Need help formatted genuine windows 8 in lenovo

The DM notation is short from MSDM (Microsoft Data Management ) table and applies to all versions with embedded keys.

I agree a clean install of Win 8.1 would be best.

There is something funky about that install - that Win Next key does not belong on a Win8.1 installation - I suspect the upgrade process corrupted the licencing files, thus the de-activation.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
    Screen Resolution
    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
OK, thanks Superfly. I'm on my desktop PC, which doesn't have an embedded key. the OEM DM thing had me confused. If I had been on my laptop I would have likely clued in. Yeah, there is something weird with that install. I'd be worried its compromised, depending on where the ISO was obtained from.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
My activation issues happened well before 10 rolled out. My previous HD failed and I had to get a new one, it's actually an SSD (I'm not sure if that makes any difference at all??).

Thank dear Luna it's allowing me to keep my files, last five or six times I tried reinstalling Windows to see if I couldn't get the Universal key to go through it wouldn't let me ;__; Backing up everything when you've only got cloud storage is a pain in the ass. Especially when you're split between three different accounts for it. When it prompts me for the key, I should just put in the OEM version key, right?

Ugh, Getting nervous that my OEM key won't take now ;__; I just want to upgrade to 10!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
Your OEM should take with a clean installation of Win 8.1,
A change in HDD is not enough for activation count exceeded unless other hardware has been changed as well in which case the cumulative effect could result in your key being overused.
If so, after the new install, post a diagnostic report in the Updates and Activation forum and we'll check if that is the case.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
    Screen Resolution
    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
Who installed the current version of Windows 8.1? And where did they obtain the install media? Those generic universal install keys are blacklisted. They will not activate. If they did everybody would use them to get Windows 8.1 for free. In the early days of Windows 8.1, you could not install it without entering a product code and it would not accept a Windows 8.0 key. You used the universal key to get it installed. Then used change key to enter your Windows 8.0 key and activate. Microsoft fixed it latter on so you didn't have to do that. That universal key will never activate, ever. The fact that it had to be used to do the install in the first place means the wrong ISO was used. If the correct one had been used, the OEM key would have been read and used automatically. I've verified it works myself on my laptop. My MSDN Windows 8.0 and 8.1 ISO's read the 8.0 Core OEM key automatically. Same deal if I use the Windows 8.1 ISO downloaded with the Media Creation Tool. The OEM key is read automatically. If I use the Pro ISO from the MCT though, it asks for a key, as the OEM key in my laptop isn't a Pro key. If you start over with the correct official Microsoft install media it should work.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Who installed the current version of Windows 8.1? And where did they obtain the install media? Those generic universal install keys are blacklisted. They will not activate. If they did everybody would use them to get Windows 8.1 for free. In the early days of Windows 8.1, you could not install it without entering a product code and it would not accept a Windows 8.0 key. You used the universal key to get it installed. Then used change key to enter your Windows 8.0 key and activate. Microsoft fixed it latter on so you didn't have to do that. That universal key will never activate, ever. The fact that it had to be used to do the install in the first place means the wrong ISO was used. If the correct one had been used, the OEM key would have been read and used automatically. I've verified it works myself on my laptop. My MSDN Windows 8.0 and 8.1 ISO's read the 8.0 Core OEM key automatically. Same deal if I use the Windows 8.1 ISO downloaded with the Media Creation Tool. The OEM key is read automatically. If I use the Pro ISO from the MCT though, it asks for a key, as the OEM key in my laptop isn't a Pro key. If you start over with the correct official Microsoft install media it should work.

Very good point alpha, I forgot to mention that it's imperative to have genuine install media.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
    Screen Resolution
    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
@alpha
I'm not sure where he got the media from, I'm assuming Microsoft directly from the same link I see here for the install burn, but the keys we've been using (well, trying to use here lately) is the Universal key for 8.1 that's listed in Wiki. He said he used this before, took a few tries on installation, but it wound up going through the first time he installed a new HD (it wound up having to get replaced with my original before it went totally bad or something, I can't remember the specifics, end story is that I wound up getting an SSD). I didn't know of any way to verify this, but we didn't have my original key and I never got the pop up for activation of a genuine product. And he didn't have any keys of his own that I could have either. It's just been in the past... 6-8 months that the Universal key's not worked for me. He's got a diploma from... a college in St. Louis, where I am. I can't remember which one though... and combined with that my boyfriend used to play MtG with him a lot back in the early years, we trust him pretty well. I'm not 100% positive where the disc is that we used, but it threw me to 8.0 and I had to update manually back to 8.1. Even back with the first HD replacement I had updated to 8.1 and no issues.

I dunno why it cooperated then and doesn't now. I mean, there's plenty of speculation, but that doesn't help. All I know's that when we got the HD replaced, we had to leave my laptop with him so that we could go to work, so we weren't there for the boring bits, but I had no issues with activation, he said it took a few tries to get it to take the key but it did eventually and I got up to 8.1 with no problems at all.

I'll go ahead and run the install though and update you guys with the results!


Edit:
Weeeeeell.

So, I ran the reinstall.

It installed just fine, had one BSOD but likely because I forgot to unplug my tablet monitor. Unplugged it and things went smoothly. I got back in, checked ShowKey and then my Activate Windows. ShowKey updated to a new thing. OEM and Original now reflect OEM. Activate Windows held onto the Universal key I had used? but it took my OEM key. I guess all that remains is to wait like 30 days or whatever the timer is (I think it's closer to two weeks?) and see if it pops up all angry at me. You'll be the second to know, my boyfriend the first for me getting huffy at it.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
Note that generic keys for version of windows later then XP install the operating system in trial mode, and will later make it ask for a new key.<<<<< From here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Locked_Pre-installation It's stated right under the table of Generic product codes. That's why your getting activation prompts now. 46V6N-VCBYR-KT9KT-6Y4YF-QGJYH is in the list , Windows 8.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Well, there went my brain xP Not sure how I got 'universal' out of it then, unless that's the article went through an edit somewhere between February and now where it changed from Universal to Generic xP Now I'm rather curious what code my tech guy used originally since it's rather obvious now that I don't remember that encounter very well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
What showkey lists as original key should be the one that was used to install Windows 8 originally, 46V6N-VCBYR-KT9KT-6Y4YF-QGJYH is the one listed as installed key in your screen shot, and the one currently in use. Google the last 5 characters for the one listed as original key to see if its a leaked or generic key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Do a change key and enter that key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Nope, just get random, non-related results for the last five of my OEM key.

No. not the OEM key, the middle one listed as "original key"
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Sorry, I'm terrible are clarifying, it's one of my worst traits.

Both keys now read the same. OEM and Original.

Edit:
And ShowKey has also updated to show what everyone else's in the Win10 forum shows. No Original Key, just OEM.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
Ok, it depends on what was done as to what keys show and don't or match each other. If I install say Windows 8.1 Core on my laptop, all three keys will be the same key, my OEM key. If I install 8.1 Pro, the original key shown and installed key shown will be the Pro key. Upgrade and add Media Center and the installed key will be the Media Center key. The key shown as installed key is the key the PC is currently trying to activate with.

Hmm, Superfly will have to confirm but I do believe if the OEM and original key show the same thing, that means windows was installed using the OEM key? I think that's what it means? Then the key was changed to what is shown as installed key?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Showkey shows an original key for me? On this PC anyway, it was an upgrade from 8.1 Pro. I guess if you clean install it won't?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    PC-DOS v1.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    IBM
    CPU
    Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
    Memory
    16K, 640K max
    Graphics Card(s)
    What's that?
    Sound Card
    Not quite
    Screen Resolution
    80 X 24 text
    Hard Drives
    dual 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
Yeah xD I don't usually realize until about now. It takes a couple times of clarifying myself to re-realize "... I'm terrible at this." It's even worse when it's a new community and I'm either venting or trying to assist or trying to get assistance xD

Well, this is what I went from, to what I went to, before and after I reinstalled Win8.1 and used my OEM key.

asdf.pngasdf.png

I had an Original and OEM, between having the trial key and what I'm guessing was the flag for the early rollout of Win10 (that's literally the only thing my non-certified head can come up with). When I got the notification for Win10, I was thinking "Wait, what? Free upgrade‽ I can get rid of this Activate Windows alert!" Only a couple months later with nothing ever happening did I start to dig into getting W10 and finding what sounded like Microsoft was bricking or ransoming machines that didn't have a genuine copy - it now sounds like it's the same thing I had going on. So I backpedaled and wanted none of it. When Win10 rolled around to my Update screen, it re-kickstarted me searching into getting re... verified? I guess that's the word.

But yeah, if the keys match, then there's no need for it to display the same info three times in a row. Twice is just enough because you need to see what you've used.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
Ok, so you have reinstalled, using the OEM key, and its all OK now? Superfly is continually refining showkey and making it better. The whole thing basically started with the Windows 8 embedded keys. They aren't printed on the COA sticker. The key stored in the registry isn't always the one you need or want either. Not if your starting over like you did. The key in the registry is the one in use, which was no good in your case. Once you do the free upgrade to Windows 10 there will be another key shown. The Windows 10 key. Ironically, you don't need to know what it is, its a generic key anyway. Don't panic though, this time it will work on your PC. Once you do the upgrade and activate Windows 10 you'll get a digital entitlement stored on the activation server. A fingerprint of that PC basically. Then when you clean install Windows 10 on that PC it checks it, it matches, and activates. You don't even have to enter a product code, you just click skip. The way I did my upgardes was to go here, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 run the setup file and use the "Upgrade This PC Now" option. Fairly quick and painless. Then download an ISO latter on for future use.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
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