Solved My product key is a 'default' product key. Why?

[David Bailey]

When I bought my computer with win 8 OEM I had to activate it.

 

[robinpe]

David, could you use it without activating it?

 

[David Bailey]

David, could you use it without activating it?

I just activated it as soon as I got it plugged in.

I didn't wait a period of days to activate it.

I think there is a grace period.

Maybe 30 days or something.

Even when I upgraded to 8 pro, I activated it as soon as I could after plugging it in.

 

[alphanumeric]

Is the statement below true?
This was stated by 'Mystere' in a former post: 'If you have an OEM copy of Windows, the product key is stored in your BIOS, thus it is no longer necessary to enter a product key.'

Even though my PC Settings Activation window opens occasionally asking me to activate, do I actually HAVE to activate since the machine was already activated in the factory?

Under normal circumstances yes. If I install Windows 8 on my laptop which has an embedded key, I am not prompted to enter a product key. My embedded key is for 8 core and that is what is installed. It will activate online on its own or manually if I tell it to activate Windows. Either way it activates online at some point.

I didn't have to activate my laptop after receiving it. I don't remember having to do it manually. It may have activated on its own while I was using it but I was never prompted to activate. The first time I checked the system screen it said it was activated. Activation isn't a one time deal either. Windows will keep checking your activation status repeatedly. If the mechanism that does this gets broken activation will fail. Various things can cause this, missing or mangled system files, virus infection, maleware, the list goes on. You can also have glitches on the Microsoft end of things. A glitch in the activation server, your product code being missing or blacklisted in the database etc. This is why activation issues are so hard to diagnose and fix, even if you know what you are doing. I'll say right up front that I am by no means an expert on this. I do what I can though.

 

[alphanumeric]

David, could you use it without activating it?

I just activated it as soon as I got it plugged in.

I didn't wait a period of days to activated it.

I think there is a grace period.

Maybe 30 days or something.

As far as I know you can keep using it. The 30 days sounds right too. You'll get reminded to activate from time to time.

 

[David Bailey]

I found this link about activating:

Windows 8 Activation Instructions | Information Management Systems & Services

 

[DavidY]

I found this link about activating:

Windows 8 Activation Instructions | Information Management Systems & Services

That looks like it is within a specific environment though, and for all we know they're making available to students a download of Windows 8 which they've customised; perhaps the Enterprise version. I suspect those instructions may not generalise to work well outside that environment.

 

[robinpe]

The problem is that I didn't install Windows 8, it wouldn't complete installation. Acer service collected it, did some tests on it & I got it back 3 days later. PC Settings window asked me to activate, but I didn't have a product key at the time & it wouldn't work on the telephone either. Since everything seemed to be working ok I just ignored the request for activation, since I knew it was activated in the Acer factory. Then somebody in this forum frightened me by stating that Windows could shut me completely down if I didn't activate, & here I am!
I've been using this notebook since Jan. without activating it!

 

[DavidY]

I would keep pursuing it with Acer. You shouldn't be getting messages popping up about activation; they should fix the fault.

 

[robinpe]

I am David.

 

[alphanumeric]

I found this link about activating:

Windows 8 Activation Instructions | Information Management Systems & Services

That looks like it is within a specific environment though, and for all we know they're making available to students a download of Windows 8 which they've customised; perhaps the Enterprise version. I suspect those instructions may not generalise to work well outside that environment.

Likely tailored to their download and specific situation. As you said, likely a custom image. Having to type slui 3 to enter a product code and activate is not normal.

 

[alphanumeric]

You won't find much about OA 3 and how it works from Microsoft. They don't want you to know how it works or how to cheat it.
If you Google OEM Activation 3 you'll find some info.
Windows 8 to Feature New OEM Activation Method
Microsoft tightens grip on OEM Windows 8 licensing

 

[David Bailey]

You could pack up your computer & visit me & we could sit together & work on it.

I know that's not likely to happen but rapid progress could be made.

Look over me, I get a little silly sometimes.

 

[robinpe]

Thanks for all your help guys. Acer Support are arranging to collect my notebook. They surmise it is a problem with the 'DPK' chip, (whatever that is!). I still say I need a new Product Key from their headquarters!

Did any of you on receiving your new Win8 OEM computer, have to install Windows on its first startup?

It wouldn't complete installation for me & had to go into Acer Support for checking, when I got it back Win8 was installed, but the Product Key was not activated. Maybe what they did at Acer screwed it up for activation.

I can't understand if Win8 is installed at the factory, why should you need to install it when you first start up!

I also have downloaded 'Piriform Speccy. In the 'Operating System' section under Serial Number it gives a list of 5x5 numbers & letters that looks suspiciously like a Product Key. I tried to activate with them, but they wouldn't work. But nothing is listed under Product Key.

I still can't understand why the Product Key I got from the BIOS with the script is shown in the search box on the internet as a 'Default Product Key' & whose last 5 digits corresponds with the last 5 digits show in the PC Settings Activation window.

 

[alphanumeric]

OOBE, Out Of the Box Experience. It's more of a final setup than an install. Around here some PC's give you the option for French Windows or English Windows. Then its colors, user account setup,etc. The OOBE only runs once unless you reset to factory state. Some of it is the same as what you get on a clean install but its really just the final customer setup.

 

[robinpe]

Thanks for that alphanumeric, that answers a question a guy asked me on Acer's forum. And thanks for all the other responses from you & other members.

 

[David Bailey]

OBE, Out of the Box Experience. It's more of a final setup than an install. Around here some PC's give you the option for French Windows or English Windows. Then its colors, user account setup,etc. The OBE only runs once unless you reset to factory state. Some of it is the same as what you get on a clean install but its really just the final customer setup.

A couple of days ago I returned my computer to factory settings because a refresh didn't help with an issue I was having with my mouse functions.
Device Manager said it was working properly.
More on that later.

Anyway, while reinstalling, it asked about English & colors & user account, etc. .
At user account it asked for email address & if I already had a Microsoft account & password.

I did so I entered my password & email.
Things proceeded until the OEM version appeared.

I checked System & it was already activated !

I proceeded to Control Panel & Add things to Windows 8.
I typed in my Pro Pack Product Key & password & email & Win 8 Pro with Media Center proceeded to install.
( The Key was the one sent by Microsoft & shown by the ShowKey.vbs )

After it finished I went to control panel & saw it was already activated & ready to go.

Today I got a popup about trusting this pc.
That was strange but it took me to a Microsoft site & I took care of it with no issues.

That's my story.

Except I still had the mouse issues.
I plugged in my new, spare mouse & things were fine again.
So much for Device Manager.

It was a good learning experience.

 

[alphanumeric]

I've gotten the trust this PC notifications too, even when I've used the exact same user account and PC name settings as before the reinstall. If your doing the setup while connected to the Internet Windows will activate in the background. Usually by the time you get to the System screen to have a look its already activated. Looks like a I made a typo above, its supposed to be OOBE bot OBE.

 

[robinpe]

Well alphanumeric, an OBE looks nice after your name anyway.
My notebook is being picked up today to go to Acer's repair facility to fix this activation situation, (I hope!).
I found this notation somewhere: 'Default product keys cannot be used for activation. A software product key should have been typed during installation. These keys will be romoved when 'sysprep' generalize is run.'
This product key that I'm pulling up with 'showkey.vbs' IS a default product key for Win8, & that's why it can be seen on the internet on several sites. Since I didn't do the original installation, it wouldn't complete after 3 tries & was collected by Acer & they did the installation, so I don't know what went on.
I'm sorry David that you went through all that rigermerole for nothing, except knowledge gained! I dread doing a factory reset & hope I never have to. But thanks for that lengthy explanation.

 

[David Bailey]

I thought relating my experience might help you with your problems in some way.

I downloaded Macrium Reflect again & backed up everything on USB drives.
No more factory resets.

I hope your computer works good now.

Just so everyone knows > OBE = (Officer of the) Order of the British Empire