Can't Upgrade to PRO / Can't Get Past "Product Key" Window

Hi,

I am trying to upgrade GENUINE Windows 8.1 PRO x64 to Windows 10 Pro x64 from the ISO I made from the Microsoft RTM files. I am upgrading from within the 8.1 OS and choosing the option to keep "nothing" of my settings and personal files.

I have two problems.

The first is that the installation asks for a product key. On the other hand, when I upgraded my Windows 7 machine to 10 from within the OS it didn't ask for a product key. Why do I need to provide the product key to upgrade my 8.1 system, but not my 7 system?

Second problem is that I can not upgrade from 8.1 PRO to Win10 PRO. When I put in the general product key for the Win10 HOME edition the install proceeds, but it does not take the other (different) product key corresponding to the Win10 PRO version, even though it should. Why can't I go 8.1 PRO -> 10 PRO?

Thanks lots for any tips!

I was using the key for PRO from this post: (build 10240)

Activate Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

dkhsab said:

I am trying to upgrade GENUINE Windows 8.1 PRO x64 to Windows 10 Pro x64 from the ISO I made from the Microsoft RTM files. I am upgrading from within the 8.1 OS and choosing the option to keep "nothing" of my settings and personal files.

This is not an upgrade. You're performing a clean install. You can't do that right now because the activation servers are offline. You can only perform an upgrade, that is keeping all your files and data.

This will not ask for a key, and will perform your required first upgrade. You can then do a clean install after that, and it won't ask you for a key.

Mystere said:

This is not an upgrade. You're performing a clean install. You can't do that right now because the activation servers are offline. You can only perform an upgrade, that is keeping all your files and data.

This will not ask for a key, and will perform your required first upgrade. You can then do a clean install after that, and it won't ask you for a key.

Just to clarify: the product number window pops up before I can choose whether to do an upgrade or clean install.

Mystere said:

If you have upgraded any version of Windows 10 from a genuine Windows 7 or 8.x, then you are good to go, there is no need to rollback anything, although its probably best to do a clean install after the final is released and the first upgrade is finished.

Yes, I prefer clean install too, but Microsoft stated, you can't do that if you want a free Windows 10 licence.
All you can do is upgrading (and after that you can perform a "hard reset").

W269N-xxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-T83GX is a KMS key from one of the torrent sites, not a valid Microsoft Mitigation key
The reasons not to use these illegal keys are:
1. It will need reactivating in 180 days by some illicit KMS site or activator
2. It will eventually be blacklisted and will be permanently deactivated.

Maybe I've missed something along the way and I am somewhat confused to the upgrade process. Maybe others have the same concern. I have a typical laptop system, Asus UX303La, that I recently purchased from the Microsoft Store. The laptop came with windows 8.1 preinstalled. I created a new partition on the 256 GB SSD and installed Win 10 TP from a usb with a Win 10 ISO. This was done a few months ago so I don't remember the Win 10 TP version number. The Win 10 updates to the latest build 10240 have been from the Windows update screen. Since then I have been able to "dual boot" either into Win 8.1 or Win 10 ( now with 10240.) When I run from the cmd prompt "slmgr/xpr" I get a popup saying that this computer is "permanently activated. I would like to keep the Win 8.1 on it's own partition and "upgrade to the 7/29 Win 10 on it's partition. Is this possible? I keep latest images of each OS on a external HDD. I want to keep Win 8.1 as the Win 10 as a few hiccups like temporary screen freezes when using Edge.

You cannot upgrade and keep the version you want to upgrade from.

An upgrade replaces the earlier system, and your license requires you to give up all rights to use it again.

You can continue to run Windows 8.1 on its own partition and you can keep the Windows 10, as long as you are on the Insider Programme and you use your Microsoft account on the Windows 10 installation for regular upgrades until further notice.

The "permanently activated" designation may not be entirely accurate - Windows 10 10240 is still prerelease software - by definition - and as such, is subject to any changes Microsoft wishes to impose on it. Any time during the year after 7/29, you may wish to upgrade your Windows 8.1 to 10, without charge. Whether you keep getting Insider builds will be your choice.

Fafhrd said:

You cannot upgrade and keep the version you want to upgrade from.

An upgrade replaces the earlier system, and your license requires you to give up all rights to use it again.

You can continue to run Windows 8.1 on its own partition and you can keep the Windows 10, as long as you are on the Insider Programme and you use your Microsoft account on the Windows 10 installation for regular upgrades until further notice.

The "permanently activated" designation may not be entirely accurate - Windows 10 10240 is still prerelease software - by definition - and as such, is subject to any changes Microsoft wishes to impose on it. Any time during the year after 7/29, you may wish to upgrade your Windows 8.1 to 10, without charge. Whether you keep getting Insider builds will be your choice.

Thank you. This helps with planning what to do. Best regards.