Windows 11: no more system activation with a Windows 7 or 8 key

Microsoft has stopped the trick users used to enable Windows 11 and 10 using Windows 7 or 8 license keys.

It’s the end of an era where Microsoft extended the ability to migrate from one version of Windows to another for free well beyond its scheduled end date. Since the launch of Windows 10 in 2015, it has been possible to switch from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 or 11, at the time to promote adoption of the new operating system. But the operation was only supposed to last a year…

A long-exploited flaw

With time and the arrival of Windows 11, migrating from Windows 7 to Windows 11 was still possible, with a Win 7 license key. Many exploited this loophole to collect PC keys from recycling channels, reselling them then as activation keys for Win 10 and 11 OS.

This parallel market for activation keys, although unofficial, continued for years, but Microsoft decided to put an end to the practice. The ability to migrate from Windows 7 to Windows 10 or 11, and to activate an installation with a Win 7 key has been disabled without prior warning.

There is only one possibility left for migration

Microsoft has in fact removed the flaw which allowed old Windows license keys to be used. It seems that the only option now available in the migration process remains to switch from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

But this is only possible under certain conditions: that your PC meets Microsoft’s strict criteria, such as a recent processor and an embedded TPM 2.0 chip. Users will therefore have to adapt. The end of an era, yes.

Source : Neowin