Computer question

Checkmate19

Going to ask here as have got good help in the past. Have a laptop which had windows 8 and the i installed windows 10 (free at the time). Liquid spilled on it and i taught it was goosed but just won't boot. Didn't want to try and mess about as not that good with pc things so gave it in to be fixed. Clown put windows 8.1 on it which is crap. Not bringing it back to him as heard bad reports about him(wish i had known at the time). Question is can i get laptop back to windows 8. It didn't come with a disc. Shop bought about two and half years ago. Thanks.

Digital Solitude

Why would you want to go back to 8? Is 8.1 not universally hailed as a totally superior OS

Checkmate19

It seems the pages in google for websites the text is blurry and the sizing is poor. If you open for example a page on the rte website it
takes up the whole screen. The text and font and sizing on pages is poor.

fritzelly

Just reload W10 back on to it - you say it was already upgraded to W10 so your previous key will work for either a new install or an upgrade

The blurry text could be a few different things but most likely DPI scaling

Checkmate19

Ok thanks. On 8.1 can you change the dpi scaling for google chrome.

fritzelly

I would just upgrade to W10 again tbh

The blurry text could be multiple things - if it's just Chrome then look at
http://www.neatorama.com/2014/09/05/Chromes-Font-Looks-Blurry-to-You-Heres-How-To-Fix-It/

Checkmate19

Ok. The person who fixed the pc installed there own windows 8.1. When i gave it to them to fix i had windows 10 on my laptop which had been upgraded from windows 8. My problem is i don't know the license code. Its usually on a sticker i think but its not on the laptop. Didnt get a disc with the laptop and the stuff i got with it is missing as i purchased the laptop about two plus years ago. Is the orginal windows on the machine in the bios or is there a way of getting the key code.

fritzelly

'Most' laptops have a recovery partition
Also you can find the key
http://www.isunshare.com/product-key-finder/find-product-key-for-windows-8-or-8.1.html

Assuming he didn't install something he shouldn't have...

Checkmate19

It looks like 8.1 is installed on my pc from whatever the guy in the shop used. Thats probably over ridden my product info. I don't physically have the product key for the software that came with the laptop when i purchased it. Should have taught more about it before handing the laptop over. Just was in a panic as i taught the laptop was goosed.

Checkmate19

Think i'm after coming across the solution by accident. Font and sizing much better. Cheers for the help it actually help me find the solution by default. Also the dpi scaling has improved the clearness.

fritzelly

I suggest you upgrade to W10 as fast as you can
If there is nothing on the laptop as far as the licence key is concerned then contact whoever you bought it from - they should be able to give you the OEM key originally assigned to the laptop

old_aussie

Is the key under the battery?

ItHurtsWhenIP

OP - License key stickers are so Win7. The license key for Win8, Win8.1 and Win10 are stored within the machine (in the BIOS I believe). So you don't need to worry about him having installed anything naughty. If your Windows has been activated, then you are using the license key of your machine, so is legit.

If you want to upgrade to Win10 - this is still freely available to you, as you had it upgraded previously when the offer was on, so the key is still there.

Checkmate19

Bought it in argos still have the receipt will they give me the license key. Once the guy in the shop installs his own windows on my machine does that overide my license or will it still be on the machine.

riclad

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-places-find-windows-8-product-key/
Embedded in UEFI Firmware

PCs that come with Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT have an encrypted product key embedded in their UEFI firmware. When you reinstall the same version of Windows 8 or 8.1 on a PC that came with it, the product key will be automatically applied and activated. You won’t see any product key prompt — it will all happen automatically.

this means the product key is in your bios laptop rom,
it,ll be applied when you install windows 8 as part of the install process ,
you won,t need to type it in.

IT only works if you install the same version of windows 8,
as was on the laptop before ,
eg windows 8 home premium, or windows 8 pro etc
argos should know what version you had installed .
or google argos ie your laptop,
eg argos ie sony vt508 laptop windows .
And it might show you the page with all the product info on it .
windows version etc

ItHurtsWhenIP

riclad wrote: »

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-places-find-windows-8-product-key/
Embedded in UEFI Firmware

PCs that come with Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT have an encrypted product key embedded in their UEFI firmware. When you reinstall the same version of Windows 8 or 8.1 on a PC that came with it, the product key will be automatically applied and activated. You won’t see any product key prompt — it will all happen automatically.

this means the product key is in your bios laptop rom,
it,ll be applied when you install windows 8 as part of the install process ,
you won,t need to type it in.

IT only works if you install the same version of windows 8,
as was on the laptop before ,
eg windows 8 home premium, or windows 8 pro etc
argos should know what version you had installed .
or google argos ie your laptop,
eg argos ie sony vt508 laptop windows .
And it might show you the page with all the product info on it .
windows version etc

What I said!