With Microsoft's latest announcement, the direct upgrade path from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10 has been officially discontinued. On a more positive note, the avenue for upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 remains accessible, even if utilizing a pre-activated Windows 7 or 8.1 key.

Concurrently, a significant alteration has taken place in the activation process, specifically concerning the Hardware ID (HWID) server, which has been abruptly terminated. This change has ramifications for volume keys activated via the Key Management Service (KMS), as they are now rejected in favor of Microsoft Activation Scripts (MAS). Consequently, keys procured online as volume keys at a minimal cost may no longer be viable for reactivation. Activation via MAS stands as a feasible alternative.

These modifications are exclusively applicable to the transition from Windows 7/8.1 to Windows 10, primarily affecting volume keys readily available on the internet. Those who have already undergone this transition or activated their systems using these keys will retain their activation status. Empirical evidence from our Telegram group supports this assertion.

Microsoft appears to be progressively phasing out this capability within the activation process, with full implementation anticipated in the forthcoming 24H2 release. Consequently, if you possess an older key, there exists a limited timeframe to activate Windows 11 23H2 with that key/license before this feature is completely withdrawn.