Windows 10: Activating Windows 10 on a new machine after old one died

My old computer died without warning. The computer I built and had purchased a retail copy of windows to install on, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I bought it it could have been that it was Windows 8 I actually bought and then upgraded as I built this computer quite a few years ago now. I thought I'd managed to retrieve the product key by using an external drive casing and ProduKey, but now having tried to activate my new computer that I purchased without windows installed I've found out it's a generic Windows 10 retail key, and won't activate on my new machine.Is there some

:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Clean install of W10 not possible in Virtual Machine.


Please get a cup of coffee, lean back and think an answer for these two questions. Take your time, then check the answers below the questions:

Questions:

1. If you do a clean install of let's say Windows 10 Insider Build 10525 on a totally new computer which has never had an activated Windows 10 on it, does it activate?
2. If you do a clean install of Windows 10 Insider Build on a computer where the underlying Windows 10, upgraded from a qualifying old operating system has already been activated, does it activate?

Answers:

1. No, of course not.
2. Yes, of course.

Why do you think that a virtual machine would make any difference? You have tried to install Windows 10 on a totally new machine which has never had an activated Windows 10 installed, therefore the Microsoft activation servers block the activation due invalid machine ID. In the highlighted part in below quote you admit your mistake yourself, plain and simple, yet you when doing this wrong draw conclusion that even if done correctly it would not work:

What you have tried is essentially the same as if you took a brand new real physical PC without any operating system, which has never had any operating system, and then installed Windows 10 Insider Preview wondering why it does not activate! Virtual Machines behave exactly the same way; if you want to clean install Windows 10 Insider Preview and get it activated you must do it on an existing virtual machine, one which has already had an upgraded Windows 10 activated. This "computer", the virtual machine, its machine ID is marked on activation servers as valid and activated and it will of course activate.

Be it a virtual machine or a physical computer, you cannot activate a clean installed Windows 10 Insider Preview on a totally new machine. How difficult can this be to understand?

When clean installing Windows 10 Insider Preview on a computer which has already had a previous Windows 10 Insider activated, you do not use the product key! It will be asked twice, once before the installation starts and once after the last reboot to OOBE phase. In both cases you skip the product key and your Windows will be automatically activated.

 

Activate new device with old device' product key

No, you can't do what you are suggesting, because the Windows 10 Pro license you mentioned is pre-loaded on the old machine. OEM licenses as they are called are not transferable. Only if the Windows 10 Pro was a retail store bought license would be able
to do that. Otherwise, you have to purchase an entirely new full version license for the Windows 10 Home computer you now have.

Open Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation > Go to Store

Click the $99 button the make your purchase the follow the on screen instructions.

Learn more about transferring licenses:

• How to Transfer your Windows 10 License to a New Computer