Aspire 5742-6846 Windows 8.1 setup won't accept my Windows 7 key?

robman501a
robman501a Member Posts: 49 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
edited March 2023 in Aspire Laptops

I don't understand this. I thought my Windows 7 key can be used for Windows 8, through 10. Why isn't it being accepted by setup? I'm using Windows 7 (installed by Acer eRecovery).

Aspire 5742-6846

[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    Are you using a key from a label on either the laptop or UPC label on the box that it came in? Does it match the key when you go to the administrative command prompt and enter ‘wmic os get serialnumber’. Acer eRecovery should yield a key with OEM as part of the number code.

    Jack E/NJ

  • robman501a
    robman501a Member Posts: 49 Enthusiast WiFi Icon

    I'm using the product key from the Windows 7 Home Prem OA COA sticker. That's what everyone uses for installing and activating Windows, right?

    Yes, wmic did give me a serial number but I have never seen that before.

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    The wmic serial number with the OEM designation is the Win7 license key for that particular mainboard. Use it.

    Jack E/NJ

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,064 Trailblazer

    With Win-7 its very probable that your original win-7 key was hacked and used and that is why its not registering, phone Microsoft up and get a new key (as that is what I had to do with one of these older laptops) as you have a free upgrade to win-10 from win-7.

    Also, win-8 is obsolete so upgrade to win-10 as win-10 is better, I've done many upgrades from Win'7 and 8 to Win-10 with the windows provided key that is on the sticker on the back of these laptops and they all worked 100%. The last one I did is the Aspire 5750-2414 that I also upgraded its cpu, ram and its boot drive to a 2.5" SSD and also a V3-571G that had win-8.1 and I upgraded it to win-10 as they all registered and worked 100% with a win-10 digital key, you need a Microsoft account for the key to register also, as the old key is turned into a digital key with win-10. See the Microsoft guides of how to upgrade from win-7 to win-10 as they explain every scenario of an upgrade. See this - Upgrade to Windows 10: FAQ or How to Upgrade to Windows 10 From Windows 7 for Free

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    The wmic serial number with the OEM designation is the Win7 license key for that particular mainboard. Use it.

    Jack E/NJ