Hi, my notebook came with a genuine copy of windows 8 when i first purchased it. Some months ago, something happened which forced me to format my hd. By doing this, it removed the genuine copy of windows 8 and it installed an evaluation copy of windows 8. After some time, my license has been expired. Now there is a problem, when i try to boot a copy of windows or ubuntu from usb or cd, it won't recognize it when i go to the startup menu. If i go to my computer, i can see that its there and I can open it by clicking it. Also my pc shutdown's after like half an hour or something, is it because i didnt activate my copy of windows? Please let me know what i can do.
Solution
0xBahaa
Estimable
- Sep 15, 2015
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First, do u have a sticker on the bottom of ur laptop that has the windows 8 serial key on it? If so, then you will be able to activate windows with the key that came with ur laptop really fast and easy.
Second, I believe that the DVD/USB aren't booting because windows 8 doesn't shutdown fully. That's a crappy feature in it. So, could u try one of these 3 methods to boot from the dvd/USB and report back?
Three Ways to Access the Windows 8 or 10 Boot Options Menu
Second, I believe that the DVD/USB aren't booting because windows 8 doesn't shutdown fully. That's a crappy feature in it. So, could u try one of these 3 methods to boot from the dvd/USB and report back?
Three Ways to Access the Windows 8 or 10 Boot Options Menu
0xBahaa
Estimable
- Sep 15, 2015
- 26
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- 4,590
That's the EFI boot partition. we probably won't have any use of it and will probably delete it at some point. (if we're going to reinstall windows)
Now we have the option of extracting the win8 key embedded on the motherboard (BIOS) using one of the tools mentioned here.
I am guessing that u can normally boot into windows 8 to download one of those tools and install it, am I correct?
If so, u can grab the win8 key using that method, then I'll tell u how to apply it to ur current installation
Now we have the option of extracting the win8 key embedded on the motherboard (BIOS) using one of the tools mentioned here.
I am guessing that u can normally boot into windows 8 to download one of those tools and install it, am I correct?
If so, u can grab the win8 key using that method, then I'll tell u how to apply it to ur current installation
Alright i was able to find the product key of my hp win8 using rw-everything. I tried activating it using the key. I get this message: "The product key you have entered will not work with this edition of windows 8. You must either run windows 8 setup or enter a windows 8 entreprise evaluation key." What to do?
0xBahaa
Estimable
- Sep 15, 2015
- 26
- 0
- 4,590
Wonderful ^_^ We're about to solve the problem.
Here is what I concluded: When you had the laptop, it had a certain version of windows 8 (eg: win8 pro), and it was activated using a key which works only for win8 pro.
When u reinstalled windows, u didn't install the same version (win8 pro in this example), but u installed the enterprise evaulation version.
The key will never work with it because it isn't the same version.
So, all we gotta do is get a windows 8 installer DVD or USB (u can get it from a friend or download one and burn it to USB/DVD urself) and use it to install the correct edition of windows 8.1, and it will activate automatically and without problems.
Tell me if u need help with this step.
Here is what I concluded: When you had the laptop, it had a certain version of windows 8 (eg: win8 pro), and it was activated using a key which works only for win8 pro.
When u reinstalled windows, u didn't install the same version (win8 pro in this example), but u installed the enterprise evaulation version.
The key will never work with it because it isn't the same version.
So, all we gotta do is get a windows 8 installer DVD or USB (u can get it from a friend or download one and burn it to USB/DVD urself) and use it to install the correct edition of windows 8.1, and it will activate automatically and without problems.
Tell me if u need help with this step.
OK now here's the problem, i cannot install a copy of windows on my c drive because there isnt sufficient space. I created multiple partition in the past and unfortunately i installed windows on the one which had only 40gig (i have over 500gig on other partititons). I need atleast 5gig of free space to install windows 8.1 cd which im missing. I'm unable to do a factory reset or refresh because it doesnt work. Hmm, what else can i do?
0xBahaa
Estimable
- Sep 15, 2015
- 26
- 0
- 4,590
You need to format the partition that u installed windows on in the past. Formatting means deleting everything on it to free up all the space.
You said it had 40 gigs, that's pretty nice. Windows installation doesn't take up more than 20 Gigs at the time of installation.
So, let's format the C:\ partition and then install windows on it.
Check this picture. There is an option down there called "format". Just format the C:\ , don't format others.
Very important notes:
1- As seen in this picture , u wont be able to see the drive letters (like the C:\ or D:\ ). So, u need to know your partition by its label/name or by its size.
2- If u need the data that was on the C:\ drive, then we'll have to do an extra step before formatting.
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