Windows 8.1 RTM - Works with Windows 8 key?

stoofa

stoofa

stoofa

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Asking this on behalf of a colleague here - I don't know the answer myself, so can only assume someone here does :)
This chap has Windows 8 Professional - all legit etc.
Needs to do a system rebuild over the weekend so thought he might as well install Windows 8.1 RTM
So he's gone and grabbed the ISO for 64bit Windows 8.1 (don't know where from - that is his business etc.) and he's turned that into a bootable USB installer.

So he'll be installing this on an empty HD. Does Windows 8.1 prompt for a product key during installation and if so, can he simply enter his existing Windows 8 key at this point?
Of does he chose to skip entering a key during install (if you can?) and then enter his key afterwards?
Of is he looking for an 8.1 RTM key which he can use temporarily for the installation and can then change the key over to his own one?

Cheers forum.
 
Evidence from other forums seems to indicate that existing keys will activate an 8.1 installation, however a seperate OEM installation key is needed to install in the first place, with the actual activation key having to be entered after initial installation.

The installation key doesn't seem to be able to be skipped either, nor will the installer accept a (currently) kosher key, bringing you back to the OEM installation key issue again.... all doable, but given that it's all dubiously sourced and the ISOs aren't confirmed directly by MS as uncompromised, would you want to?

How's that sound?
 
In answer to your question - no, I wouldn't want to.
Hence the reason I'm waiting for the actual proper release :)
My colleague however.......
I've told him how he can check the hashes on the downloaded file - if he does it or not I don't know. Just hope he also found an OEM key to go with that then :)
 
stoofa said:
I've told him how he can check the hashes on the downloaded file - if he does it or not I don't know.
Click to expand...

the problem right now is that there is nothing official to check them against. MSDN/technet users have to wait until october like the rest of us plebs. but i'd still trust these leaks as the source has been 100% reliable in the past. they were also responsible for leaking windows 7 and 8 and those hashes matched.
 
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I activated Windows 8.1 Pro with my Windows 8 Pro upgrade key. I installed using a generic key, then used command prompt to change to my key and activated via the phone :).
 
Just had an email from the chap I work with. He tells me the process was all rather straight forward.
Installed 64bit Win 8.1 Pro using the leaked OEM key.
After install went to product activation, immediately said this key was invalid. Chose option to enter different key, entered his own Win 8 Pro and it then proceeded to activate online - no need to phone it through.
So he's all activated.

Me....I'll stick with 8.0 until official release I think.
 
Yes it does work.
After 3 days of messing around with this system its worth upgrade from 7 :D
 
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