Laptop preinstalled windows 8 on HDD, can i transfer product key to my new SSD

[Rafiul27]

Hi, my laptop came pre-installed with windows 8

im looking to upgrade the HDD two years later now, to an SSD.

Is there any way of transferring the windows license key from the preinstalled HDD to when i reinstall windows 8 on my SSD?

or will i have to buy a new license? official eBay sellers are selling product keys for windows 8.1 for as low as £10, so i don't mind buying a new one, but if there's an easy solution im all ears.

thanks.

 

[Unolocogringo]

Your product key will work with the new SSD.
No need to buy a new one.
Hint ..... Most of those cheap keys on eBay etc... are generic OEM keys which will allow you to install windows, but not activate it.

 

[Rafiul27]

Your product key will work with the new SSD.
No need to buy a new one.
Hint ..... Most of those cheap keys on eBay etc... are generic OEM keys which will allow you to install windows, but not activate it.

not true, i purchased a windows 7 professional 64bit recently, it installed windows 7 and the key was successful in activating it. to further support its legitimacy, i then upgrade it to windows 10 which is obviously only available to genuine windows 7+8 platforms.

regarding the SSD situation, i was not given an activation key it was all preinstalled when i bought it, turn it on and automatically starts the windows installation process.. i've done some reading and found since windows 8 microsoft are using encrypted keys within the system BIOS to prevent piracy.

would this mean my original proposition is not possible?

or can it still be possible if i:

1. download a third party program to find out the encrypted key
2. wipe the HDD
3. install an ISO of windows 8 using the microsoft tool from their website
4. reinstall windows 8 on my new SSD and using the product key from third party applications to re activate windows 8.

 

[gopher1369]

Easiest solution: Just clone the HDD onto the SSD using something like clonezilla. http://clonezilla.org/

You can find out your Windows key by downloading and running Belarc Advisor. http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html