Important W10 activation key questions left unanswered by Microsoft

MxPhenom 216 · Aug 4, 2015

Caring1 said:
That's the problem with sheep, they think they have free will and original thoughts.

Thats besides the point I was trying to make.

GLD · Aug 5, 2015

***411***

My experience with TechNet keys is they can be installed and activated on more then 1 pc at a time. Windows 10 has screwed this up for me. I put Windows 7 Home Premium (Technet key) on a bare hdd in my main rig. I activated it and then upgraded it to Windows 10 Home. I got the Win 10 key with Magic jellybean and then did a format and clean install a couple of times to make sure it's all good. The main rig is activated and doing fine.

So I put a bare hdd in another pc here and installed Windows 7 HP with the same TechNet key. Guess what? IT WILL NOT ACTIVATE Win 7 now on that pc. It may or may not activate Win 7 again on my main rig. :wtf:

I am aware that Win 7/8 Home upgrades to Win 10 Home in oem form, but beware! It appears MS does gimp the TechNet keys from a retail to oem configuration if you upgrade it to Win 10. I didn't expect to get my Win 10 upgrade to activate on any other rig then my main rig (I did try, it didn't work), but I didn't expect it to gimp the Win 7 TechNet key, but it did. :cry:

Ahhzz · Aug 5, 2015

Remind me not to use my TechNet keys for this monstrosity, should I ever lose my mind and try that.....

cadaveca · Aug 5, 2015

TechNet keys aren't exactly retail keys. These keys should be activated using KMS support I have bene hearing, but not 100% on that.

GLD · Aug 5, 2015

cadaveca said:
TechNet keys aren't exactly retail keys. These keys should be activated using KMS support.

Someone had to try this. I guess I am the wearer of the dunce cap. :slap:

I didn't want to wait a month to see about the downgrade back to Win 7. It gimped it right away. Fook!

The TechNet keys aren't retail, I know that, but wtf MS! Why did you have to gimp the key?

On the plus side, I guess I can get more $ for my motherboard now if I sell it. It has a oem version of Windows 10 Home to go with it. :nutkick:

cadaveca · Aug 5, 2015

Ha, but now that new boards have M.2 slots, seems that maybe the used market might be filled with boards with M.2 device/OS as package deal.

Caring1 · Aug 6, 2015

WTF Microsoft, even though I'm not logged in to my Microsoft account, a notification popped up on my main computer to inform me my reserved copy of Ten was available.
Problem is I didn't reserve the copy on that computer, I reserved it on a laptop, why did it not specifically go to that device, I thought it used HWID as an identifier?

95Viper · Aug 14, 2015

cadaveca said:
TechNet keys aren't exactly retail keys. These keys should be activated using KMS support I have bene hearing, but not 100% on that.

A little info on this.
Your keys from TechNet or MSDN are and can be Retail, OEM, Static Activation, Multiple Activation, Custom, or other.
You can go to your TechNet site and sign in.
Then click on the "Export to XML" link at the top right hand side of the key chart.
When you open this; there will be a column the shows the "Product Key Type".

Example (Keys block out, of course):

Here is an MS chart of the Key meanings from Product Keys and Activation for MSDN site... the key meaning, also, applies to the now defunct TechNet Keys.

Chart from the page:

EDIT:

Caring1 said:
WTF Microsoft, even though I'm not logged in to my Microsoft account, a notification popped up on my main computer to inform me my reserved copy of Ten was available.
Problem is I didn't reserve the copy on that computer, I reserved it on a laptop, why did it not specifically go to that device, I thought it used HWID as an identifier?

You do not need to be on a MS account any longer... you can be just a local user.
As long as you are connected to the internet they can find you.

Also, this may help explain some... as, it applies to the activation of Windows 10, too.

Microsoft quietly rewrites its activation rules for Windows 10

Windows activation is alive and well in Windows 10. Microsoft doesn't like to talk about the inner workings of its anti-piracy software, but it's clear from testing that Windows 10 included a major change in the way activation works

Click link above to read more.

R-T-B · Aug 14, 2015

GLD said:
***411***

My experience with TechNet keys is they can be installed and activated on more then 1 pc at a time. Windows 10 has screwed this up for me. I put Windows 7 Home Premium (Technet key) on a bare hdd in my main rig. I activated it and then upgraded it to Windows 10 Home. I got the Win 10 key with Magic jellybean and then did a format and clean install a couple of times to make sure it's all good. The main rig is activated and doing fine.

So I put a bare hdd in another pc here and installed Windows 7 HP with the same TechNet key. Guess what? IT WILL NOT ACTIVATE Win 7 now on that pc. It may or may not activate Win 7 again on my main rig.

I am aware that Win 7/8 Home upgrades to Win 10 Home in oem form, but beware! It appears MS does gimp the TechNet keys from a retail to oem configuration if you upgrade it to Win 10. I didn't expect to get my Win 10 upgrade to activate on any other rig then my main rig (I did try, it didn't work), but I didn't expect it to gimp the Win 7 TechNet key, but it did.

magic jellybean won't help you. The key is a generic key and the HWID is logged at microsofts activation servers, making your mobo your activation key, not your serial. You CAN'T just move the install, at least not without contacting support with a legit RETAIL windows 7/8 license.

Jetster · Aug 14, 2015

Yep. Just did a clean install (after the upgrade) with no serial number. Logged into my MS account and it activated my copy of Windows. Pretty slick

jsfitz54 · Aug 15, 2015

Jetster said:
Yep. Just did a clean install (after the upgrade) with no serial number. Logged into my MS account and it activated my copy of Windows. Pretty slick

Would you please post a screenshot of the "Disk Management" screen to show what the partitions look like. Thanks.

AsRock · Aug 15, 2015

Jetster said:
Yep. Just did a clean install (after the upgrade) with no serial number. Logged into my MS account and it activated my copy of Windows. Pretty slick

Same here although i was not required to sign in to any other then the local account on the system.

Said this a while ago , all you have to do is upgrade wait for activation and do a clean install no ms email account is required.

Jetster · Aug 15, 2015

AsRock said:
Same here although i was not required to sign in to any other then the local account on the system.

Said this a while ago , all you have to do is upgrade wait for activation and do a clean install no ms email account is required.

I tried that. It did not work until I logged into a Microsoft Account after the upgrade. I just used a local account upgraded, then clean install local account. Put in Windows & Serial # It would not activate.

jsfitz54 said:
Would you please post a screenshot of the "Disk Management" screen to show what the partitions look like. Thanks.

I though I saw an additional partition when I did the install. Really small one like 60mb.

AsRock · Aug 15, 2015

Jetster said:
I tried that. It did not work until I logged into a Microsoft Account after the upgrade. I just used a local account upgraded, then clean install local account. Put in Windows & Serial # It would not activate.

I though I saw an additional partition when I did the install. Really small one like 60mb.

You might have to wait longer ^^, and self activation can just give a error.

Jetster · Aug 15, 2015

Yea I didn't wait long. I'm not a patent man

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Display(s)	ASUS VP278QG 27", 1080p, 75hz, FreeSync.
Case	Antec GX202.
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Important W10 activation key questions left unanswered by Microsoft

MxPhenom 216

ASIC Engineer

GLD

Ahhzz

Moderator

cadaveca

My name is Dave

GLD

cadaveca

My name is Dave

Caring1

95Viper

Super Moderator

R-T-B

Jetster

jsfitz54

AsRock

TPU addict

Jetster

AsRock

TPU addict

Jetster

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