Windows 8.1 Product Key and Activation

I'm highly upset. First of all, I have been waiting over a month to upgrade to 8.1 through the store, I bought my NEW HP laptop on November 24, and it should have come with 8.1 already. WIndows 8 has updated last week, and now here is my problem:

NO modern apps will launch, the store will try to open then close after about 5 seconds. I did a search how to upgrade to 8.1 with a product key...

WIndows 8 install will NOT accept my OEM key as a valid 8 key. SO I can't stop the installation and try to install 8.1

HP checks for updates and now tells me I have an OLDER version of WIndows backup on my computer taking up space.

I have Windows 8 installed, I can't launch any apps from the start screen, I can't upgrade manually to 8.1, I an't upgrade from the Store, it won't run anymore, and I don't know how I have an old version of windows on my recovery partition.

I am an oem partner, and would appreciate a VALID windows 8.1 install KEY, that will let me activate, since my OS oem key will NO longer activate over the internet or phone, NOT a VALID KEY!1

Hi. I may have a solution for you. I had a similar problem. This will only work if you have a digital windows key. (if the key is stored on your motherboard) It sounds like at some point your key reverted to the generic key. Luckily there is a simple way of reading the digital key off of your motherboard. Once you have it, just enter it in the activation window.

All you need is this simple program called Windows 8 Product Key Viewer. (just one EXE file)

I found it here:

http://www.ghacks.net/2013/04/10/how-to-reveal-the-windows-8-product-key/

(the Drop Box link)

I had to check the 'MSDM Key' check box to get the key from my motherboard, otherwise it just showed me the generic one that windows grabbed.

Good luck.

Hi, I came down with the similar issue.

The solution is using softwares that find your production Keys.

I use this this software(The Magical Jelly Bean ) and it gaves me a 25 characters called Cd key. (it works very fast!). the characters should be the same as Product key, because the last 5 character was the same as my production key on windows 8(windows shows it as *****.XXXXX).

The main system manufacturers each have one key for each of the versions of Windows they install. So every HP laptop with Windows 8 preinstalled will have the same key, for 8 Pro a different key but on every laptop again, now system come with 8.1 preinstalled there will be a separate key set for them. Dell in turn has their own set of keys. Because they are all the same and anybody can run Belarc any post on the web will refer to the same key so yes it is very likely it is all over the Web. I and others on here have all the manufacturer keys for Windows 7.

These keys are secure not because they can't be found (as obviously they can) but because they cannot easily be replicated on a non factory board. These keys will only work with the pre-installed version of Windows supplied to the manufacturer and don't need authentication, the Windows installation is pre-authenticated. If you then download an ISO of Windows it will be a version that needs authentication so you then have to enter a key. If the key used is the one extracted from the system even if it is for the right version of Windows this will fail because the server will recognise it as a key that does not require authentication. I am not sure what Windows 8 does but Windows 7 responds with "this license cannot be authenticated", not that it is invalid.

Because Windows 8 will not install without a key being entered there is a set of temporary keys which will pass for the installer but will not authenticate for continued use.

If you have Windows 8 there are only 2 ways to install 8.1. Either you upgrade from the store in which case the key applied is the original 8 key. Or download and install a completely separate Windows 8.1 installation and buy the key, you cannot use the Windows 8 key.

I have resolved "MY" problem.

As much as I hated to go through the troubles associated with a "System Refresh"(reinstalling all of my existing apps), I got tired of being bounced around by Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.

I really think that Microsoft should have been able to give me more information other that "The activation server has blocked your product key"

I am pretty sure that my problem was caused when I tried to install Windows 8 Pro Pack. The download completed but the install failed and reverted back to Windows 8. I think that something was changed by the failed install of Windows 8 Pro.

Someone at Microsoft or Hewlett Packard should have been able to tell me that.

Everyone focused on the Windows Product Key being needed. No one could tell me why the Hewlett Packard, bios embedded product key, was blocked by Microsoft's activation server.

In any case, I am now running Windows 8. I will Never purchase Windows 8 Pro, nor will I upgrade to Windows 8.1. No matter how FREE the upgrade is!!!

Thanks to those who contributed.