Windows 10 pro is not activated and I need to know how to get it activated without purchasing a key?

[Windows Central Question]

Windows 10 pro is not activated and I need to know how to get it activated without purchasing a key.

I upgraded for free from windows 7 pro. The download went fine and it rebooted. Did the install and then gave me an =( face and said my install encountered an error. It kept rebooting and nothing would work. I tried f8 but nothing. Followed instructions to do a customer install and everything worked great, but now windows isn't activated. I have had no hardware upgrades.

 

[colinkiama]

I upgraded for free from windows 7 pro. The download went fine and it rebooted. Did the install and then gave me an =( face and said my install encountered an error. It kept rebooting and nothing would work. I tried f8 but nothing. Followed instructions to do a customer install and everything worked great, but now windows isn't activated. I have had no hardware upgrades.

So you are saying your copy of Windows 7 wasn't genuine?

 

[AndyCalling]

No, he isn't. How on earth did you get that from the OP?

OP, currently the install and update system for W10 is rather buggy and has caused grief for many. Best advice is to reinstall W7 and start the whole process again. I have 2 out of the 3 devices I tried to install W10 on that failed. Keep that W7/8 install disc handy, if this is any indication of how the W10 experience will be it'll be needed in a couple of weeks.