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As in my previous question, I'm working on reverting my ASUS 10TP system back to 8.1 so I can reinstall.

I installed 10TP near the beginning of the release cycles, this month I discovered that I couldn't just continue from 10TP to the full version of 10 (see other question). According to Microsoft, I need to downgrade to 8.1 using the media creation tool on another computer and reupgrade to 10 following one of the "correct paths."

Because I thought that getting 10TP on an OEM Windows PC was equivalent to the prereleases of say, Linux (silly me) and would eventually update, I didn't write down my product key or OS variant prior to running the media creation tool and getting 10TP. It happily installed and has been running well until I got the scary "I'm committing suicide" messages on Oct 1.

I have downloaded the Windows 8.1 Media Creation Tool on another PC per Microsoft's instructions. I used Nirsoft's Produkey to read the Windows (BIOS OEM key), downloaded Windows 8.1 US English 64-bit, burned to DVD, and booted from it.

When I got to the "enter a product key" I got an error:

The product key entered does not match any of the Windows images available for installation. Enter a different product key.

So I downloaded and burned Windows 8.1 Pro (Since I have 10TP Pro), same error.

I still have the box the computer came in. It says:

OS TYPE:WIN8.1 64BIT-WITH BING

KB LANGUAGE:US

Just for fun, I used Produkey to grab the Bios OEM Key from my personal laptop. Plugging in that number into the Windows8.1 disc worked (no error). Of course, I've already got a computer with this key so I don't imagine it will work if I actually installed.

I'm going to try the steps detailed over on Clean install Windows 8.1 or Windows 8 from OEM key, but is there a way to tell what (Windows) OS was on the computer to begin with?

For future reference the Windows 8.1 Editions given in the media creation tool are:

Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 N

Windows 8.1 Pro

Windows 8.1 Pro N

Windows 8.1 Single Language

Each with a 32 or 64 bit option.

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  • @moab - also I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter because I just used an OEM key with that disk in a virtualbox OS and it worked.
    – Josiah
    Oct 9, 2015 at 0:03
  • You are correct, that W8 download will work with OEM keys
    – Moab
    Oct 9, 2015 at 13:37

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Windows 8.1 With Bing is a special edition supplied to OEMs. At the very bottom of Create Installation Media for Windows 8.1, the fine print includes:

If you're running Windows 8.1 with Bing, contact your device manufacturer for info on how to get installation media for your edition of Windows.

In other words, Windows 8.1 with Bing cannot be reinstalled from a microsoft-provided ISO.

I do not know how to figure which version of Windows was OEM installed from within the OS.

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  • I believe its its own SKU and the only real option there is making a recovery disk. Win8 + bing was basically the windows 7 starter of the windows 8 family. Essentially its equivilent to the core/home version but with bing set up as the default initially
    – Journeyman Geek ♦
    Oct 9, 2015 at 15:19
  • The site's Q&A format relies on questions being questions and answers being solutions to them. All information related to your question should be edited into the question, which is where people will look for it. You might discourage help by the appearance that your question has already been "answered".
    – fixer1234
    Oct 9, 2015 at 16:03
  • I used the answer button because it solves the immediate problem and provides useful information for people with the same problem; however, it is not a complete answer to the question I have. The immediate problem was the point of the (now cleaned up) comments, so I posted an answer so that future users would know that the immediate problem was resolved.
    – Josiah
    Oct 9, 2015 at 17:25
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try installing windows 10 or windows 10 home sl..

windows 8.1,8.1 with bing = windows 10 windows 8.1 Home SL,8.1 with bing Home SL = windows 10 Home SL

It should also detect your liscence embeded in your motherboard

Sorry for my bad english Hope this help your problem

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  • In order to take advantage of the Windows 10 upgrade the OP needs a version of Windows 8.1. Please re-read the question and take a look at How to Answer.
    – Burgi
    Jul 18, 2016 at 8:08

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