Tablet upgrade, retrieve 8.1 key

Matthew Wai · 08 Apr 2016

Win 10 partitioning and product key - windows 10 - Windows 10
Having read the above, I think the OP does not need the 8.1 product key.

Wullail · 08 Apr 2016

This command from the command prompt SHOULD show the serial number, it's worth a try.

wmic bios get serialnumber

markweatherill · 08 Apr 2016

Here's my update:
I was able to get the product key by decoding the system32/config/software file. It's Windows 8.1 Connected, whatever that is.

My installation of Windows 10 failed for some reason, so I made one for 8.1.
It installed but says my product key 'can't be used to activate this edition of Windows'..

Winver returns 'version 6.3 Build 9600' and the desktop shows Windows 8.1 Build 9600.
slmgr shows the installed version to be Windows (R) Core edition, RETAIL channel.
When I now try 'wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey', it returns the product key that I decoded above. The one this installation of Windows won't accept.

I am now a little confused what to do next to either activate this version, or reinstall a correct version.

Matthew Wai · 08 Apr 2016

markweatherill said:

It installed but says my product key 'can't be used to activate this edition of Windows'..

Do you mean you had retrieved the Win8.1 key, which could not be used to activate Win8.1?

cereberus · 08 Apr 2016

alphanumeric said:

I've flashed the BIOS on my laptop twice, no effect on the OEM embedded key. My understanding is its stored in a section that is not overwritten by a BIOS flash. Maybe even in a non writable section. AKA permanent. My MSDN ISO and media from the Media Creation Tool read it and use it. In my case I wish they wouldn't but they do. If I use stock install media I get 10 Home. My OEM key is for 8.0 Core. I got 10 Pro via the free upgrade. It just means using a little trickery to install Pro instead.

EDIT: Forgot to add, and yes, you can clean install without having to do the upgrade first.

The PRO upgrade thing is a PITA, but easy enough to get round.

Re. bios - as I said, I have seen people claim they flashed bios and they could no longer activate as the key had been erased.

I think it more likely that this was on pcs where 8.1 was preinstalled but not bios embedded (majority, but not all, are embedded of course), and the owners assumed key was embedded. Some dealers install an "non-slp" oem licence on a pc without any OS, before selling of course.

Also, some people bought pcs from more questionable dealers with preinstalled 8.0 which were actually upgraded Windows 7 pcs (same has happened recently, as I have seen complaints from some people who have bought windows 10 pcs which turned out to be upgraded 8.1 pcs).

For these reasons, OP should verify key is embedded in bios first as there is a small risk that it is not.

Of course, it is possible some bioses are not as well behaved as they should be and links to the 'protected areas' get wiped?

markweatherill · 08 Apr 2016

Matthew Wai said:

Do you mean you had retrieved the Win8.1 key, which could not be used to activate Win8.1?

Yes. I decoded it from the config/software file in Windows (as the wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey command wouldn't work for some reason).
Now Windows 8.1 won't accept that key.
I now try wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey command, and it returns the same product key. That must be reading from the BIOS, I assume..?

Matthew Wai · 08 Apr 2016

Try the commands below:
Windows 8.1 Product Key - Wont Activate

markweatherill · 08 Apr 2016

Tried those slmgr commands, slmgr /ipk [product key] failed with error 0xc04f069.

Matthew Wai · 08 Apr 2016

Try the key below:
https://plus.google.com/103664638115...ts/4o6nTFn1qDV

markweatherill · 08 Apr 2016

Matthew Wai said:

Try the key below:
https://plus.google.com/103664638115...ts/4o6nTFn1qDV

That one gives error 0xC004E016..