Windows 8 Pro retail key attached to MS account/phone

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AnIgnorantPerson

Limp Gawd
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Someone in my family attached my Windows 8 Pro Retail key to their MS account/phone verify.


How can I undo this? Is this a better question for MS offical forum?
 
Depends on how often you reinstall, if it's that often, you should restore from an image, or use a vm for testing whatever is bunching up your os
 
The must be some way to authenticate it again by phone, esp if you have the key in hand
 
A key can't be tied to a phone. If the *Microsoft Account* is tied to a phone, which it better be, you can login to https://account.microsoft.com and click "Security" at the top ,then Security Info, to change the security phone#.
when i reactivated the key was tied to a microsoft account with a phone number. I want it back to being tired with nothing....no account. Can you release it from an MS account?
 
Have to login to the Microsoft account and release the installation. Since you have the actual key, you'll then be able to re-install without an account.
 
when i reactivated the key was tied to a microsoft account with a phone number. I want it back to being tired with nothing....no account. Can you release it from an MS account?
You'd release the device it was activated against via the same Microsoft account site.
 
so Mr. Blank burned my key making it a singe use verse allowing the key to work on many PC simultaneously like how retail keys used to work.?
 
Retail keys have always been good for one installation at a time since I can remember. Which is at least Windows 98
I have always been able to run my Win Pro whatever addition on multiple rigs at once. I think i have has up 5-8 PCs in my home on 1 key just fine for almost 20 years (2000/xp-win 10).
 
I have always been able to run my Win Pro whatever addition on multiple rigs at once. I think i have has up 5-8 PCs in my home on 1 key just fine for almost 20 years (2000/xp-win 10).

Then you got lucky. They are designed for a single install. I am pretty sure on my Windows 7 installs, that I used one key for, didn't have issues until I ran windows updates and now it regularly tells me I am running a counterfeit version.
 
Then you got lucky. They are designed for a single install. I am pretty sure on my Windows 7 installs, that I used one key for, didn't have issues until I ran windows updates and now it regularly tells me I am running a counterfeit version.
This is not how a retail key works.
Always has for me *shrugs* Buy 1 key use it and after like 20 installs you just call the phone number and they okay the install.


You guys have any experience with those ~$10 OEM keys? Are they a install once and if you need to reinstall they are dead? Or if you change MB they brick?
 
Always has for me *shrugs* Buy 1 key use it and after like 20 installs you just call the phone number and they okay the install.


You guys have any experience with those ~$10 OEM keys? Are they a install once and if you need to reinstall they are dead? Or if you change MB they brick?
I can do the same, I just cannot have the same key installed on multiple pc's at once that are connected to the internet. I have used the same key for many installs. Just one at a time.
 
I can do the same, I just cannot have the same key installed on multiple pc's at once that are connected to the internet. I have used the same key for many installs. Just one at a time.
nope I have 3 running my Win 10 Pro key ATM and had 3-4 running my Win 7 Pro key at same time with interenet and updates.
 
Always has for me *shrugs* Buy 1 key use it and after like 20 installs you just call the phone number and they okay the install.


You guys have any experience with those ~$10 OEM keys? Are they a install once and if you need to reinstall they are dead? Or if you change MB they brick?
A 10 dollar key is just as illegal as the free ones. Just saying...
 
Retail keys is one machine activation, but you have unlimited activation amounts as long as you deactivate the current installation before installing again. This is true as of Windows 10. Previous versions are a licensing hell hole.

As for removing the key from the MS account it might be possible. Best bet is to actually call/chat with Microsoft about that. It depends if the retail key got changed to a "digital entitlement" upon associating it to a MS account.
 
You guys have any experience with those ~$10 OEM keys? Are they a install once and if you need to reinstall they are dead? Or if you change MB they brick?

I've successfully transfered the install where the motherboard was literally identical to the original. But basically, transferring OEM keys is something Microsoft are really cracking down on - The key essentially dies with the motherboard.
 
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I've successfully transfered the install where the motherboard was literally identical to the original. But basically, transferring OEM keys is something Microsoft are really cracking down on - The key essentially does with the motherboard.
yup. swapped a mobo in a laptop, tried to reactivate and they told me to pound sand aka talk to lenovo.
 
yup. swapped a mobo in a laptop, tried to reactivate and they told me to pound sand aka talk to lenovo.

Really? I would have thought that would have worked considering the mobo would have to be identical (obviously with a different UUID). I wonder how I got away with it when I did it? I didn't even have to contact Microsoft, it just activated.
 
Really? I would have thought that would have worked considering the mobo would have to be identical (obviously with a different UUID). I wonder how I got away with it when I did it? I didn't even have to contact Microsoft, it just activated.
yup. i did want to fight it so just reactivated with another oem key.
 
Retail keys is one machine activation, but you have unlimited activation amounts as long as you deactivate the current installation before installing again. This is true as of Windows 10. Previous versions are a licensing hell hole.

As for removing the key from the MS account it might be possible. Best bet is to actually call/chat with Microsoft about that. It depends if the retail key got changed to a "digital entitlement" upon associating it to a MS account.
it kinda sounds like it did which is BS in my view (going from the terminology in the windows update section...still researching. Do you have prior knowledge of past examples? or was this a theorized idea?). Sounds like something that might turn out to be a class action suit 10 years down the road depending on how EU and the france resale ruling things unfold over the years.

EFF has made some grounds with the library of congress so I am hopeful some of this sketchy "license" crap dies. There are some hopeful signs in culture and legal world this might die. It is a legitimate property rights issue. The concept of buying a license vs a real product is a recent legal concept not rooted in common law or any prior legal concept as far as I know so there is some hope.
A 10 dollar key is just as illegal as the free ones. Just saying...
bulk OEM keys are not illegal just 1 install with lots of strings from what I read...your post sounds like your talking out of your ass unless you have additional info to support such a claim.
I've successfully transferred the install where the motherboard was literally identical to the original. But basically, transferring OEM keys is something Microsoft are really cracking down on - The key essentially dies with the motherboard.
are you referring to those bulk OEM sale keys I was mentioning that are always advertised on techpowerup and other sites?
yup. swapped a mobo in a laptop, tried to reactivate and they told me to pound sand aka talk to lenovo.
yea thats bullshit. I have never had that issue with my laptops *crosses fingers*
 
Really? I would have thought that would have worked considering the mobo would have to be identical (obviously with a different UUID). I wonder how I got away with it when I did it? I didn't even have to contact Microsoft, it just activated.
Since Windows 10 OEM keys are burned into firmware, any replacement motherboard would also need to have one, which may or may not happen depending on how the board was acquired. We've sent defective laptops in to Lenovo before and we always get them back with the same Windows 10 version burned into firmware (a different key of course). Same with our local Lenovo-approved repair shop we also use. If someone buys a board off eBay or whatever, and it has no license, they're no longer entitled to one.
 
Since Windows 10 OEM keys are burned into firmware, any replacement motherboard would also need to have one, which may or may not happen depending on how the board was acquired. We've sent defective laptops in to Lenovo before and we always get them back with the same Windows 10 version burned into firmware (a different key of course). Same with our local Lenovo-approved repair shop we also use. If someone buys a board off eBay or whatever, and it has no license, they're no longer entitled to one.

True, but how could the key be removed from firmware? I would expect that once an OEM key is burned to firmware it remains in firmware - Especially in the case of a laptop?
 
it kinda sounds like it did which is BS in my view (going from the terminology in the windows update section...still researching. Do you have prior knowledge of past examples? or was this a theorized idea?). Sounds like something that might turn out to be a class action suit 10 years down the road depending on how EU and the france resale ruling things unfold over the years.

EFF has made some grounds with the library of congress so I am hopeful some of this sketchy "license" crap dies. There are some hopeful signs in culture and legal world this might die. It is a legitimate property rights issue. The concept of buying a license vs a real product is a recent legal concept not rooted in common law or any prior legal concept as far as I know so there is some hope.

Retail keys can be transfered from one machine to another provided the operating system is removed from the prior machine first. OEM keys are tied to the motherboard and die along with the motherboard - This has always been the case, Microsoft have simply been lax in enforcing it up until Windows 10.

Furthermore, you cannot legally buy Windows 10 for $10.00. Activation and legal are two very separate things.
 
True, but how could the key be removed from firmware? I would expect that once an OEM key is burned to firmware it remains in firmware - Especially in the case of a laptop?
Depending on where on the planet the board came from, it may never have had a key. While in the US one has to kinda go out of their way to find a major OEM selling computers without Windows licenses, in other parts of the world it's apparently more common. Also, boards coming from China.. well.. roll the dice.
 
bulk OEM keys are not illegal just 1 install with lots of strings from what I read...your post sounds like your talking out of your ass unless you have additional info to support such a claim.

They are 100% illegal, they are being sold against the EULA terms. The keys technically work but that 10 dollar price is just to smooth your concience for using a key that violates the service terms and is therefor just as illegal as the free key.
 
Depending on where on the planet the board came from, it may never have had a key. While in the US one has to kinda go out of their way to find a major OEM selling computers without Windows licenses, in other parts of the world it's apparently more common. Also, boards coming from China.. well.. roll the dice.

Interesting. I've replaced a couple of laptop boards with second hand units where it's actually cost effective to do so (most of the time it isn't!) and I've never come across a board that didn't have the key stored in UEFI.
 
They are 100% illegal, they are being sold against the EULA terms. The keys technically work but that 10 dollar price is just to smooth your concience for using a key that violates the service terms and is therefor just as illegal as the free key.

If the seller is from the EU, it’s 100% legal for them to resell licenses. Even OEM licenses that were on prebuilt machines. Even exclusive licenses that require special accounts that grant access to Enterprise and LTSC licenses.
 
If the seller is from the EU, it’s 100% legal for them to resell licenses. Even OEM licenses that were on prebuilt machines. Even exclusive licenses that require special accounts that grant access to Enterprise and LTSC licenses.
Not according to the EULA terms.
 
If the seller is from the EU, it’s 100% legal for them to resell licenses. Even OEM licenses that were on prebuilt machines. Even exclusive licenses that require special accounts that grant access to Enterprise and LTSC licenses.

And when retailers buy them for installation on new shop built machines outside of Europe they feel the wrath of Microsoft. I've seen that before.
 
They are 100% illegal, they are being sold against the EULA terms. The keys technically work but that 10 dollar price is just to smooth your concience for using a key that violates the service terms and is therefor just as illegal as the free key.
contacts or agreements are not always binding and are not law.....aka criminal or even civil. many contacts will never hold in court like altatbs examples

there are working cases in france and EU and even US about property rights and licenses. particular in regards to games and digital products.
 
contacts or agreements are not always binding and are not law.....aka criminal or even civil. many contacts will never hold in court like altatbs examples

there are working cases in france and EU and even US about property rights and licenses. particular in regards to games and digital products.
If you live in the US you're 100% owned by the corproration. We here in EU are a little protected but it's slipping for the worse. Even if we can't get legal trouble by breaking the EULA, Microsoft has no obligation to rekey or garantee validiity for keys purchased against the terms.
 
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