Downgrading to Win8 then upgrading to Win10 again questions


  1. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Downgrading to Win8 then upgrading to Win10 again questions


    Hi,
    I'm currently having a weird activation problem with Windows 10, and I was considering reverting to Windows 8 and start the process again to see if that would fix things. I tried to use the 'revert to previous build' but it said it couldn't locate the required files or something and I hadn't deleted the windows.old folder or anything so it looks like I'll have to clean install Windows 8 from scratch again.

    A few questions:
    1) If I downgrade to Windows 8 will my original Windows 8 key still work?
    2) Within the Windows 10 free offer year, can you downgrade to Windows 8 then upgrade to Windows 10 as many times as you want (without changing any hardware to cause a reactivation)?
    3) If I decided to upgrade the hardware (new motherboard/cpu etc) within the Windows 10 free offer year will it still be possible to install Windows 8 then upgrade to Windows 10 again on a new setup or is this a one time only deal tied to the first hardware you installed Windows 10 on?

    Thanks.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    1. Yes.

    2. Yes.

    3. Probably. Might have to call Microsoft and explain your upgrade to get an activated Windows 8 and upgrade to Windows 10.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #3

    No need to keep going back and forth. You can reinstall Windows 10 as often as you want, upgrade or clean, once you have completed an upgraded and activated it.

    SO right now, you could just clean install Windows 10: Windows 10 - Clean Install
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #4

    That's the problem though I'm only considering this because Windows 10 hasn't activated properly for me. When I reboot my PC sometimes it says it's activated and sometimes it says it's not like it's stuck in a loop of some kind. I thought going back to Windows 8 and upgrading again would reset everything and activate properly next time.

    Oh well I'm still in two minds at the moment between going back to Windows 8 and starting over or clean installing Windows 10, hoping this route might reset and clear everything instead. :)
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #5

    I'd say try the Windows 10 Clean Install/. If it doesn't work right then go back to 8 and start over.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #6

    I ended up clean installing Windows 10 and got the error 0xC004C003 and had enough of all the messing about so I decided to return to Windows 8 in the end.

    I'll probably hold off installing Windows 10 again until more bugs are ironed out and next time I'll probably upgrade through the GWX app instead of the Media Creation Tool in case this is what caused my activation problem before. :)

    Thanks for the help though.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #7

    I think that means it wasn't activated the first time.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I used the Media Creation Tool to upgrade Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 first before clean installing and thought it had activated successfully (I initially mentioned my problem in the activation forum) but rebooting my PC gave me error 0xC004F034 and rebooting the PC again it stated it was activated and so forth so it looks like it hadn't completed activation properly in the first place.
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:23.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums