How to upgrade a laptop from windows 8 to windows 10

[billd766]

It belong to my neighbours 12 year old daughter and has nothing done to it since she got it about 4 years ago.

 

I have run all the diagnostics, antispyware, antimalware, antivirus stuff and it is as clean as it is likely to get.

 

There is a small program to update it and when I run that it comes back to say Windows is not activated. When I go into System it says windows IS activated.

 

I have spent about 10 hours on it so far but I cannot change the windows product IP to activate it and without that the mini update program will not allow me to go forward.

 

Fortunately I have very little hair to tear out and it is driving me nuts.

 

I asked my son to bring in the biggest hammer he can find in my workshop in case a few calibrated nudges may do something but all he did was laugh.

 

Does anyone have any idea?

 

I have been chasing the problem around Google for about 6 hours. There is some stuff out there but nothing seems to work for me.

[Crossy]

It sounds awfully like you have a hooky copy of W8 and some sort of "activator" program.

 

Not sure of the way forwards here, a real copy of W10 is likely out  of reach.

 

 

 

[steven2018]

Sounds like a cheap replacement laptop or tablet (for a 12-year old) - or a Chromebook might be a simpler option.

Posted from Android using Tapatalk

[JamJar]

"There is a small program to update it..."

 

Perhaps you need to clarify as to which program.

 

What model laptop? Genuine Windows?

 

 

[JSixpack]

18 hours ago, Crossy said:

It sounds awfully like you have a hooky copy of W8 and some sort of "activator" program.

 

Not sure of the way forwards here, a real copy of W10 is likely out  of reach.

3

 

Yep. And we can't talk about fixing that activator.

 

Buy a cheap key for a real copy of W10 or install Linux.

Edited December 14, 2017 by JSixpack

[billd766]

3 hours ago, JamJar said:

"There is a small program to update it..."

 

Perhaps you need to clarify as to which program.

 

What model laptop? Genuine Windows?

 

 

 

It is a small Compaq laptop and as far as I can tell it seems to be a genuine copy of Windows 8. After nearly 12 hours working on it as far as I can see from the System files> About the Win 8 is genuine and activated but the MS updater says that is not activated and refuses to go any further.

 

The program is called Windows 10 update and can be found here.

 

"Windows 10 free upgrade for customers who use assistive technologies

 

I have just tried to upgrade another neighbours laptop and that has exactly the same problem.

 

System files> About the Win 8 is genuine and activated but the MS updater says that is not activated and refuses to go any further.

 

It refuses to upgrade either laptop as IT says Win 8 is not activated though on both laptops the System says Win 8 is activated.

 

[billd766]

22 hours ago, Crossy said:

It sounds awfully like you have a hooky copy of W8 and some sort of "activator" program.

 

Not sure of the way forwards here, a real copy of W10 is likely out  of reach.

 

 

 

 

I have the same problem with 2 different laptops, a Compaq bought in BKK about 4 or 5 years ago and a Toshiba bought in Phitsanulok about 3 years ago.

 

The cheapest genuine Win 10 I have found so far is on sale for about 2,290 baht through Lazada.

[2008bangkok]

7 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

It is a small Compaq laptop and as far as I can tell it seems to be a genuine copy of Windows 8. After nearly 12 hours working on it as far as I can see from the System files> About the Win 8 is genuine and activated but the MS updater says that is not activated and refuses to go any further.

 

The program is called Windows 10 update and can be found here.

 

"Windows 10 free upgrade for customers who use assistive technologies

 

I have just tried to upgrade another neighbours laptop and that has exactly the same problem.

 

System files> About the Win 8 is genuine and activated but the MS updater says that is not activated and refuses to go any further.

 

It refuses to upgrade either laptop as IT says Win 8 is not activated though on both laptops the System says Win 8 is activated.

 

Without meaning to state the obvious do you use "Assistive technologies" on your laptop?

[JSixpack]

40 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I have the same problem with 2 different laptops, a Compaq bought in BKK about 4 or 5 years ago and a Toshiba bought in Phitsanulok about 3 years ago.

 

 

Wonder if M'soft has closed that upgrade loophole?

 

 

Quote

The cheapest genuine Win 10 I have found so far is on sale for about 2,290 baht through Lazada.

 

 

Been some discussion on the forum recently about the alternative sources. Anyway here's a start. Choose a vendor w/ good reviews & track record.

 

https://hardforum.com/threads/windows-10-pro-office-2016-pro-oem.1935737/

https://www.ghacks.net/2016/09/03/getting-a-windows-product-key-on-the-cheap/

https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/

 

But there's really no rush. Update Win8 to 8.1, add Classic Shell, and that's a perfectly good OS w/o a lot of the Win10 nonsense. One of our members would seem to prefer WinXP, but let's not go to extremes, eh. 

Edited December 14, 2017 by JSixpack

[billd766]

42 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

 

Wonder if M'soft has closed that upgrade loophole?

 

 

 

Been some discussion on the forum recently about the alternative sources. Anyway here's a start. Choose a vendor w/ good reviews & track record.

 

https://hardforum.com/threads/windows-10-pro-office-2016-pro-oem.1935737/

https://www.ghacks.net/2016/09/03/getting-a-windows-product-key-on-the-cheap/

https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/

 

But there's really no rush. Update Win8 to 8.1, add Classic Shell, and that's a perfectly good OS w/o a lot of the Win10 nonsense. One of our members would seem to prefer WinXP, but let's not go to extremes, eh. 

 

Thanks for the links.

 

I have copied them just in case they "fall off the post".

 

It is a bit harder to do stuff like this today and tomorrow as the kids are off school for 2 days.

[JamJar]

12 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

I have the same problem with 2 different laptops, a Compaq bought in BKK about 4 or 5 years ago and a Toshiba bought in Phitsanulok about 3 years ago.

 

The cheapest genuine Win 10 I have found so far is on sale for about 2,290 baht through Lazada.

 

 

Can you post the exact model numbers of both?

I want to identify if either was sold with genuine Windows.

 

Can you also identify both keys utilised using ShowKeyPlus. Download, un-zip and run as Administrator.

 

It will indicate what key has been used for activation.

 

Give me some feedback on that when you have it. Via PM if you prefer.

[katana]

This might be of interest.
The inactivated version "will keep working for the foreseeable future, with only a few small cosmetic restrictions. And you can even pay to upgrade to a licensed copy of Windows 10 after you install it."
https://www.howtogeek.com/244678/you-dont-need-a-product-key-to-install-and-use-windows-10/

[thedemon]

You can determine whether Windows 8.1 is considered to be genuinely activated and therefore qualified for free upgrade by extracting a file from the Sources folder on your Win10 install media called gatherosstate.exe.

 

Copy that file to your Win8.1 system drive (e.g. to Desktop) and run as administrator. If properly activated, within a few seconds a file will be generated named genuineticket.xml. If that file doesn't appear then a Win10 upgrade isn't going to activate so you will need to find another solution.

[billd766]

5 hours ago, thedemon said:

You can determine whether Windows 8.1 is considered to be genuinely activated and therefore qualified for free upgrade by extracting a file from the Sources folder on your Win10 install media called gatherosstate.exe.

 

Copy that file to your Win8.1 system drive (e.g. to Desktop) and run as administrator. If properly activated, within a few seconds a file will be generated named genuineticket.xml. If that file doesn't appear then a Win10 upgrade isn't going to activate so you will need to find another solution.

 

Thanks, I will try that.

 

I found it and tried it but as soon as I opened the file a small black screen opened and closed again before I could read what it said.

 

I have found a lot of useful information about pc and laptops since I opened this thread.

 

Thanks to all of you who have contributed.

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

 

Thanks, I will try that.

 

I found it and tried it but as soon as I opened the file a small black screen opened and closed again before I could read what it said.

 

I have found a lot of useful information about pc and laptops since I opened this thread.

 

Thanks to all of you who have contributed.

 

Nothing to read. You need to look for the file it may or may not have generated: genuineticket.xml. It should be on your desktop if you ran the program from the desktop.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, JSixpack said:

 

Nothing to read. You need to look for the file it may or may not have generated: genuineticket.xml. It should be on your desktop if you ran the program from the desktop.

 

Unfortunately it never got as far as the desktop. It just opened and closed quicker than I could hold it open.

[JSixpack]

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

Unfortunately it never got as far as the desktop. It just opened and closed quicker than I could hold it open.

1

 

As I understand it, you don't need to hold it open. It's designed to check, write its file, and exit.

 

You copy the program to the desktop (if that's not where it was downloaded to), then you run it from the desktop. It quickly runs and exits. Then you look on the desktop to see if the file genuineticket.xml was generated. So: is the file there?

[billd766]

4 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

 

As I understand it, you don't need to hold it open. It's designed to check, write its file, and exit.

 

You copy the program to the desktop (if that's not where it was downloaded to), then you run it from the desktop. It quickly runs and exits. Then you look on the desktop to see if the file genuineticket.xml was generated. So: is the file there?

 

Well I have just tried again.

 

This time I copied it and pasted it to the desktop.

 

I have tried to open it or run as administrator and in both cases it opens and closes straight away.

 

I have tried the command prompt and that doesn even recognise it.

[fvw53]

On 12/14/2017 at 12:48 PM, JSixpack said:

 

Wonder if M'soft has closed that upgrade loophole?

 

 

 

Been some discussion on the forum recently about the alternative sources. Anyway here's a start. Choose a vendor w/ good reviews & track record.

 

https://hardforum.com/threads/windows-10-pro-office-2016-pro-oem.1935737/

https://www.ghacks.net/2016/09/03/getting-a-windows-product-key-on-the-cheap/

https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/

 

But there's really no rush. Update Win8 to 8.1, add Classic Shell, and that's a perfectly good OS w/o a lot of the Win10 nonsense. One of our members would seem to prefer WinXP, but let's not go to extremes, eh. 

 

Also check the RAM memory on your old laptop : if you have only 4 Gb RAM you will have a very slow Win 10 operation in which case a Win 8.1 will be better

[thedemon]

36 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

Well I have just tried again.

 

This time I copied it and pasted it to the desktop.

 

I have tried to open it or run as administrator and in both cases it opens and closes straight away.

 

I have tried the command prompt and that doesn even recognise it.

 

I'm afraid that means your Win8.1 installation can't be upgraded to an activated Win10.

 

If you can somehow get yourself an activated Win7 installation on the system, the upgrade will be easy. With Win7 there isn't the Product Key embedded in BIOS/UEFI issue to contend with as with Win8.1. Win7 is either activated or it isn't.

 

You can use the same genuineticket method to bypass upgrading Win7. Just clean install Win10 and paste the genuineticket.xml file into the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ClipSVC\GenuineTicket (hidden) folder. Do that before going online, reboot, then go online.

[sammieuk1]

1. Open a command prompt as an Administrator.

2. Enter slmgr /upk and wait for this to complete. This will uninstall the current product key from Windows and put it into an unlicensed state.

3. Enter slmgr /cpky and wait for this to complete. This will remove the product key from the registry if it's still there.

4.  and wait for this to complete. This is to reset the Windows activation timers so the new users will be prompted to activate Windows when they put in the key.

5. This should put the system back to a pre-key state.
6. Enter key
7. You could  try this first ,  Enter Open a command prompt as an Administrator slmgr /rearm
8. this gives you I think from memory 3 rearms of the key if its doggy?

[sammieuk1]

If this don't work or you can't access windows get a 8gb+ usb stick and download windows media creator(microsoft) from another pc and follow instuctions  .

[GLewis]

For sure its a dodgy copy of Windows 8 in the computer. 99% of computers here come with fake software installed. Why do you think Thai universities are a breeding ground for viruses?

[ujayujay]

Go to next Banana IT Branch. 500-700Baht. They will do the Update quickly. Saves you a lot of trouble.

[suzannegoh]

On 14/12/2017 at 12:20 PM, 2008bangkok said:

Without meaning to state the obvious do you use "Assistive technologies" on your laptop?

It doesn't matter if you use assitive technologies or not, you can still use that link to upgrade to Win10 legally. Often it works for upgrading (and legalising) pirated copies of Win7 or Win8 also.

[thailen]

R elax. I had the same problem when I bought a used pc with Windows 7. I learned that while Microsft did issue a cut-off date for uogrades to Window 10, they later left registered Windows owners a free upgrade. Here is an easy link:

https://www.pcauthority.com.au/news/upgrading-to-windows-10-is-still-free-if-you-use-this-loophole-458095

 

I did it - so can you. It takes about an hour(you can still use your pc for other functions during the upgrade

[bleble]

First she doesn't need windows 10, and second, it's too late to get it for free. Easier to wait that they buy a new computer.

 

 

[suzannegoh]

39 minutes ago, bleble said:

First she doesn't need windows 10, and second, it's too late to get it for free. Easier to wait that they buy a new computer.

No, it's not too late to get it for free.  You can get it for free from Microsoft at the link below regardless of whether you use "assistive technologies":
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade?tduid=(14c348e893a91089cb2980533c6ee123)(256380)(2459594)(TnL5HPStwNw-0FBZfNm6YPFXNhiu3o52rA)()

 

[PeterA]

I had win 8 on my laptop last year. I went to the mall in Korat, 4th floor I believe, and bought win 10 from a shop.  It came on a thumb drive, with a little book, in a box. It was an official edition of win 10. It cost about 2500 THB. I plugged in the stick, it loaded, ran, and was a piece of cake. Finished in an hour.

 

[gandalf12]

If you are sure it is a genuine Win 8 then reset it to factory setting and work from there