Which Upgrade Preserves My Key from Windows 8.0 Pro to 8.1 to Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit?

[Alvin777]

Hello Apple and Windows Boot Camp (and actual PC) friends.

I had to fresh install Windows, it's a legitimate license for Windows 8.0 Pro (says the digital receipt), how do I preserve my license (activation not a problem) from upgrading to 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro (it needs 8.1 to upgrade to 10) without losing my key so it's activated or it can be activated once it's on Windows 10 Pro?

Do I download a 8.1 iso upgrade and installd on the desktop or use Windows Store download it's 8.1 and let Microsoft upgrade it to 8.1, same question for upgrading to 8.1 to 10 Pro?

Thank you. Have a very blessed upcoming sunday.

 

[Shirasaki]

You need windows 10 pro download to activate it. I don’t think you can even get legit digital download of windows 8.1 directly from Microsoft without MSDN anymore.

 

[Alvin777]

You need windows 10 pro download to activate it. I don’t think you can even get legit digital download of windows 8.1 directly from Microsoft without MSDN anymore.

Thanks. Supposing this works

and I got to upgrade to Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 Pro while preserving my key (no problem with activation), is there a good free app (or trial but lets you try the complete feature for a period of time) that'll create an image of that Windows 10 Pro install activated (legit) into an .iso so that I don't have to go through these upgrades again, I can just install that Windows 10 Pro install straight?

 

[Shirasaki]

Thanks. Supposing this works

and I got to upgrade to Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 Pro while preserving my key (no problem with activation), is there a good free app (or trial but lets you try the complete feature for a period of time) that'll create an image of that Windows 10 Pro install activated (legit) into an .iso so that I don't have to go through these upgrades again, I can just install that Windows 10 Pro install straight?

Microsoft has an interesting utility called DISM that can capture a Windows 10 install into a .wim file that you can use alongside Windows 10 installer to install that way. In essence, Windows 10 installer file is just a bootable PE with install.wim inside of it. Google how to use DISM and use a large enough USB hard drive to capture your Windows install (with drivers and everything) into install.wim, and you can install that Windows 10 in case you want to reinstall and have everything ready for you.

 

[Alvin777]

Microsoft has an interesting utility called DISM that can capture a Windows 10 install into a .wim file that you can use alongside Windows 10 installer to install that way. In essence, Windows 10 installer file is just a bootable PE with install.wim inside of it. Google how to use DISM and use a large enough USB hard drive to capture your Windows install (with drivers and everything) into install.wim, and you can install that Windows 10 in case you want to reinstall and have everything ready for you.

Thanks. I think I've done that trick before to install or try Windows 11 on Boot Camp.

If I get to install Windows 10 Pro that way, would I still be able to activate using my Windows 8.0 legit key (is what I'm worried about)?

 

[Shirasaki]

Thanks. I think I've done that trick before to install or try Windows 11 on Boot Camp.

If I get to install Windows 10 Pro that way, would I still be able to activate using my Windows 8.0 legit key (is what I'm worried about)?

The activation is independent from how you install the system, to simply put. I dont know how Windows handle Windows 8 key that way, but as long as you reinstall the system to the same hardware, your activation should be fine throughout a few reinstalls.

 

[Alvin777]

Hi, after 15 hours of installing and upgrading which includes trial and error with printing to the network (coz' my key was actually just a Win 8.0 Pro upgrade (not a a standalone), I first had to install Win 7 but not anymore in the future), it seem Microsoft has changed their .iso, not sure, it recorded my key on their server when it was first activated almost 9 years ago; before, if you installed Win 10 straight, it won't activate but on a hunch, I decided to erase the hard work for 15 hours (letting go of that hardwork) and I searched "windows 10 download", I downloaded the Windows 10 iso on Microsoft, used Rufus, picked Win 10 Pro because the PC was connected to the ethernet through ethernet, it seems it activated using my legit key (just a Win. 8.0 pro upgrade key) right at the beginning of the fresh install (which was very uplifting) and it's smooth sailing now after that crunch time storm (w/ the bosses).

I think if I fresh install a Win 11 Pro and use the same key, their new .iso will activate old keys even if it's just a key for an upgrade. I wonder if Microsoft today updates any legit key with Win 10 and 11 even if it goes back to Windows 95- I'll try that by installing Win 11 but on a different partition.

Thanks for the comments, it's a lot of effort but it's always blessing in disguise/learned the nature of the "beast" (macOS and Macs are still easier to use and fix, I always can't get back to macOS and amazing Macs after I've done my benchmarks on the PC and games on an after woship and workout, chill sunday afternoon, after a grueling hard week's work).