WIndows 8 product key

[Brenden Lowe]

So I have a laptop with Windows 8.1 on it, and i'm building a new computer which I plan to put Window 8.1 on. Can I take the product key from my Windows 8.1 laptop to use the Microsoft Boot media creation tool to make a boot flash drive to install Windows 8.1 on my new computer without it affecting my laptop in any way?

 

[Alabalcho]

If you don't know your Windows license keys, this means that your Windows is licensed for that and only that laptop only. You cannot move it to another computer, but you can upgrade your laptop, and buy new license for your desktop.

It is called "free upgrade" for a reason, it is not called "free license".

 

[k1114]

The key is used just to verify so you can download the iso. It doesn't know what you are going to do with the iso and does nothing more with the key. You could be getting the iso for a backup of the laptop, it doesn't matter either way.

 

[Brenden Lowe]

The key is used just to verify so you can download the iso. It doesn't know what you are going to do with the iso and does nothing more with the key. You could be getting the iso for a backup of the laptop, it doesn't matter either way.

So my laptop should not be affected at all by the use of the key its a pre-installed version of windows, and in theory be able to use it to install windows on a machine that does not have an OS from a usb which has the ISO on it?

 

[k1114]

You're not using the key to install which wouldn't work for that anyways.

 

[Brenden Lowe]

You're not using the key to install which wouldn't work for that anyways.

I would be using the key to use Microsoft's boot media creation tool to make an iso for the install, would that work or am i crazy?

 

[k1114]

The key simply let's you download the iso. It in no way is used in anything else. You get the same iso as anyone else with that version of windows. That new pc needs its own key to install.

 

[Alabalcho]

One does not need a key to download ISO or USB image from Windows 10 Download page.

If that image is used for upgrade, and it matches the existing version, no key will be asked. If the image is used for clean install, a key will be asked for but can be skipped (as was with Windows 7 setups).

Back to OP question: As with every upgrade license, the old license becomes invalid. Whether there are ways to go around it, is another question, but it would be still breaking of the license.