Some of you may ask what is a generic product key? Generic product keys can be considered as a dummy key which can be used to install an operating system but it can’t be used to activate the OS.

The best workaround is that install Windows 8.1 using a generic product key. Microsoft wants you to update Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 through Windows Store which doesn’t ask any product key as its just upgrading the OS and not performing a clean installation.Īlthough there are workarounds available for this particular problem. Microsoft didn’t want to release offline ISO files of Windows 8.1 to Windows 8 users, that’s why they programmed it to not accept Windows 8 product keys at the time of installation. The reason is unknown but it seems Microsoft did it intentionally. Even if its a genuine Windows 8 product key, you get incorrect or invalid product key error message.

Now Windows 8.1 RTM has been released and people can download Windows 8.1 ISO files for clean installation as described here but when they try to install Windows 8.1 and it asks to enter a valid product key, the entered Windows 8 product key doesn’t work. When Windows 8.1 was under development, it was said that Windows 8.1 will accept Windows 8 product keys and Windows 8 users will be able to install Windows 8.1 using the same Windows 8 product key. Since Windows 8.1 is called an update for Windows 8, its obvious that Windows 8 product key should work for Windows 8.1 too but that’s not true! How to Upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8, Windows 7, XP and Vista?

Other Windows version users need to buy a license of Windows 8.1.

Almost all of us know that Windows 8.1 is an update for Windows 8 operating system and Windows 8 users can upgrade to Windows 8.1 absolutely free through Windows Store.

Windows 8 serial number only 22