Windows 8 Product Key

[barnegattech]

I understand that the product key for Windows 8 is contained within the motherboard firmware or BIOS.
Have a Acer E5-521 laptop, downloaded Windows 8.1 install to USB drive (recovery partition is gone). Boot off the USB which goes into the Windows 8.1 installation.
Problem is that it requests a Windows product key. I was told that the license key would be automatically picked up from the firmware.
Any knowledge I can acquire on this?

 

[linney]

What operating system is, or was originally, on the Acer E5-521 laptop? That might be the only embedded Product Key that you have on the machine. Also you may need to upgrade that original operating system to Windows 8.1 if you want a free upgrade without purchasing 8.1?



Part 10: Determining the UEFI BIOS OEM Embedded System Locked Preinstallation Key


Unofficial Windows Guides

http://dellwindowsreinstallationgui...wnload-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/#OEMKey

"Part 10: Determining the UEFI BIOS OEM Embedded System Locked Preinstallation Key

The OEM product key (SLP key) is hidden within the UEFI BIOS. In order to determine your product key, the RWEverything utility is recommended as it looks at the systems hardware to determine the Windows product key and not at the registry, meaning it does not give bogus results like other utilities:
Download Link:

http://rweverything.com/download/

To find out the OEM BIOS Embedded System locked Product Key, install RWEverything and then select ACPI Tables and the MSDM tab, copy down your product key".

 

[barnegattech]

Originally not sure if 8.0 or 8.1 but now has Windows 10 evaluation.
Want to reinstall the Windows 8 and then upgrade to 10.

 

[linney]

How to: Rollback to a previous version of Windows from Windows 10

https://techingiteasy.wordpress.com...-previous-version-of-windows-from-windows-10/

Most new machines come with a recovery partition allowing you to go back to the time of purchase, you will have to check your user guides (or the manufacturer's Web Site) for instructions. Choosing that path requires you to save all valuable data first.




Retrieve files from the Windows.old folder

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows-8/restore-files-upgrade-windows-old

 

[mltoombs]

The Lenovo I have requires that you use the recovery disks that come with the machine in order for reinstall a fully licensed version of Windows.

 

[cdogg]

The problem appears to be that you downloaded a Windows 8.1 install. First, where did you get it? That's not an option supported by Microsoft. Second, it's likely a retail version. What you need is the OEM version that's configured for your make/model (not just ANY OEM version), so it recognizes the embedded key.

As linney and mltoombs mention, you either need to reinstall from the recovery partition or use Acer's recovery DVD(s) if it came with any.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

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