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I am having a huge problem, I am new to this UEFI stuff. I have an ASUS laptop which came with a harddisk OEM Windows installed. I changed HDD to SSD but lost the original OEM Windows software (Single language). So I found an OEM Windows 8 single language edition on Internet and burned it to a dvd, and have been trying to install it on my computer. When I start booting from DVD, it asks me product key and I enter it (which is legit) but it doesn't accept my code. I tried several versions of the same windows 8 edition from different sources and I get the same result. I thought since product key is embedded in BIOS, the windows 8 installation would start without asking a product key o and install it automatically. Am I missing something here or what I am trying to do is not doable? any help would appreciated greatly. Thanks!!!

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Your licence key code is for an Asus OEM version of Windows, it won't work with retail or other OEM versions, like you downloaded. You will need to use an authentic Asus OEM disc or image, if it is correct it will never even prompt you for the product key. Contact Asus and you can purchase, or perhaps download, the correct image for your laptop. You may be able to find an Asus OEM image online, but take it with a grain of salt as many of the online images are hacked retail versions that seem to activate properly but can get "caught" by MS and blocked from updates or Win10 upgrades.

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Windows 8 installation keys will not work with 8.1 ISOs, maybe it's the other way around too and you downloaded the wrong version (8 vs. 8.1, Core, Home, Pro, different language...)?

To install Windows you can use one of the "generic keys" which are not able to activate Windows but work for installation. See other answers here for Windows 8.0 and here for 8.1.

If your installation had detected a key in the BIOS/UEFI it would have skipped the "Enter your serial" process (in my experience).

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  • yes, I tried to find the same version of windows so that the product keys would work, and luckily i did and but couldn't install it. I never heard of generic keys before, but does let me update windows 8 to 10 ? and also regular windows updates from time to time? will it be legit ? because I already have a legit product key, I just try to make it work with the right software. Not to mention that windows 10 requires you to be legit to make certain customizations on the system. thanks.
    – Max
    Sep 27, 2015 at 9:39
  • You won't be able to activate Windows with those generic keys (and therefore no updates, etc.), you must change your key after installation. I think Windows will ask you to enter a proper serial, otherwise you can do it manually: Open start menu, type "slui 3" and open that
    – chrki
    Sep 27, 2015 at 9:46

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