Need help figuring out activation codes...

[_Pandemic_]

Hey - glad to be here. I'm comfortable with Windows but I've encountered an issue I need help with.

I have a machine that originally came with Vista. At some point it got 7 pro and now it has 10 pro. I never installed 7 pro on it, otherwise I would have blown away the built in HP reinstall software you see at boot.

The PSU died in this machine so I'm trying to activate pro on a newer machine. I've tried a few activation codes for windows 7 disks I have in case I did install it - no dice. I managed to figure out the activation code on the old machine. When I used it on the newer machine (running 10 home) it did upgrade to pro but wouldn't activate.

I'm not sure what to do from here.

Thanks!

 

[Clintlgm]

I think since you were upgrading, that the license won't carry over to a new machine. The activation is linked to your old hardware.

I have been able to replace a bad Mother Board with a similar one, but then I had to use the phone in option to activate.

Have you tried the phone in option to activate? that may work for you.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi _Pandemic_,,

as Clintlgm points out, if you have made major changes to the hardware, phone activation is your best bet, I did this once myself, it is a boring process and you should note the codes they give you as you can use them again the future without having to listen to the codes being read out on the phone should you need to!.

If W10 was on the rig already, you won't need any key, just click on "I don't have a key" during the install process and carry on, after install use the phone option!.

 

[_Pandemic_]

I tried using slui 4 or something but only slui was available and was asking for the code. I've not been able to find a way to do the phone activation yet.

If I try to upgrade my 10 home activation code it wants a code - when I use the one from the old machine it will work but won't work past that point. I didn't see a way to force phone activation.

 

[Wolfie]

just click on "I don't have a key" during the install process and carry on, after install use the phone option!

as I said earlier!. just skip the part about entering the key and continue!.

 

[_Pandemic_]

So, I'm booted in 10 home. I have an option to change product key and no option to skip entering it. The only other option is to upgrade via the store...

I'll try the one I tried before that did work and see what I can do from there.

 

[_Pandemic_]

I've updated to 10 pro:

Windows is not activated
We can't activate windows on this device because you dont have a valid digital license or product key. if you think you do have a valid license or key select troubleshoot below. Error code: 0x803f7001

options:
go to store
change product key
troubleshoot

selected troubleshoot:

"we found a windows 10 home digital license for this device running windows 10 pro. To activate this digital license you need to install windows 10 home.

you can also activate this device by going to the store and purchasing a genuine copy of windows."

options: go to store
i changed hardware on this device recently (selected)


Now it wants me to log into a microsoft account...

 

[Wolfie]

If you chose a different version of W10; you will need a new key, I assume you had W10 Home before?. If you are doing a fresh install with a different version; you can still skip the part about putting in a key but it won't activate until you buy a new key for the version you have.

If you do a complete fresh install of your original W10 version that you had before, you won't need a key because it already has a digitally signed key and will activate once the install is complete!. Download a copy of W10 again and make sure it is the same as the version you had installed before and wipe the drive, before you do that, make sure you BACK UP ALL YOUR PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS ETC THAT YOU NEED!.

You can choose to login with a local account when first setting up the user details ("Make it yours" window), look down the page (bottom left) and on "Skip this step", then set up a local account.