8.1 OEM key install on another machine?

rushaoz

New Member
Messages
3
So I got my hands on an HP laptop that used to belong to a family member of mine. Unfortunately they dropped the laptop, shattered the screen and broke the chassis and chose to just get a new one and gave it to me. Fortunately the thing still turns on so I figured I'd pull the Windows key off it and salvage the thing.

I was able to do this and got the key off it. I downloaded a Windows 8.1 ISO using the media creation tool and installed on my main PC. Created an ei.cfg file and set that parameters to core/OEM/0. Problem is the activation isn't accepting the key. I get an error saying "this key cannot be used to activate this edition of windows".

I'm a little stumped. I know the OS wasn't Windows 8 pro or 8.1 Pro. It's got 8.1 core on it. Unless the laptop came with 8 installed, which I doubt because they don't have an internet connection (they used it to watch DVDs and play basic games on... o_0) so i know they didn't update to 8.1, it came preloaded. My guess is that the 8.1 OEM key issued to the machine is tied to the laptop via preactivation and UEFI bios. But if that's the case wouldn't I get a message saying the key is already in use?

Things I've tried:

creating ei.cfg file with both OEM and retail set as parameters.

Going to the Upgrade Windows with only a product key - Windows Help site. Got error saying "This key cannot be used to install a retail version of Windows 8.1"

What I'm trying now:

Finding a Windows 8.1 OEM ISO.

Anyone got any input?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Not legal, OEM keys are non transferable, especially the OEM embedded keys. That key is locked to the original motherboard. Your wasting your time trying to activate that key on new hardware.
 

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
Not legal, OEM keys are non transferable, especially the OEM embedded keys. That key is locked to the original motherboard. Your wasting your time trying to activate that key on new hardware.


How positive are you on that? Any sources? I find it hard to believe that you cannot own the copy of Windows your hardware comes with.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1

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
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
If it had been a Retail version you purchased yourself, yes it would have been transferable. That's likely what you are thinking about. OEM (system builder) copies are tied to the first motherboard they are activated on. OEM editions installed at the factory are locked to the motherboard they shipped with. Even more so with windows 8 as the product key is embedded in the BIOS. The Microsoft activation server has a record of that key and a hardware fingerprint of the hardware it was installed on. If one doesn't match the other the activation request is rejected.
 

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
You don't purchase a copy of Windows. You purchase the right to use it. As part of the agreement the OEM has with Microsoft there are restrictions on how that copy can be used, the principle one being that it is tied to the computer on which it was originally installed. It cannot be transferred to another even if the original is no longer in service. An OEM could include a full retail version of Windows with the computer but that would have substantially increased the price. In the current market that would be a very hard sell.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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