More about observations than queries...........


  1. davidhk
    Posts : 5,452
    windows 10 Pro ver 21H2 build 19044.1348
       New #1

    More about observations than queries...........


    I am not sure if I should post at Virtualization or here.

    Brief background...........
    I have a Dell laptop started with Vista > upgraded to Win 8 Pro (retail upgrade version)> Win 8.1 Pro > Win 10 Pro
    I have an Acer laptop started with Win 7 Home Premium > upgraded to Win 10 Home.
    It has been 2 years or more since I last used VMware. I decided to "play" with it again.

    I installed VMware Workstation 12 (non-commercial) to my Acer laptop and I put Win 8.1 Pro ISO to the VM.
    At the start, I used the generic key to install. After installation completed, it was not activated. That's no surprise.
    So, I entered my Win 8 Pro key and I got activated.
    I thought my Win 8 Pro key was tied to my Dell laptop. I was shocked that the key was accepted.

    During the installation BEFORE it was even finished, I was prompted to upgrade to Win 10. ( screenshot #1)
    I clicked Do it later to continue.
    Then I was prompted with another message that it will later download in the background anyway (screenshot #2)
    I had to click Decline free upgrade or I could not continue. "Not recommended" ? Wow !
    Speaking of " hard sell". Pushy isn't it ?

    screenshot #1
    More about observations than queries...........-vm-win8.1-upgrade-10.jpg


    screenshot #2
    More about observations than queries...........-vm-win8.1-upgrade-10-download-later-background-.jpg
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  3. dalchina
    Posts : 42,963
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #2

    From what I've read MS activation servers probably don't keep a record of all uses of every license- more of a rolling record of more recent use. Thus if you tried to use a license key on two machines in quick succession that is much more likely to be rejected than using a key on a different machine after some years. I've had that experience in installing Win 10 using my Win 8 Pro key still used on my old and partly broken laptop. I'd expected to have to contact MS. However an attempt to set up a 32 bit virtual 32 bit Win 8 (to use some old hardware) with the same key was rejected.
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  4. Fafhrd
    Posts : 1,983
    Windows 10 x86 14383 Insider Pro and Core 10240
       New #3

    Odd things like the free Windows 8 Pro->Windows 8 Pro with MCE license code are also, accepted, (understandably, since that is a retail key), as well as some OEM COA sticker keys that have never been used off the case of dead machines onto totally unrelated devices.
    see full list of acceptable keys:

    Next big Windows 10 release will ease activation hassles - Page 3 - Windows 10 Forums
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