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Question

win8 side by side with win 10

Sep 17, 2015 11:19PM PDT

I have installed a win 10 on my win8.1 computer on differant partition.

After few days win 8.1 say that my activation key is wrong and I need to reactivate.

I'm affraid that reactivation will only works until my next win 10 upgrade ( probably reseting key in the bios )

What can I do ?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: activation
Sep 18, 2015 12:48AM PDT

Activation is not registered in the BIOS, only (a) in Windows, and (b) with Microsoft.

So if you have 2 paid license codes, you can use both OS'es. But if you UPGRADE 8.1 to 10 in stead of doing a new install of 10 as a dual boot, that invalidates the 8.1 license and you'll have to buy a new one most likely. Anyway, Microsoft can tell; you have to contact them anyway if the reactivation isn't automatic.

Kees

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Windows 8 on OEM machines do store the key to
Sep 18, 2015 5:20AM PDT
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Thanks.
Sep 18, 2015 1:17PM PDT

I didn't know that.

If the license for Windows 8 is stored in the BIOS and, as the OP says, has become invalid a few days after installing Windows 10, does that mean that Windows 10 overwrites the value in the BIOS? Would be strange, I think.

Maybe there's more to the story, and is the Windows 10 actually some upgrade that invalidated the license on Microsofts server? Anyway, we don't even know if it's an OEM UEFI computer we're talking about here.

Kees

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Answer
Well your Windows 10 may deactivate after
Sep 18, 2015 5:16AM PDT

a time period also. I'm not sure why Windows 8.1 key would deactivate. In order to activate Windows 10 you MUST upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.1. During this process your WIndows 10 gets activated. What this means is in order to install Windows 10 with a legal activated you do an upgrade and not a clean install. Now ounce you've activated Windows 10 you can do as many clean installs as you want ON THE SAME PC. Only the upgrade is free for Windows 10. People that don't qualify for the free upgrade have to purchase a legal copy to activate automatically.