widescreen Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    3x OCZ Agility 3 SSD 120GB SATA 6gb
    2x Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATA 6gb
    PSU
    OCZ ZX Series 1.2KW
    Case
    NZXT Phantom Blue Neon lights (nice)
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H100 EPL CPU Cooler/Air cooled system
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Virgin Media 100MB (July upgrade to 120mb)
    Other Info
    All ofthe above is subject to change, Next build will be Coolermaster COSMOS II. New MB with PCIE 3.0 GFX cards will all be AMD HD 7870 PCIE 3.0 . 4x 240GB SSD with 1TB SATA 6gb HDD for backup and other...?
The whole Upgrade vs System Builder editions is confusing to say the least. I think the $40 Upgrade edition checks the PC you use to purchase it. If you are using a PC with WinXP SP3, Win7 and I believe Win8RP, you will be allowed to purchase and download the upgrade. And you will get 32 bit or 64 bit based on what Windows version your PC is running. In my case, I was running Windows XP SP3 32 bit. I did a "clean" installation by telling the installer to bring nothing over from the existing Windows XP. (This is an option during the installation process.) I am not sure what would happen if you purchased the upgrade on one PC, then elected to install later and saved an iso file to use later and then tried to install on a different PC.

Good luck, Jim
Jim...? :think:

I custom build my own rigs, I have done now for 17 years, and this is the first time that I have ever come across this. Talk about head spinning confusion. so basically would I have been better off getting the OEM versions which is basically the System Builders Version. Why MS have gone down this road I don't know. No probs, it's only £50.00 I shall get the OEM version instead... which looks to be the most popular version being sold at my suppliers. The only problem is what do I do with my current version. Sell it online or give itto my Bro for XMAS...?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Rig (AMD Build)
    CPU
    AMD FX 8150
    Motherboard
    ASUS Crosshair V Formula/Thunderbolt
    Memory
    Corsair XMS3 1600MHz DDR3 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    2x Sapphire HD 6870 Toxic OC Edition 1GB DDR
    Sound Card
    Thunderbolt
    Monitor(s) Displays
    DELL Widescreen Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    3x OCZ Agility 3 SSD 120GB SATA 6gb
    2x Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATA 6gb
    PSU
    OCZ ZX Series 1.2KW
    Case
    NZXT Phantom Blue Neon lights (nice)
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H100 EPL CPU Cooler/Air cooled system
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    Virgin Media 100MB (July upgrade to 120mb)
    Other Info
    All ofthe above is subject to change, Next build will be Coolermaster COSMOS II. New MB with PCIE 3.0 GFX cards will all be AMD HD 7870 PCIE 3.0 . 4x 240GB SSD with 1TB SATA 6gb HDD for backup and other...?
Give this a try: Windows 8 Upgrade: clean install possible?

Activate Windows 8 Pro Upgrade

Windows 8 users who noticed that the operating system can’t be activated after the installation may want to try the following workaround that worked to activate when installing Windows 8 using an upgrade on a clean PC.

Open regedit by pressing Windows+r or Windows+q, entering regedit then pressing Enter.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
Change MediaBootInstall from 1 to 0
Go back to the start screen and enter cmd there.
Right-click Command Prompt and select to run it as administrator.
Type slmgr /rearm on the command line and hit Enter.
Reboot Windows now.
Run the activation utility afterwards, enter your product key to activate Windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
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