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Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger

Premium Member

[WIN8] How to use a bought window key for bootleg windows 8

A young friend of mine took is laptop to a friend of his because he was having trouble with it. This is a 2 year old laptop. I did not know how to fix it. I asked him did he have the back ups disks and he said no. He said that I asked him did he called Dell to see if he could get a back up copy. He said that they would not because it was out of warranty. What his friend did was install a bootleg windows copy. I am told him he could get into trouble or Microsoft could stop updating for using a bootleg copy. I bought him a legit copy. He going to pay me back evidently.
I was installing the software but it never asked me for the key. it is almost done with installing windows 8.1. Are their away to install the new key?

KoRnGtL15
Premium Member
join:2007-01-04
Grants Pass, OR

1 recommendation

KoRnGtL15

Premium Member

If this laptop came with Windows 8. The key is in the bios. And that is why its activating automatically. You did not need to buy another Windows 8 key. You could also extract the key using a program for example. Now if the laptop did not come with Windows 8.1 Its a little more tricky installing 8.1 clean. First you extract the key from the bios. Then during install when it asks for a key. You use a generic retail install key for the version you are installing. That will get you past the install screen when it asks for a key. Once in. Then you put in the extracted key. For some reason this is by design and MS done this. I don't get why. I don't think they wanted 8 users to do a clean install of 8.1 for what ever reason.

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger

Premium Member

Now I find out missed all my college footballs games. I should came here first. I did come with windows 8.0

mustang50
Premium Member
join:2005-05-06
Roseville, MI

1 recommendation

mustang50

Premium Member

Is the system activated? If it is then there is nothing to worry about.

If you're still worried, you could use the key you bought and download a legit copy of Win8 here...

»windows.microsoft.com/en ··· key-only

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

1 recommendation

Caddyroger

Premium Member

I bought legit copy of windows 8.0. when I got to drive screen the custom screen I deleted the hard drive picked new. it formatted the drive. Then it started the install. It never asked me for the product key. That as me wondering about the install. Another poster said the key was in the laptop bios. I
know about desk tops but not laptops
The computer is reading that it is activated. If it is a legit I would not want use my copy as it is a oem copy.

norwegian
Premium Member
join:2005-02-15
Outback

norwegian

Premium Member

Could you do a cmos reset for the motherboard?
Wouldn't that wipe any key/license?

There just doesn't seem to really be enough documentation for the way this is all going.....

Just a lazy google without a support ticket shows even Microsoft forums do not provide legitimate support answer:
»answers.microsoft.com/en ··· 5c7e68ff

Which leads me to the hardware (motherboard factory reset) is the only way to wipe the key....

kvn864
join:2001-12-18
Sun City, AZ

kvn864 to Caddyroger

Member

to Caddyroger
Sounds like you have just used the media to install Windows, the actual license key is in laptop BIOS/firmware. You can now, in turn, use the license key that came with your purchase of Windows, on another computer. The copy you have now is legit and nothing to be concerned about. Plus you have an extra license.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem to Caddyroger

Premium Member

to Caddyroger
If the machine would boot windows prior to the installation of the bootleg copy of Windows 8, the free software program called Speccy would give you the key that was on the machine at that time.

»www.piriform.com/speccy