Windows 10 Activation/Upgrade/Clean Install FAQ

[Bill Caldwell]

^ If you're 100% sure the previous installation (the one you in-place upgraded from) was genuine and activated, then ensure you have installed all W10 updates, and then wait a few days. If it then still doesn't activate call MS support.

I am 100% sure, thus I will wait the days out.. btw.. what is the MS support number for my reference if this comes to making a call?
Thank you in advance.

 

[a5cent]

Oh ok. So I have to go back to Windows 7 ? ( which is impossible because I don't have anything to re-install windows 7 .. I still have my product key because it's an Asus .. )

what am i supposed to do ?

Again, look at the first post. I've provided links to websites where you can download the official reinstallation media, also for W7.

 

[Bill Caldwell]

FWIW. It fell back to my pre upgrade (8.1 Pro/WMC) image and ran the following..



Looking at my Win+X > Systems shows the same


I do not understand why I can not just rely on the GWX app having shown a good Windows activation and then end up with a Windows 10 Pro that is not active.. and all help online and on STORE insist that I fork out money or spend more time waiting..

Again what is the number in the US to call for reconciling this issue as several hours of do and redo have been invested into trusting that the GWX app and the upgrade would go without issues.
PM if necessary.
Thanks in advance.

 

[a5cent]

Again what is the number in the US to call for reconciling this issue as several hours of do and redo have been invested into trusting that the GWX app and the upgrade would go without issues.
PM if necessary.
Thanks in advance.

You can still use the PC as it is. Just forget about it for a week or two. It's not really that big of an issue.

On a side note, we're not affiliated with MS in any way. We're just a community of enthusiasts helping each other out. I'm not in the U.S. , so maybe someone else who's already used U.S. phone support can help you out with that.

 

[Bill Caldwell]

Thank you for your candidness. I rolled back and will stick to 8. I did not want to be stuck with an edition I can not Personalize.

Thank you so much for the time.
Bill

EDITED: This is the avenue I took to get Microsoft involved. As others have commented..The scripts being told is to wait for up to 72 hours.

partner.support.services.microsoft.com/en-us/contact/menu/software/windows/setup/

 

[Holybeer]

Again, look at the first post. I've provided links to websites where you can download the official reinstallation media, also for W7.

Dude I'm losing every hope .. it says " Unsupported Product

The product key you entered appears to be for software that was pre-installed on a device. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options. ".

Either I buy a W10 licence, either i stay with W10 unactivated...

 

[a5cent]

Dude I'm losing every hope .. it says " Unsupported Product

Likely because you're acting first and thinking/reading/researching second. You need to reverse those two.

Either I buy a W10 licence, either i stay with W10 unactivated...

Buying a license is always an option, it's just more expensive. W10 shuts down after 30 days if it's not activated.

Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options. "

And did you? What device have you got?

 

[Holybeer]

Likely because you're acting first and thinking/reading/researching second. You need to reverse those two.



Buying a license is always an option, it's just more expensive. W10 shuts down after 30 days if it's not activated.



And did you? What device have you got?

it's an Asus K53S I bought few years ago. If I call Asus, they will tell me to buy the recovery kit to install Windows 7. Cost around 70 bucks. And I don't want.

I don't know what are the options to get out of this, without paying anything.

 

[a5cent]

it's an Asus K53S I bought few years ago. If I call Asus, they will tell me to buy the recovery kit to install Windows 7. Cost around 70 bucks. And I don't want.

I don't know what are the options to get out of this, without paying anything.

1) where did you get the product key you are using from?
2) for what version of Windows (number AND edition) is the key for?
3) what ISO did you download? Are you sure the version of Windows you are installing (version AND edition) matches what your key is for?

You can also try using one of the following Windows 7 default keys (work for installation but not for activation):

Ultimate ? D4F6K-QK3RD-TMVMJ-BBMRX-3MBMV
Professional ? HYF8J-CVRMY-CM74G-RPHKF-PW487
Home Premium ? RHPQ2-RMFJH-74XYM-BH4JX-XM76F
Home Basic ? YGFVB-QTFXQ-3H233-PTWTJ-YRYRV
Starter ? 7Q28W-FT9PC-CMMYT-WHMY2-89M6G

 

[Holybeer]

1) where did you get the product key you are using from?
2) for what version of Windows (number AND edition) is the key for?
3) what ISO did you download? Are you sure the version of Windows you are installing (version AND edition) matches what your key is for?

You can also try using one of the following Windows 7 default keys (work for installation but not for activation):

Ultimate ? D4F6K-QK3RD-TMVMJ-BBMRX-3MBMV
Professional ? HYF8J-CVRMY-CM74G-RPHKF-PW487
Home Premium ? RHPQ2-RMFJH-74XYM-BH4JX-XM76F
Home Basic ? YGFVB-QTFXQ-3H233-PTWTJ-YRYRV
Starter ? 7Q28W-FT9PC-CMMYT-WHMY2-89M6G

The product key was already on my PC. I bought it on the Internet through a retailer. Windows was already installed, and it was Windows 7 Home Edition x64. I downloaded the media creation tool x64..

The fact is, I still have a recovery partition on my PC. There are two partitions, one for windows 10 and second one for W7 Recovery. Is it possible to run / create W7 recovery through W10 ? ( I can't post link because I don't have enough posts ... lel ).
Actually, if I try to create a recovery flash usb through Windows 10, it creates a W10 image.

 

[a5cent]

The product key was already on my PC. I bought it on the Internet through a retailer. Windows was already installed, and it was Windows 7 Home Edition x64. I downloaded the media creation tool x64..

The fact is, I still have a recovery partition on my PC. There are two partitions, one for windows 10 and second one for W7 Recovery. Is it possible to run / create W7 recovery through W10 ? ( I can't post link because I don't have enough posts ... lel ).
Actually, if I try to create a recovery flash usb through Windows 10, it creates a W10 image.

Did you check your receipt to ensure the key is really for that version of Windows you are installing?
Did you try installing W7 with one of the default keys I provided?

Either way, something is fishy about your description. The error message sounds like you're using an OEM SLP key, which is what people get when they use a key-extraction tool on a machine from one of the big OEMs (like Asus). You would never have received such a key from an online retailer however. Makes no sense to me. Sorry.

 

[poit57]

I still have a recovery partition on my PC. There are two partitions, one for windows 10 and second one for W7 Recovery.

As long as you have not deleted your Windows 7 recovery partition, you should be able to restore without needing any additional installation media. I don't have experience with Asus computers, but I have used HP's equivalent on both a Windows 7 netbook and a Windows 8.1 desktop computer.

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Troubleshooting K53SV

 

[Holybeer]

As long as you have not deleted your Windows 7 recovery partition, you should be able to restore without needing any additional installation media. I don't have experience with Asus computers, but I have used HP's equivalent on both a Windows 7 netbook and a Windows 8.1 desktop computer.

F8 or F9 doesn't work on W10 .. I only have the bios and boot option available.

 

[Holybeer]

Did you check your receipt to ensure the key is really for that version of Windows you are installing?
Did you try installing W7 with one of the default keys I provided?

Either way, something is fishy about your description. The error message sounds like you're using an OEM SLP key, which is what people get when they use a key-extraction tool on a machine from one of the big OEMs (like Asus). You would never have received such a key from an online retailer however. Makes no sense to me. Sorry.

Yes I just checked my receipt, it says Windows 7 Premium BUT I checked the back of my PC. There is a tag called " OA ". OA = OEM from what I can see on the Internet.

 

[poit57]

F8 or F9 doesn't work on W10 .. I only have the bios and boot option available.

I had a similar issue with the most recent HP and the F11 key for starting the recovery. Try using ESC when you power on to get to the boot menu. That is where I found the option to start the recovery environment. If that doesn't help, that is probably as far as I can help without having an ASUS computer to work with.

 

[Holybeer]

the fact is HP has their own recovery system which is the HP Recovery Manager you can access by several ways. I already tried the Esc button, but it only gives 3 options : HDD, Optical player, and the bios. In fact, I know how to restore an Asus Computer, with the EMS Enabled etc. But there was no such option on my computer. And this is why I didn't restore my PC.

I really think im blocked ..

 

[Holybeer]

Ok I was saying bull*** all the time .. In fact my partition was not active. Which means it was visible, but I couldn't launch it. I randomly check a french thread. I made the partiton " active ", i restarted my computer and .... the recovery system just launched omg .. It's restoring right now. I really feel dumb If everything is ok, i will be able to install W7 with no hard drive issue, and may be .. upgrade to W10.

I'll tell you if everything is ok

 

[Holybeer]

Well.

It works. Licence is activated and works perfectly. Thank you for everything.

 

[kenjancef]

Ok, so how about this:

I have a Surface Pro 3 that I bought back in February, with Windows 8.1 Pro installed. Did the GWX upgrade on the 29th, all went well. Next day I did the clean install via the download site, and activation went well, but next day I got activation errors. I tried changing keys a few times, and finally it worked. Fast-forward to yesterday, having activation issues again. Not sure what's up, but it's pretty darn annoying. The Surface had 8.1 installed by Microsoft (of course) so being that they are the computer manufacturer I need to call them... Thoughts???

 

[poit57]

Did the GWX upgrade on the 29th, all went well. Next day I did the clean install via the download site, and activation went well, but next day I got activation errors. I tried changing keys a few times, and finally it worked. Fast-forward to yesterday, having activation issues again.

Are there any error codes or messages given? The only times I've ever seen a Windows installation be deactivated after a successful activation is when there has been a significant hardware change, such as replacing the motherboard.