📎 AI Summary:
The forum thread discusses a user's difficulty activating Windows 10 after upgrading from Windows 8, with advice from another contributor explaining that a proper upgrade process—updating Windows 7 or 8.1 before upgrading—is necessary for activation to transfer correctly. The user attempts to upgrade but encounters a boot loop issue, which they later report as fixed. Overall, the discussion emphasizes the importance of following the correct upgrade steps for successful activation and highlights troubleshooting for boot-related problems.
M

Mihawk09

New Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
3
Thread Author #1
So i downloaded the upgrade tool from windows 10 made a iso with it and installed windows 10. Now i wanted to activate windows 10 but i cant.. i tried the windows 8 product key that came with my alienware laptop but that doesnt work i tried to make one of those productkeys.vbs documents but that doesnt also work. I cant think of anything right now. So i posted it here on this forums in the hope that somebody could help me. Also i have Windows 10 pro, and before this i had windows 8 maybe i should have installed Windows 10 home?
 

Last edited:
kemical

kemical

Essential Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
36,163
#2
In order for you to qualify for a free copy of windows 10 your previous operating system should be fully updated. This means Windows 7 has to be running SP1 and windows 8 has to be upgraded to 8.1.
If your os meets the above requirements then one can download the Windows 10 upgrade but you must and I repeat must upgrade first. The reason why you have to first upgrade is because Microsoft have changed the way Windows is activated. When your performing the upgrade Windows set up checks an online activation database, which was recently set up by MS, if your os is genuine and activated then a Windows 10 licence is issued and stored in the same place.
This now means that once the upgrade has completed you can perform a clean install and not have to input an activation key. Simply press skip when asked for it.
This will only last for the life of the machine and isn't transferable even if your original licence was retail.

In your case if you simply did a clean install straight away then your key for windows 8 won't work for the reasons I specified above.

You'll need to re-install windows 8, upgrade it to 8.1 then you can upgrade to windows 10 using the process described above.
 

M

Mihawk09

New Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
3
Thread Author #3
kemical said:
In order for you to qualify for a free copy of windows 10 your previous operating system should be fully updated. This means Windows 7 has to be running SP1 and windows 8 has to be upgraded to 8.1.
If your os meets the above requirements then one can download the Windows 10 upgrade but you must and I repeat must upgrade first. The reason why you have to first upgrade is because Microsoft have changed the way Windows is activated. When your performing the upgrade Windows set up checks an online activation database, which was recently set up by MS, if your os is genuine and activated then a Windows 10 licence is issued and stored in the same place.
This now means that once the upgrade has completed you can perform a clean install and not have to input an activation key. Simply press skip when asked for it.
This will only last for the life of the machine and isn't transferable even if your original licence was retail.

In your case if you simply did a clean install straight away then your key for windows 8 won't work for the reasons I specified above.

You'll need to re-install windows 8, upgrade it to 8.1 then you can upgrade to windows 10 using the process described above.
Click to expand...
Thanks allot i will try this asap!
 

kemical

kemical

Essential Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
36,163
#4
I forgot to mention, when your ready to upgrade to Windows 10 use the media creation tool found on this page:
Link Removed
 

M

Mihawk09

New Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
3
Thread Author #5
Seems like im stuck in a boot loop, it says something went wrong reverting changes for a whole hour. sometimes the laptop goes off and than i get the same screen with the same text. Pushing the laptop off doesnt work, this happend minutes after i installed windows 8 i did the updates and now im stuck what can i do?

FIXED THIS PROBLEM!!----------------------------------
 

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