Change product key went wrong

bartNL

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Dec 12, 2013
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Hi guys,

I wanted to change the product key of my Win8.1 system, so i retrieved my key with belarc advisor, went to control panel and clicked change product key, and entered the key.
System took a minute to think and then sort of absorbed my key. The key was valid it said, but then the wizard just disappeared, and didn't ask what i wanted to changed it into. it didn't crash or something, it just took my key and now that key doesn't work anymore. if i try to create a Windows disc the key is invalid, if i try to retrieve the key again with belarc advisor it gives the same key.
I don't know what to do..
 

bartNL

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Dec 12, 2013
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I retrieved it with belarc advisor as said, Win8 came pre-installed with th pc.
I'm sure it isn't a illegal system installed by the seller or something,i've contacted him and he advised me too retrieve it with belarc advisor too, but that key doesn't work anymore.
 

bartNL

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Dec 12, 2013
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Yes it was working OK before but i needed it to create an install disc of Win8.1(to clean install on ssd since cloning failed), therefore you need to have the key, which i retrieved with belarc advisor. But Win8.1 create-install-disc tool said it wasn't valid so i tried to change it.

I DON'T have an illegal downloaded sytem or something, my key just wasn't accepted and now it's gone. :( Still don't know why, but i don't need an install-disc anymore for now, because i cloned the whole system again and now it works like a charm. :) But maybe i'll need it again in the future, so it's still rather annoying..
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Ahh...

OK, the key for your preinstalled OS will not work with going to MS and created an install disk for a fresh install.

With a preinstalled system, the seller is required to give you either the actual disk, or means to create one (Recovery partition or similar). You are buying the OS from them, not from Microsoft.
 

bartNL

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Dec 12, 2013
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I thought the same, and i have contacted them but the said they didn't have the key, and that it is hdd bound to combat fraud. That's true maybe but the key given by belarc doesn't work, which i find very strange.

I have made a set of recovery disk with the pre-installed HP recovery manager, but this recovery disk doesn't repair the bootloader and stuff you like to do with such a disk, it only gives the option to do a factory reset, but not when there is no system recognized on the internal disk. Which in my case was the problem, because the EFI partition wasn't copied. But this is exactly what i tried to fix with mentioned disk. Speak of paradox..

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To all people who own a HP and try to clone Win8.1, but fail: This is an option that does work although it'll probably cost you a hundred bucks. Use Paragon HDD manager 14 (verson no. does really matter, since previous versions do NOT properly support Win8.1)
Luckily, i was able to get my hands on Paragon HDD manager 14 from a relative. Finally, Paragon 14 understood that the EFI partition had to be copied along with the C:\ partition in order to get Win8.1 to boot. Win8.1 with al it's complicated GPT, UEFI and stuff. In combination with HP, it's a really though job to clone Win8.1.

I doubt there's even another way to properly do it. If so, i'm curious. Anyway, didn't even have to repair the bootloader with this method, it all worked fine from the start and it still is. it's a pitty this software is so expensive.
I've posted a question how to deal with my proble so i'll post it there as well.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Actually, the license goes with the motherboard, not the hard drive.
 

bartNL

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Dec 12, 2013
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Oh, then that's maybe the reason i can only boot windows if i connect my drive to the internal sata cable?
Cause when i connect it on my usb port with a sata>usb cable it gives an error.
I still find this strange and not totally fair.you buy a license to use windows, not a license to only install windows on a certain device?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


With Windows, it is licensed to a particular PC. PC being defined as 'motherboard'.
Now...with Windows 7, it was a lot more restrictive. Especially with an OEM license.
Windows 8/8.1, they've loosened up a little. However, with a preinstalled system it is still licensed to that original motherboard.
Why? The OEM is cheaper than the Retail. And you're buying the preinstalled OEM license from the manufacturer, not from Microsoft.

As always, only 1 PC per license at a time.

As far as booting from USB? No. Windows does not boot from a USB drive, unless you do a LOT of work to change that.
 

bartNL

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Dec 12, 2013
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well that's stingy from them, imagine you want to install windows on another pc you've build yourself, then you'd have to buy windows again.. things were a lot easier with XP when you always got the disk if you bought a pc or license. Luckily Linux isn't that picky and greedy, i'll install this on the former windows drive.
Thanks for your information though! ;)
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


With Win 8/8.1, if you buy it and you install it....you can reinstall that on a different PC, as much as you want.
As always, only 1 PC at a time.

With a preinstalled OS (Dell/HP/whoever) it is far more restrictive.