My Windows 10 product key doesn't work, what should I do?

[calvinshuhfc]

My Windows 10 Product Key Doesn't Work

I recently upgraded my laptop from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 and I planned to perform a clean install.

I created an installation media on a USB stick and when I boot my computer with it and install the Windows, it tells me that my Windows 10 product key doesn't work.

I obtained the product key using Enchanted Keyfinder while my computer was still on Win 8.1, and then after my computer was upgraded to Win 10, I obtained a different key. I tried activating my Windows using both keys and both didn't work.

Does anyone have a similar problem or am I doing something wrong?

Edit: Or should I just go ahead in the Settings App > Recovery, and click "Reset this PC" to let the computer reinstalls Windows?

 

[James_b_Smith]

Re: My Windows 10 Product Key Doesn't Work

You will not be able to use windows 7 or 8 keys to activate a win10 fresh install from ISO or USB.

 

[calvinshuhfc]

Re: My Windows 10 Product Key Doesn't Work

But using the Win 10 key doesn't work either, it keeps telling me that (my Win 10 key) doesn't work.

 

[OldMillXxX]

Re: My Windows 10 Product Key Doesn't Work

From what I have heard, you can skip it (button to skip) and wait a day or two and it should activate with the current key on it's own. Have not tried myself, just read it somewhere...

 

[jasqid]

Re: My Windows 10 Product Key Doesn't Work

You have to install the same version of win10. Home/pro etc. Do not enter a key. You have to skip the key entry twice during the install process. Once up and running and connected to internet, it will self activate as long as the hardware is the same. This only works if you UPGRADED from win 7 or 8 to win10, and win 10 activated itself before you did the reinstall.

 

[_Emi_]

You are doing it wrong, that's why it's not working for you.

first you don't need the Windows 8 key, you only need the Windows 8 key to activate the Windows 8, you don't need it to activate windows 10.

so what you should have done it's first upgrade from windows 8 to Windows 10, you say you created a usb stick? well, you should have ran the installation inside your Windows 8 (this is the way I did, so I don't know about booting upgrading option from boot) But you had to wait for Windows 10 to be installed.
and then when Windows 10 is installed and it says activated. you can clean install your computer, now you can plug your usb stick, boot and clean install, then it will ask you for a key, and you have to skip it twice.
and that's all you need to do. you don't need to write any key anywhere.

Windows 10 serial activation is managed by your hardware. so as long as your hardware is on the "database" you will get activated. in fact, everyone has the same key on Windows 10, because what makes the activation work is the hardware so as long as it said "activated" the first time from 8 to 10 (thing you didn't seem to do) you then can clean install as many times as you want and it will activate by itself.

but you first HAVE to upgrade and then you can clean install. that was your mistake it seems. you just clean installed right away, without upgrading and letting your hardware be activated and recognized.

so what you can do it's go back to Windows 8, use the Windows 8 key to activate windows 8. and then upgrade to Windows 10 within Windows 8. and when you have Windows 10 and it says "activated" you can clean install whenever you want.

 

[tgp]

The Windows 10 keys for installations that are upgrades from Windows 7/8/8.1 are the same. Is your Windows 10 key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T? That is a generic one that everybody has, at least if you have W10 Pro. It might be different with different versions of Windows 10. The key itself means nothing; you cannot do anything with it. Your computer is activated based on its hardware.

If you already upgraded to Windows 10 and it activated, then you will be able to do a clean install. Windows 10 will automatically activate because your computer is already registered in Microsoft's activation servers as having Windows 10.

 

[Richard Servello]

Re: My Windows 10 Product Key Doesn't Work

You have to upgrade your installation first. Then you can reinstall win 10. You can't activate from an old license until you upgrade tho.

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