Fresh Install of Win 10 without Serial Key?

Flogger23m · Dec 3, 2017

Looking to reformat a laptops HDD, and then reinstall Win 10 fresh. The problem is it came pre-installed with Win 8 and I did the free upgrade to Win 10. How exactly would I re-format the HDD, reinstall Win 10 and ensure it reactivates properly? I don't see a Win 8 serial key anywhere in the contents of the box.

dj-electric · Dec 3, 2017

If the key is embedded (look for a windows sticker underneath the laptop) than it would actually perform activation automatically with a big chance of never asking you for a product key during installation.

source: did it about 50 times so far with WIN8-era laptops

pigulici · Dec 3, 2017

Just install the win10 with network activated.

Vayra86 · Dec 3, 2017

If you did the regular upgrade its auto activated on 10. The key is tied to your motherboard.

Kursah · Dec 3, 2017

Microsoft Windows KMS client install keys work well fie these situations and test lab situations as well:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj612867(v=ws.11).aspx

That will let you install a Windows OS legitimately with a Microsoft provided install key.

They will not activate the OS, an activation key would be needed for.

:toast:

Readlight · Dec 3, 2017

I use on win 8 laptop 8.1 because software is designed for it. You now they spy, google follows on you same as android need to start using LINEAGE. or Raspberry or Linux.

micropage7 · Dec 3, 2017

you need to fresh install?
have you tried
https://www.howtogeek.com/220723/how-to-uninstall-windows-10-and-downgrade-to-windows-7-or-8.1/

Knoxx29 · Dec 3, 2017

Vayra86 said:

That.

It happened to me when i upgrade motherboard, just for curiosity i reinstalled the old motherboard and it didn't ask me to activate windows.

Processor	Ryzen 2700X
Motherboard	ASRock X370 Killer/AC SLI
Cooling	Cryorig H7
Memory	16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 3000
Video Card(s)	EVGA GTX 1070 SC
Storage	Crucial MX500 1TB, Crucial MX500 1TB, Toshiba P300 3TB, Toshiba X300 6TB
Case	Fractal Design Definse S
Power Supply	EVGA Supernova 650 G3
Mouse	Logitech Pro
Keyboard	Corsair Strafe Cherry MX Silent w/red LED
Software	Win 10 Pro

Processor	i7-8700
Motherboard	Asus Z370-P
Memory	32GB DDR4
Video Card(s)	msi 1080
Storage	Samsung SSD 850 pro 2TB+1tb hdd 7200rpm
Software	Mageia 6 + Windows 10

Processor	i7 8700k 4.8Ghz @ 1.31v
Motherboard	AsRock Fatal1ty K6 Z370
Cooling	beQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 3
Memory	16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 3200/C16
Video Card(s)	MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X @ 2100/5500
Storage	Samsung 850 EVO 1TB + Samsung 830 256GB + Crucial BX100 250GB + Toshiba 1TB HDD
Display(s)	Eizo Foris FG2421
Case	Fractal Design Define C TG
Power Supply	EVGA G2 750w
Mouse	Logitech G502 Protheus Spectrum
Keyboard	Sharkoon MK80 (Brown)
Software	W10 x64

System Name	Kursah's Gaming Rig - Haswell Edition \| Spartan Home Server 2015
Processor	i7 4790k 4.0/4.8 @ 1.26v \| i7 4790k 4.0/4.4 @ 1.18v - Both delidded w/CLU
Motherboard	Asus Z87-Pro - BIOS 2103 \| Asus Z87-Pro - BIOS 2103
Cooling	Noctua NH-U14S Push-Pull \| Cooler Master 212 EVO Stock - Using NT-H1 and AC MX-4
Memory	16GB (2x8) Corsair Dominator DDR3 2400 CL11 \| 32GB (4x8) G.Skill DDR3-1600 CL9
Video Card(s)	MSI GTX980 Ti Gaming 6G LE @ Stock \| Onboard Intel HD 4600
Storage	850EVO 250GB SSD, 960GB SSD, 1x2TB \| 840 120GB SSD, RAID10 6x2TB (6TB) + 8TB Backup
Display(s)	Samsung 32" TV IPS 1080p, Dell 23" U2312HM IPS 1080p \| 19" 4:3 Dell LCD..mostly RDP.
Case	Corsair 600C - Stock Fans on Low \| Lian Li Lancool PC-K7 - Cougar fans
Audio Device(s)	Aune T1 mk1 > AKG K553 Pro + HiFiMAN HE-350 (Equalizer APO + PeaceUI) \| Realtek ALC1150
Power Supply	EVGA 750G2 Modular + APC 1500VA UPS \| EVGA KR500 80+ Bronze + CyberPower 1000VA UPS
Mouse	Logitech G502 \| Dell USB Laser Mouse
Keyboard	Logitech G15 rv2 \| Dell USB Keyboard
Software	Windows 10 Pro x64 \| Windows Server 2012 R2 (GUI Core,Hyper-V + VMs)

System Name	Fujitsu Siemens, HP Workstation
Processor	Athlon x2 5000+ 3.1GHz, i5 2400
Motherboard	Asus
Memory	4GB Samsung
Video Card(s)	rx 460 4gb
Storage	750 Evo 250 +2tb
Display(s)	Asus 1680x1050 4K HDR
Audio Device(s)	Pioneer
Power Supply	430W
Mouse	Acme
Keyboard	Trust

Fresh Install of Win 10 without Serial Key?

Flogger23m

dj-electric

pigulici

Vayra86

Kursah

Moderator

Readlight

micropage7

Knoxx29

The Power Of Intel

System Name	Black Widow/Red Queen X3
Processor	i7 8086K 5.3GHz 1.36V/ Xeon X5690 4.5 GHz 1.377
Motherboard	Asus Rog Maximus X Hero / Evga X58 Classified 3
Cooling	WaterChiller - both Machines looped
Memory	G.SKILL Trident Z 3866MHz @4000MHz - G.SKILL RIPJAWSX V 3000MHz 32GB - G.SKILL RIPJAWSX 2133MHz 12GB
Video Card(s)	EVGA GEFORCE GTX 1080 CLASSIFIED/ Zotac 210
Storage	Samsung 960 EVO - Samsung 850 EVO 250GB - WD Blue 1TB - WD Black 1TB/ Samsung EVO 250GB
Display(s)	Asus PG278Q ROG/ Samsung
Case	Cougar Panzer Max/ Lian Li
Audio Device(s)	On Board
Power Supply	Enermax Platimax 1000W 80plus platinum Super Overclock Edition ATX2
Mouse	Logitech G502 spectrum
Keyboard	Virtuis Advanced Gaming Keyboard
Software	Windows 10 Pro.

System Name	micropage7
Processor	Intel G4400
Motherboard	ASUS STRIX
Cooling	Deepcool Ice Edge
Memory	8 Gb Team Delta 2
Video Card(s)	Radeon R250
Storage	Seagate 1 TB, 4Tb and SSD A-Data 128 Gb
Display(s)	Samsung 21 inch LCD Wide Screen
Case	Icute Super 18
Audio Device(s)	Stock
Power Supply	Silverstone 600 Watt
Mouse	A4Tech X7
Keyboard	Sades Excalibur + Taihao keycaps
Software	Win 10 64-bit
Benchmark Scores	Classified