Can't go from windows 10 to 8.1

[showbis]

After reading quite a few threads I need the community help.

A while ago my G6 slowed down considerably under windows 10 home (after updates since win 8;8.1 and then 10)

Since I am more a macintosh guy I asked my nephew to do the work on it and reinstall the whole thing.

I thought he installed win 8 and went down the update route but instead, he got a Windows 10 Pro unlicensed there!!! 😫

Now the issue is:

I saw the threads here and went to Microsoft and got Windows 8.1N - (Win8.1_Pro_N_Portuguese_x64.iso)

also got a bunch of apps to see the BIOS product key - and tried the generic it was advised here also to no avail.

I've made a bootable usb using Rufus with it

When I start with 'Esc' F9 and choose the bootable USB and run it all goes well

until it asks for the product key and I am stuck in there, no BIOS key works and I have to cancel everything 

I am stuck and I want to go back and update the 'legal way

Can anyone please help me out

TIA

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Your G6 came with W8 from HP so there is a trick to install W8.1 which I will get to later.

Run the free utility that I zipped up and attached below and post the version of W8 the key reports.

Here is the report of the version of Windows the utility provides for my PC.

This is what I want you to post, not the product key itself.

OEM Edition: Win 8.1 RTM Professional OEM:DM

[showbis]

Hi Paul,

thank you very much for reaching out to help out

Let me see if I got things right

I have ran the app and this is what it says

Now it says

Windows 10 Pro (the one unlicensed I want to take it off)

Regarding on just the info you asked for, here it goes:

OEM Edition: Win 8 RTM Core OEM:DM

The key I see there I've tried it and it did not work, but since win 8 and win 8.1 keys differ might be it

Thanks for trying to help out

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

OK...

Here is the trick to legally reinstall W8.1 by using the W8 product key in your notebook's BIOS...

Install W8.1 by creating the Microsoft installation media, using another Windows PC, if yours is not working...You want the plain W8.1 64 bit file, not N.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO

If you are asked to enter a product key during the installation process, use this generic key.

This is the generic key for W8.1 'Standard.'

334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

When you get to the screen that asks 'Where do you want to install Windows,' delete every partition on the hard drive, leaving just one partition of unallocated space. Click Next, and W8.1 should begin to install.

If you had to enter the generic key, manually change the generic product key to the W8 key in your PC's BIOS in the PC settings menu.

After you get W8.1 installed, and you had to manually enter the W8.1 generic product key, you will need to run the free utility I zipped up and attached earlier that will show you show the W8 product key in your PC's BIOS, or you can print out the key now and skip this step.

I have also zipped up and attached below, the Microsoft tool which hopefully will transfer the ISO file to a DVD or USB flash drive so it is bootable, or you can use whatever process you did previously with the W8.1 N 64 bit ISO file.

Then you can install the available drivers and software from your PC's support page.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/HP-Pavilion-g6-Notebook-PC-series/5330578/model/535...

[showbis]

Thanks Paul,

I am not that great on Windows and PC's I come from the Mac planet but I'll follow each step you advise and I will let you know how it went you made it all seem so simple I think I'll have no issues

 You have been great

thanks mate 👍

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.

Looking forward to reading about the results.