Deleting Windows 8 Admin account

[JumBie]

I am purchasing a used computer which comes with Windows 8. The last time i dealt with Windows 8 on a used computer I noticed that the admin account was tied to a Windows account which was tied to the cd-key. I couldn't even get rid of the account on the computer because it required me to login to the hotmail account of the previous owner. So pretty much at that point I realized I was screwed.

Is there anyway to untie the account without having to find the previous owner and have him somehow untie Windows from his email, assuming thats even possible. I would like to technically OWN the copy of Windows that is going to come pre-installed with the computer I am getting.

Any advice would be appreciated.

EDIT: Could a mod transfer this thread over to the OS forum.

 

[Fardringle]

Reinstall Windows. I'd want to do that with a used computer anyway, just to clean up anything left over from the previous owner.

 

[Dahak]

Pretty much no easy way as all the steps require the password to the microsoft account.

What I would do is use something like ProduKey to get the key, which you should have any way and format the machine

 

[JumBie]

Okay, so let me get this straight. If i reformat the key is no longer attached to the previous owners email? I thought this was all server side.

 

[silicon]

I am purchasing a used computer which comes with Windows 8. The last time i dealt with Windows 8 on a used computer I noticed that the admin account was tied to a Windows account which was tied to the cd-key. I couldn't even get rid of the account on the computer because it required me to login to the hotmail account of the previous owner. So pretty much at that point I realized I was screwed.

Is there anyway to untie the account without having to find the previous owner and have him somehow untie Windows from his email, assuming thats even possible. I would like to technically OWN the copy of Windows that is going to come pre-installed with the computer I am getting.

Any advice would be appreciated.

EDIT: Could a mod transfer this thread over to the OS forum.

Could you call Microsoft yourself and transfer the ownership of the OS?

 

[Dahak]

Okay, so let me get this straight. If i reformat the key is no longer attached to the previous owners email? I thought this was all server side.

Correct, the key is not tied to the microsoft account.

 

[G73S]

the key is embeded in the BIOS buddy, even if you format, you can still find the key, the important thing is to install the same edition of Windows that came with the laptop (ie. Windows 8 Core OR Single Language OR Pro they are all different keys)

This thread I found with a simple google search will help you extract the key from BIOS

 

[JumBie]

the key is embeded in the BIOS buddy, even if you format, you can still find the key, the important thing is to install the same edition of Windows that came with the laptop (ie. Windows 8 Core OR Single Language OR Pro they are all different keys)

This thread I found with a simple google search will help you extract the key from BIOS

This is not a laptop, this is a a desktop and the owner installed Windows 8 himself on it.

 

[code65536]

If i reformat the key is no longer attached to the previous owners email?

No, because the key was never attached to the previous owner's e-mail to begin with.

Windows product keys and accounts are two completely separate and unrelated things. Neither is ever associated with the other. (This is not the case with the Office subscription model, but that's a different product.) I still recommend reformatting. And you should still retrieve the key before you do so (because if the key isn't stored in BIOS, then it's wiped off the system entirely when you reformat).