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I'm a Sony VAIO User. I bought it from internet. It came to me with a preinstalled Windows 8. There was no serial key on any surface of laptop and i was given no CD or any other stuff, just the laptop; so I had no serial key.

Like a month ago, my harddisk crashed, and needed to replace it; and temporarily a pc service installed Windows 10 because of we didn't know the serial key. But as you know, it's not compatible with a lot of things. Now I want to install Windows 8 again and update to 8.1.. etc.

I found my serial key within a help of a program. I checked it by microsoft technical support chat and they said it's an OEM version.

My questions are:

  • Is it possible for me to reinstall windows 8 with that serial key?
  • If yes, how?

(When I try to install download windows 8 from this site http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only, after i enter my key, it says "This product key cannot be used to install a retail version of Windows 8").

Kevin Panko
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ilkeaw
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  • If you retrieved the key properly from the BIOS then yes. – Karan Jun 06 '15 at 02:39
  • But when i try to create media, it says "This product key cannot be used to install a retail version of Windows 8" so it fails. – ilkeaw Jun 06 '15 at 03:04
  • Download the ISO and optionally create a USB installer using [this](http://superuser.com/a/747579/138343) official utility instead (no key required). – Karan Jun 06 '15 at 03:36
  • Did you check under the battery for a serial key sticker? – Scott Chamberlain Jun 06 '15 at 06:29
  • @Karan Microsoft workers said that my OS is an "OEM" version. In the post, a guy says that it won't work with OEM version. Are you sure with this? + it's Windows 8.1 iso, since my preinstalled os Windows 8, won't it be a problem? – ilkeaw Jun 06 '15 at 13:21
  • @Scott Chamberlain yep i already checked battery, bottom surface, everywhere but it's said that windows is not putting the key any reachable place in order to block piracy stuff. – ilkeaw Jun 06 '15 at 13:24
  • @ilkeaw: I have used the ISO downloaded by the utility I linked to to reinstall a clean copy of Win8 on many laptops that came with junk pre-installed. Just in case normal web activation doesn't work a call to MS sorts it out. All I can say is try it out. Your only other option is to get/buy recovery discs from Sony. – Karan Jun 06 '15 at 17:49
  • @Karan okay mate, thank you very much. I'll look at what i can do.. – ilkeaw Jun 07 '15 at 03:09
  • @ilkeaw: I just re-read your previous comment about having a Win8 key. Just use a [generic Win8 key](http://superuser.com/a/661276/138343) while installing (since 8.1 Setup won't accept 8's keys), then change to your actual key later and it should activate without any problems. – Karan Jun 07 '15 at 03:19
  • @Karan 1)The preinstalled version was Windows8, not Windows 8.1. 2)The pc service changed the harddrive with a new one. 3)When i try to create Windows8 media with a from Microsoft provided link, it says "This product key cannot be used to install a retail version of Windows 8". So, would that still work? – ilkeaw Jun 07 '15 at 16:36
  • @ilkeaw: 1) Use a generic **8.1** key while installing (follow the link from my previous comment, where I mentioned a "generic Win8 key" by mistake when I actually meant "generic Win8.1 key". 2) New HDD makes no difference; you're installing Windows afresh. 3) You've already asked this and I've already given you another MS link that will allow you to download the ISO without any key needing to be entered. Look, bottom line is that Win8.1 will get installed using a generic 8.1 key, then you enter your own 8.0 key to activate. If by some chance it doesn't get activated just use phone activation. – Karan Jun 07 '15 at 18:18
  • @Karan Okay, thank you so much again. I'll let you know what happened. – ilkeaw Jun 08 '15 at 00:04

1 Answers1

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Windows 8 machines have Windows 8 key embedded in the motherboard. So every time you reinstall Windows on your machine it will always read it and activate automatically. The reason for this is that hash is generated based on system and then the key is matched to this hash and this info is stored somewhere on Microsoft servers.. And usual problem with that setup is that when the motherboard was replaced, then the Win8 key is absent from replacement board, and new key is supplied with the board (or at least that's how Dell does it). And after that the new key is matched with new hash somewhere. Side effect of that is that you cannot use same key on two systems without major phone time with Microsoft (if at all possible).

Usually there should not be problems with installers when all is ok. I've installed windows 8 from dell OEM windows key on Dells, Lenovos, HPs and one Toshiba and always - if computer had genuine preinstalled Windows 8 - it never asked for key while installing, and after installation it was activated.

So in your case you have to reach the seller of your machine. If it was supposed to be new, you probably got scammed. If it is refurb/used, there may be problem... But either way worth trying - maybe they will have some solution to that.

AcePL
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  • Not really, but it is more than apt after I found out that "FREE Windows 10" will be free for one year only... So I see your point and edited. – AcePL Jun 08 '15 at 11:26
  • First of all - disrespectful it is not. Opinionated, biased - oh, certainly. Does it affect quality of the answer? Not at all. Unprofessional? Maybe, but all I know site is not professional exclusive... And since it is an opinion, and well deserved at that... I'm Windows systems user, find them superior to Linux (including 8), but business model is still way below standards. Also, I'm from a country where businesses are legally required to use Microsoft products and none other for some activities. And last but not least, I find your comment dangerously close to censorship... – AcePL Jun 08 '15 at 14:41
  • Does it contain opinion? No. Does it affect quality of the answer? Not sure, I believe that saying "content, not the packaging" is the way to go, but since it's now just downvoted, and that apparently due to form, not content... Does it raise question about my maturity? yes, and that was taken seriously. I edited the answer even before I wrote FIRST reply. Anyway, I promise I won't commit that sin again. Ever - it's comic in tragic sense only (all ado about not-so-funny abbreviation). I'd like to point out something, though. You asked, I answered. If you don't like answer, don't ask question. – AcePL Jun 08 '15 at 15:04