Windows 8 Activation key

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community Forum.

With Windows 8, Microsoft does not provide Certificate of Authenticity (COA) stickers that have the product key that the user has to type in when installing the operating system. The product keys now come embedded in the BIOS. Thus, by eliminating the sticker prevents it from getting damaged while at the same time eliminating the long and irritating process of typing in various letters and numbers when installing the operating system.

If you have to reinstall the operating system on a machine that came with Windows 8 preinstalled, the installation process automatically grabs the software product key from the motherboard BIOS with no external input. As your Windows 8 came preinstalled on your system, it should automatically be reactivated.

As you like to create an installation media. You can create installation media using link given below and you would get the option to skip the product key at the time of creating the installation media.

How to create installation media for a PC refresh or reset:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

Once the installation media is created your can install the windows on your system and perform phone activation.

 You may try the following steps to check.

a. Press Windows key + X then click Run, then type: slui.exe 4

b. Next press the 'ENTER' key

c. Select your 'Country' from the list.

d. Choose the 'Phone Activation' option.

e. Stay on the phone (do not select/press any options) and wait for a person to help you with activation.

f. Explain your problem clearly to the support person.

Hope this information is helpful. Do let us know if you need any further assistance, we'll be glad to assist you.

my tablet came with Windows 8 Home installed. by my understanding, the product keys for windows 8 will not work on windows 8.1. I tried the recovery tool on the link, but it only gives me options for the following:

• win 8.1
• win 8.1 n
• win 8.1 pro
• win 8.1 pro n
• win 8.1 single language

I tried all of the different options, and all of them asked for a product key. no option to enter later. is there a recovery tool to install 8 home? does anyone know where to find the product key from bios?

Cannot validate windows 8.1 - product key locked in BIOS
Windows 10 crapped out on my tablet, so i needed to reinstall using recovery tool; bad UEFI settings. was told to use 8.1 recovery tool, but i don't have the product key. I've been told it will recognize the key, but i cannot pass the section where it requires the key to continue. my question is, is there a temp prod key, phrase, something that can temporarily be entered to bypass that section so windows can find the real key further down the installation process? [SOURCE] 

Please answer each of the following [admittedly tedious] diagnostic questions in a correspondingly-numbered list in your very next reply, preferably without quoting this post:

1a. When (approx. date) did you purchase the computer?

1b. When (exact date, preferably) did you upgrade to Win10?

2. Is Win10 still installed or...?

3. Was the upgrade offered & installed via Windows Update or did you use the Media Creation Tool & ISO download?

4. What is the full name of your currently-installed third-party anti-virus application or security suite - i.e., not Windows Defender! - (if any), and when (approx. date) does your current subscription (if any) expire?

5. What third-party anti-malware applications (i.e., not Windows Defender!) are installed, if any?  What third-party firewall, if any?

6. Has a(nother) Norton application or a McAfee application EVER been installed on the computer since you bought it?

7. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial [pick one] come preinstalled on the Win8(.1) computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

8. Are you attempting to "reinstall" Win8(.1) using installation media the came with the computer-in-question or a Recovery drive that you created prior to upgrading to Win10?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recovery options in Win10

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/windows-10-recovery-options

Cannot validate windows 8.1 - product key locked in BIOS
Windows 10 crapped out on my tablet, so i needed to reinstall using recovery tool; bad UEFI settings. was told to use 8.1 recovery tool, but i don't have the product key. I've been told it will recognize the key, but i cannot pass the section where it requires the key to continue. my question is, is there a temp prod key, phrase, something that can temporarily be entered to bypass that section so windows can find the real key further down the installation process? [SOURCE] 

Please answer each of the following [admittedly tedious] diagnostic questions in a correspondingly-numbered list in your very next reply, preferably without quoting this post:

1a. When (approx. date) did you purchase the computer?

December 2014 

1b. When (exact date, preferably) did you upgrade to Win10?

October 2015 

2. Is Win10 still installed or...?

yes

3. Was the upgrade offered & installed via Windows Update or did you use the Media

 Creation Tool & ISO download?

windows update 

4. What is the full name of your currently-installed third-party anti-virus application or security suite - i.e., not Windows Defender! - (if any), and when (approx. date) does your current subscription (if any) expire?

n/a (using defender)

5. What third-party anti-malware applications (i.e., not Windows Defender!) are installed, if any?  What third-party firewall, if any?

n/a (using defender)

6. Has a(nother) Norton application or a McAfee application EVER been installed on the computer since you bought it?

no

7. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial [pick one] come preinstalled on the Win8(.1) computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

no

8. Are you attempting to "reinstall" Win8(.1) using installation media the came with the computer-in-question or a Recovery drive that you created prior to upgrading to Win10?

recovery drive created using the 8.1 recovery tool available online

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recovery options in Win10

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/windows-10-recovery-options

[Please don't quote my posts, just answer-by-number. THX]

1. Who manufactured the computer (e.g., Dell; HP; Acer; Lenovo)?

2. When (exact date, preferably) did you create the Win8.1 Recovery drive (USB)?

3. Is the computer set up to boot from a USB drive or...?

4. Is KB3124263 or KB3124266 [PICK ONE] listed in Installed Updates (not Update History)? [1]

5. Is Adobe Flash Player v20.0.0.272 installed? TEST HERE USING INTERNET EXPLORER OR EDGE ONLY => http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ 

Example of the Version Info box on that page

(ignore any "outdated" notices as well as the table below it)

6. Is Firefox (version 44.0 or higher) and/or Google Chrome (version 48.0.2564.82 or higher) or any other alternate browser installed?

7. Are you in the habit of using "registry cleaners" (e.g., CCleaner's Registry Cleaner component; Comodo System Cleaner; Advanced SystemCare; Advanced System Optimizer; Glary Utilities; McAfee QuickClean; AVG PC TuneUp; Norton Registry Cleaner; Norton PC Tuneup; PCTools Optimiser; PC Doctor; Registry Mechanic; RegCure; RegClean Pro;  Registry Booster; SpeedUpMyPC; System Mechanic; TuneUp Utilities; WinMaximizer; WinSweeper; Wise Care 365; Wise Cleaner)?

==============================================

[1] Control Panel | Programs and Features | View installed updates (in left-hand menu)