Unable to Activate Win 8

MxPhenom 216 · Feb 15, 2013, 08:29 PM

I got Win 8 isntalled on my file server, but I am unable to activate it with the key. Says the key is invalid. Since I work at microsoft I got a retail version from the employee store. I have been doing some reading, and to be able to activate Win8 with the key there needs to be a previous version of Windows installed for it to work. WTF, so you can't do clean installs?

And the box says nothing about Upgrade version. Straight Windows 8 Pro.

erocker · Feb 15, 2013, 08:35 PM

I don't get why you're not asking your employer what is going on? My answer for you is to install Linux.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxPhenom 216

I have been doing some reading, and to be able to activate Win8 with the key there needs to be a previous version of Windows installed for it to work.

Oh, and no, false, wrong.

MxPhenom 216 · Feb 15, 2013, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erocker

I don't get why you're not asking your employer what is going on? My answer for you is to install Linux.

Oh, and no, false, wrong.

Well apparently I have an upgrade copy, so doing clean installs won't activate. And too bad Microsoft doesnt label the damn boxes.

erocker · Feb 15, 2013, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxPhenom 216

Well apparently I have an upgrade copy, so doing clean installs won't activate. And too bad Microsoft doesnt label the damn boxes.

Okay, so get a different one? I don't understand what you need from this thread.

Jstn7477 · Feb 15, 2013, 08:45 PM

You may be able to install Windows 8 consumer preview and upgrade from that. With older Windows versions, I could easily install the upgrade version and then upgrade that version and automagically have a full copy of Windows that I could activate. Windows 8 is evil in that you have to have a product key entered before you can even install it.

MxPhenom 216 · Feb 15, 2013, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erocker

Okay, so get a different one? I don't understand what you need from this thread.

Wondering more or less if anyone else has made the same issue.

MxPhenom 216 · Feb 15, 2013, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstn7477

You may be able to install Windows 8 consumer preview and upgrade from that. With older Windows versions, I could easily install the upgrade version and then upgrade that version and automagically have a full copy of Windows that I could activate. Windows 8 is evil in that you have to have a product key entered before you can even install it.

im doing a little work around real quick that i just found.

And that fixed it.

What I did:

1.In Windows 8, open the Registry Editor
2.Search for MediaBootInstall and set the value to 0.
3.Open an elevated command prompt (run as administrator) and enter:
slmgr /rearm
4.If you get an access denied error message, you’re not running the command prompt with administrator privileges
5.Restart the computer
6.Open a command prompt and enter:
slui 3
7.Enter your Windows 8 upgrade license key and activate it
8.Done!

newtekie1 · Feb 15, 2013, 09:03 PM

I was just about to post that fix.

Yes, doing a clean install with an Upgrade edition is as simple as doing a reg tweak after install to get it to activate.

TheMailMan78 · Feb 15, 2013, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxPhenom 216

Well apparently I have an upgrade copy, so doing clean installs won't activate. And too bad Microsoft doesnt label the damn boxes.

1. Ok I have the upgrade copy and I do clean installs.

2. Just use the phone activation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtekie1

I was just about to post that fix.

Yes, doing a clean install with an Upgrade edition is as simple as doing a reg tweak after install to get it to activate.

You can do clean installs with an upgrade version all day long without doing anything to the registry.

newtekie1 · Feb 15, 2013, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

1. Ok I have the upgrade copy and I do clean installs.

2. Just use the phone activation.

That actually won't work, it won't even let you bring up the phone activation window if you do a fresh install using an upgrade key. I've tried.

AthlonX2 · Feb 15, 2013, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

You can do clean installs with an upgrade version all day long without doing anything to the registry.

False

rickss69 · Feb 15, 2013, 09:09 PM

Just one more reason for me to skip Win 8 completely.

TheMailMan78 · Feb 15, 2013, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtekie1

That actually won't work, it won't even let you bring up the phone activation window if you do a fresh install using an upgrade key. I've tried.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AthlonX2

False

I guess I have some kinda magical upgrade copy then. Because I've done it about 5 times already.

My guess would be you guys are not doing proper formats. IF I was guessing.

jmcslob · Feb 15, 2013, 09:12 PM

I was about to suggest run CMD as Admin and then do a "slmgr -ipk xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx" activation...does anyone know if that works with win8?

kenkickr · Feb 15, 2013, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

I guess I have some kinda magical upgrade copy then. Because I've done it about 5 times already.

My guess would be you guys are not doing proper formats. IF I was guessing.

I'm with MailMan on this one. Both of my systems at home were fresh installs of Win 8 Pro Upgrade without any activation issues. Also did a clean install of Win 8 Pro Upgrade here at work without issues.

TheMailMan78 · Feb 15, 2013, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenkickr

I'm with MailMan on this one. Both of my systems at home were fresh installs of Win 8 Pro Upgrade without any activation issues. Also did a clean install of Win 8 Pro Upgrade here at work without issues.

I guess that's two of us with magic Windows 8 upgrade disks.

Feb 15, 2013, 08:29 PM	#1
MxPhenom 216 Knowledgeable Posting Whore Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,040 (5.90/day) Thanks: 1,340 Thanked 1,203 Times in 909 Posts System Specs	Unable to Activate Win 8 I got Win 8 isntalled on my file server, but I am unable to activate it with the key. Says the key is invalid. Since I work at microsoft I got a retail version from the employee store. I have been doing some reading, and to be able to activate Win8 with the key there needs to be a previous version of Windows installed for it to work. WTF, so you can't do clean installs? And the box says nothing about Upgrade version. Straight Windows 8 Pro. __________________ Motocross is not just a sport, it's a lifestyle. File Server: Intel Pentium G630, 8GB PNY 1600, AsRock H77M Micro, Corsair CX430M, Vertex 2 90GB (OS), 2x WD Red 2TB in RAID1 “We will never know our full potential, unless we push ourselves to find it. -Travis Rice”

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Feb 15, 2013, 08:45 PM	#5
Jstn7477 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sarasota, Florida, USA Posts: 3,249 (2.34/day) Thanks: 397 Thanked 1,250 Times in 841 Posts System Specs	You may be able to install Windows 8 consumer preview and upgrade from that. With older Windows versions, I could easily install the upgrade version and then upgrade that version and automagically have a full copy of Windows that I could activate. Windows 8 is evil in that you have to have a product key entered before you can even install it. __________________ Intel Crunchers (34 threads): 4770K 4.3G (7t), 2x 3770K 4.3G (14t), 2600K 4G (7t), X3210 (3t), P-M 735A, P4 HT 3G AMD Crunchers (12 cores):1100T 3.6G (3t), 1045T 3.4G (2t), X4 640 3.2G, X2 4200+, T64 ML-37 AMD Folders (6272 GCN cores): 2x 7950 1125/1475, 7970 1150/1650, 7770 1100/1200 NV Folders (2336 GF10x + 1344 GK104 cores):GTX 470 & 465 720/1715, 4x 460 768MB 825/2000, GTS 450, 660Ti 1228/6000 HEATWARE

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Feb 15, 2013, 09:03 PM	#8
newtekie1 Semi-Retired Folder Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 17,904 (6.47/day) Thanks: 785 Thanked 5,185 Times in 3,754 Posts System Specs	I was just about to post that fix. Yes, doing a clean install with an Upgrade edition is as simple as doing a reg tweak after install to get it to activate. __________________ Rig1: System Specs. Rig2: A8-5600K@4.4GHz / AsRock FM2A75 Pro4 / 8GB Corsair DDR3-1600 9-9-9-24 / HD7560D / Samsung DVD-Burner / 1.5TB WD Green + 3x3TB WD RED in RAID5 Rig3: Athlon X2 4200+ / M4A79 Deluxe / 4GB G.Skill Pi DDR2-800 4-4-4-12 / GT430 / Sony DVD-Burner / 500GB WD Rig4: Phenom II x6 1605T @ 3.6GHz / Asus M5A99X Evo / 8GB PNY DDR3-1600 9-9-9 / GTX470 & GTX470 / Samsung DVD-Burner / 1.5TB Seagate

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Feb 15, 2013, 09:09 PM	#12
rickss69 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Rockvale TN (Not Australia) Posts: 2,335 (1.67/day) Thanks: 545 Thanked 613 Times in 480 Posts System Specs	Just one more reason for me to skip Win 8 completely. __________________

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Feb 15, 2013, 09:12 PM	#14
jmcslob Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Internet Heaven Posts: 2,735 (1.75/day) Thanks: 794 Thanked 424 Times in 328 Posts System Specs	I was about to suggest run CMD as Admin and then do a "slmgr -ipk xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx" activation...does anyone know if that works with win8? __________________ Where to get Wireless drivers Solve Sleep Issues

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