windows 10 and product key?

after agreeing to tos, win10 basically gaveme no choice but to install it within 3 days, so i did.

i want to revert back to 8.1 then maybe try out win 10 again a few months later, which was actually my original plan.

my question is, if you upgrade to win10, does your product key become a win 10 product key? or can you revert back to your original o/s and win10 ad infinitum for a year?

 

Depends on if you have an OEM key or a retail one, I believe.

 

I would hope either way you still have the one year. What if you had too many issues and had to revert till it was fixed? TBH I may be headed for Linux but if it were fixed I may still want to go back to it. I am not against Windows 10, just the way it is right now.

 

The way I understood it is if you did not remove the old Windows backup i.e. windows_old folder you can uninstall Windows 10 and go back to your previous OS. Just make sure you are connected to the Internet when doing that.

I would then check with Microsoft to make sure your PK is assigned to your original OS.

 

im quite sure i can revert back to my original windows (8.1). i am using an oem version btw. i am not too sure however if i can switch back to win 10 sometime down the road.

ill try to post in ms' website and see if i get an answer.

 

You can revert to your old system. If you upgraded from any windows version to windows 10, afterward there will be no need to use a product key, even for a clean install from scratch. I used the tool provided by Microsoft in order to download win 10 pro iso and it automatically prepare an usb flash drive for booting.

The only requirement is that you first upgrade to windows 10. If (win key + pause) the product is activated, you can reinstall it from zero without issues.

 

This is the same process I did. Just to be on the safe side.

 

And how will u activate it later on if u skipped entering the key during setup?

U still need a key to activate. After one upgrades from Windows 7/8 OEM, that OEM key gets upgraded to a Windows 10 key which the user needs to view using a product key viewer to save it for future installations. If one upgrades from a retail key, then the same key becomes a Windows 10 key and after 30 days he can not use that key to activate the previous OS.

 

The OEM keys for win 8 machines (mine came w/ win 7 pro and win 8.1 Pro) are coded into the BIOS - no need to enter ANY key during install, it just activates - win 7 may require OEM install media, or the COA code w/ generic install media). And because OEM keys are not unique, my understanding is that it's NOT upgraded to a Win10 key - rather, a hash based on the hardware is associated with the 'upgrade'.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

just spoke to ms support via phone. and according to her you can go back and forth (from win 10 to original os and vice versa) as many times as you want till the upgrade expiry in july 2016

 

So after 7/16, that Windows 7/8.1 key permanently becomes a 10 key making future downgrading impossible?

 

i did not ask her that specifically but the way i understand it, when you upgrade you are given one month to revert back to your original o/s then you can upgrade again within that one year period. you can do this as many times but if you finally decide to remain on your original o/s be sure that its the one installed on 7/16.

 

What about dual booting? I put a fresh 8.1 install on a spare SSD, upgraded that, and then did a clean install. I've put the other SSD with my main 8.1 install on it, and can use F12 to boot one windows install or the other. Both are showing as activated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

interesting. maybe the key doesnt lock itself until the the end of the upgrade period,or maybe it does allow dual booting on a single system till the 7/16; but i am not quite sure.

 

Source: http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/how-make-sure-your-free-copy-windows-10-activated

I've tried my self and it works: upgrade windows, check that the product is activated, then performa proper clean install and no activation key will be required. After clean installation, check and your win10 copy will be activated.

Edit: other source: http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/31/9077997/microsoft-windows-10-clean-install-how-to-guide

Edit: yet another source: http://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

basically the trick is to upgrade, activate windows logging onto microsoft account. Create a media (i use usb flash drive) using Windows Media Creating Tool (you must download the exact winX version that has been previously upgraded on your pc). Then perform a proper clean install with the media support previously created, booting form it or launching the application from windows.

 

NOPE. I still haven't logged into an MS account, and my upgrade and clean install are both activated.

 

I think legally the intent, even if not actually by the letter, is off the one originally active key is to have either the old OS or W10 active but not both. This as upgrading the OS uses the old key to do so, it is essentially an equal trade. After the 1 year, or even before that, they may disable the old key. Be it OEM or not they could do this. The system may not look to do anything though until the 30 day is up and it probably will go to clean up the 30 day old OS files.

TBH I doubt they will go after any old keys until at least the 1 year mark. If they intend to let people swap around OS versions like that it would be a nightmare to keep up with. It is easier too, on 7/30/16 have the old OS installed and nothing happens to the key. That same day installed W10 reports in and the servers go after the old keys, even OEM ones from the same IP with the same reported hardware etc..

 

thanks, nice to know, this weekend i'll redo a clean install without the microsoft account at all, just the old good local account.

On a side note, i must say that after tweaking the system thanks to the many tips and tricks found here and around other forum, Windows 10 is not that bad (granted, i've used classic shell... still the new menu hasn't grown on me). Considering that has just been released, there is a huge field for improvements for the future.. i'll keep it for the time being, and see how and if it will be improved by future updates

 

That's not possible. Windows 7 I installed and upgraded to 10 had key 74T2M-DKDBC-788W3-H689G-6P6GT and every other HP business computer with windows 7 Pro pre-installed has the same key. It cannot be disabled, ever. If they do that, few dozen million (err...) computers all around the globe will die too

 

Practically it is an issue but legally it is not, you have agreed to use the key under one or the other OS version but not both. Now it is possible, especially since you have given up your privacy rights and the next time that OEM key comes across from your same IP it could be denied for you to call in and prove what you have for activation (I am sure they have it somewhere what activation key was used to upgrade to W10 (maybe even the MAC ID)). Remember now too you have a M$ ID on the system as well, very easy as well for W10 to look for another install and place a deactivation there or even delete the OS, Oh did someone mention this OS was SpyAdWare, now it could be a virus too

While yes we can be illegal and state hacks will exist there are not allowed here.

 

I was able to upgrade and install without using an MS account at all. Ever.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yeah, same here. There is none on the P79 right now. I did put one on the Np700 and associated it to the admin login so I can use the store if need be.