Cannot activate win 10 after reinstall?

Gymrat76

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Tried reinstalling Win10 for my wife's PC last night onto a new SSD. Booted from win 10 install USB, formatted the drive and installed without problems. After installation it wouldn't let me activate.

Copy is an upgrade from Win 7 previously which I used s 3rd party software to display the Product key and noted down before I did the install as I didn't have it. It was installed years ago when I bought the entire rig from PCT. The previous install was not associated with any Microsoft account as back then there was no such feature, which is why I took down the Product Key in the first place.

What should I do now?

I did the exact same install on my own PC just a few days ago and it went well without any issues. Didn't even need the Product Key in the end but now I'm prompted to enter which is apparently not valid.
 
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eric3743

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Tried reinstalling Win10 for my wife's PC last night onto a new SSD. Booted from win 10 install USB, formatted the drive and installed without problems. After installation it wouldn't let me activate.

Copy is an upgrade from Win 7 previously which I used s 3rd party software to display the Product key and noted down before I did the install as I didn't have it. It was installed years ago when I bought the entire rig from PCT. The previous install was not associated with any Microsoft account as back then there was no such feature, which is why I took down the Product Key in the first place.

What should I do now?

I did the exact same install on my own PC just a few days ago and it went well without any issues. Didn't even need the Product Key in the end but now I'm prompted to enter which is apparently not valid.

Don't quite understand your this procedure.

Usually it may have to use the original Windows 10 set up files to do fresh install &or reinstall.

If you use the same Windows as a clone copy from a particular PC to do reinstall to another PC it will not work.

Download a fresh > Windows 10 from Microsoft and install.
 

jas1701

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Try to use your Win7 key and see if it works. Win10 till now still accept win7 and win8 key.
 

Gymrat76

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Don't quite understand your this procedure.

Usually it may have to use the original Windows 10 set up files to do fresh install &or reinstall.

If you use the same Windows as a clone copy from a particular PC to do reinstall to another PC it will not work.

Download a fresh > Windows 10 from Microsoft and install.

I did. Fresh install from the USB stick from the Windows Media Creation Tool
 

Gymrat76

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Try to use your Win7 key and see if it works. Win10 till now still accept win7 and win8 key.

Don't have the Win7 key liao. Microsoft also not helpful, told me to buy a new copy of Win10 since after hardware change the previous key associated with the hardware is gone.

Quite fed up to be told that I need to pay again for a new license key :vijayadmin:
 

uncle_josh

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Did you change any hardware, eg motherboard ?

Sent from 当断不断, 害人害己 using GAGT
 

Gymrat76

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Did you change any hardware, eg motherboard ?

Sent from 当断不断, 害人害己 using GAGT

Yeah, forgot to mention that the mobo died about a month ago, and we replaced mobo, CPU and RAM. It was working fine until last night when the activation issue cropped up. FML
 

SiaoAngMoh

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.. an upgrade from Win 7 previously which I used s 3rd party software to display the Product key and noted down before I did the install

Ok so first install of Win10 you used the Win 7 key and no issues.

I did the exact same install on my own PC just a few days ago and it went well without any issues. Didn't even need the Product Key in the end

Went well means? Activated? Didn't even need the key means you must have had it?

but now I'm prompted to enter which is apparently not valid.

Ok, so you tried the Win 7 key and it didn't work. Did you install the right sku of Windows 10 (pro, home etc)

Don't have the Win7 key liao.

But now you don't have the key? So you lost the key in the last few days?
 

Gymrat76

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Ok so first install of Win10 you used the Win 7 key and no issues.

For this PC, it was the first time I was doing a Win10 install. The PC came with Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit when I got it 5 years ago. Thereafter I did the free Win7 to Win10 upgrade, which did not require a product key



Went well means? Activated? Didn't even need the key means you must have had it?

On my own PC (also upgrade from Win7 previously), the reinstall went well, didn't need to enter any product key at all


Ok, so you tried the Win 7 key and it didn't work. Did you install the right sku of Windows 10 (pro, home etc)

Yes, Win 10 Home.. don't think it's any other version

But now you don't have the key? So you lost the key in the last few days?

I never had the key as it was an OEM license when I bought Win7 with the PC last time. I only got a Product Key because I used a 3rd party software last night to obtain the key just in case I needed it during the Win10 reinstall.

MS support said that the key has been blocked, likely because the motherboard it was tagged to was changed about 3 weeks ago (it died and I bought a new mobo, CPU and RAM)
 

uncle_josh

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That explains why you cannot activate your Windows 10.

OEM licence follow motherboards. If it fails, you need to get a new license.

Only Retail license are allowed transferrable to a new mobo. That's why it is more expensive than OEM license.

Here is a better explaination : https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...0-retail/764fbeee-d875-4d53-a3f7-6471c6259ee9

Yeah, forgot to mention that the mobo died about a month ago, and we replaced mobo, CPU and RAM. It was working fine until last night when the activation issue cropped up. FML
 

Gymrat76

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That explains why you cannot activate your Windows 10.

OEM licence follow motherboards. If it fails, you need to get a new license.

Only Retail license are allowed transferrable to a new mobo. That's why it is more expensive than OEM license.

Here is a better explaination : https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...0-retail/764fbeee-d875-4d53-a3f7-6471c6259ee9

Yes, as it was explained to me. Still think it's a rip off by MS :(

I remembered previously when I replaced my motherboard, I called up MS and they allowed me to move it over, but this time said need to buy new license. Oh well, can still use without activation, so it will do for now
 

jas1701

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TS just to check when you said change new board no activation was required. Did you check the status where it will indicate "Windows is activated". If no could be it a 30 days trial and suddenly after 1 mth, ask for activation.
 

Gymrat76

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TS just to check when you said change new board no activation was required. Did you check the status where it will indicate "Windows is activated". If no could be it a 30 days trial and suddenly after 1 mth, ask for activation.

That was probably the case. Did not remember to actively looki out for it after I changed motherboard. So also prob forgot to mention. Oh well, it is what it is. Maybe can try those legit $20-30 license keys and pray that this motherboard lasts lol
 

jas1701

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Win10 can install without any key during the setup process. It will nag you for activation but you can refuse and continue to use it. The only problem you face is you cant use certain features till you activate it. If you are trying or testing it then no problem.
 

eric3743

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I did. Fresh install from the USB stick from the Windows Media Creation Tool

Since you did change the MB and due to the fact that OEM product key would become invalid when there is MB changed.

Go and get a cheap Windows key to avoid some minor restriction for using without any activation.
 

Gymrat76

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Win10 can install without any key during the setup process. It will nag you for activation but you can refuse and continue to use it. The only problem you face is you cant use certain features till you activate it. If you are trying or testing it then no problem.

No major restrictions as far as I know apart from the watermark and also not being able to personalize the look and feel/themes etc. Can live with that for now until M$ decides to put more restrictions in place.

Unless got lelong for $10 keys during 12.12, else cheapest legit key is around $35-50.
 
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