Windows 10: Activation after clean install.

I have an older laptop which was given to me. It started out life as XP ! - but it now has windows 10 and was running quite happily until the creators update trickled down. I have tried everything to upgrade but it always fails.

I am thinking a totally fresh install would now be best. :-

will I need an activation key ?

Where can I find this ?

:)

 

Not activated after clean install

I'm happy for you. I'm still waiting from a week..yes i'm sure that windows 10 was activated after performed the upgrade of windows 8.1.

 

Not activated after clean install

I downloaded Windows 10 yesterday. This is the steps that I took:

1. Downloaded Windows Media Creation Tool

2. Made a bootable CD with the Windows 8 .iso.

3. Upgraded Windows from the Media Creation Tool.

4. After Windows 10 was installed, I did a clean install of Windows 10 on top of the upgraded Windows 10.

I don't know what I did wrong or what, because I'm pretty sure that I followed everything that Microsoft told me. However, it says here that my Windows 10 isn't activated. I've been waiting for a day to see if the Windows servers activate it. But I don't
know... It doesn't seem like it.

Is there anything I can do? Because I'm considering reinstalling Windows 7 and then upgrading again.

 

Anyone who has taken Microsoft up on its free Windows 10 upgrade offer before the expiration date has a "digital entitlement" (or "digital license" as it's called beginning with version 1607) tied to that hardware. That upgrade doesn't expire.

If you activated a free upgrade to Windows 10 or bought and activated Windows 10 from the Store, you have a digital license for your device. This means you can reinstall the same edition of Windows 10 that your device has a digital license for without entering a product key. During reinstallation, if you’re asked to enter a product key, you can skip this step. Windows 10 will automatically activate online after the installation is complete.

 

Actually, now all licences (apart from volume licence keys) get a digital licence since AU 1607 was released.

For early 1507/1611 builds, you had to re-use the key to activate if you had activated using a retail standalone key (bought from a 3rd party) or system builder licence key.

From 1607 onwards, these keys are now granted a digital licence, as well.

 

Yep, even installs with my MAK keys get a DL. Volume License keys are the only ones that don't get a DL. I can remember seeing it toggle from Licensed with a Product Code to Licensed with a Digital license after upgrading to 1607.

Just click "I don't have one" when prompted for a key and install the same Edition (Home, Pro, etc) that you got with the free upgrade. It should then activate with the DL it already had.