Windows 10: Cannot activate genuine copy after clean install

Since the location is pretty standard:

\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\GenuineTicket.xml

- Is there any chance of an undelete utility being able to resurrect the GT?

 

Probably, however as it only gets nuked after successful DE, it's of no real use subsequently.

 

For the record, here is where it went wrong: " It was a disaster. I decided that instead of trying to clean the OS, I would upgrade it from Windows 7 (genuine) to Windows 10."

If you have a borked OS install, you fix it, or wipe and install fresh, you never upgrade.

 

Windows 7 being a disaster had nothing to do with my problem. The problem was that a moderator in a Microsoft help forum suggested a clean install without mentioning that one should do the upgrade first.

 

Are you sure it was an MS mod or someone else claiming to be? That doesn't sound anyone with 10 or any experience under their belt for that matter since the first place to look would be at the actual MS requirements for seeing any new version replacing an existing installation as well as having a backup plan in case it doesn't go well. Looking at the actual requirements for the free upgrade should have been what was recommended to you there!

 

He had the same type of badges you do under your avatar so he was definitely legit. Stepping away from that for a moment - I really think Microsoft needs to learn from this. It seems like too much of an easy mistake to make and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has experienced something like this. If the COA is rubbed off, bad news. The upgrade path from the Windows 10 icon in the taskbar doesn't always work (as confirmed by the many posts I've seen). That then requires another method (usually manual installation) and the line between getting it right and wrong is pretty thin when you look at the Media Creation Tool and the tutorials out there. I'm not bad with computers by any means but if somebody that is less skilled attempts something like this with the same problems I ran into, it's pretty silly to require them to pay because Microsoft created the problem in the first place. Ok, rant over.

 

Well this is why it is a shame you didn't arrive here first where you could have seen the guide I posted at the top of the thread showing how you could still skip the upgrade but preserve the 7 activation status. When someone asks for me to look and/or repair the OS or see it go on fresh I always get the product key first for that version. If a laptop was missing it they better have written down elsewhere otherwise there's nothing I can do.

I had someone wanting me to put 7 Ultimate on a Vista Basic laptop one time where I could only put Linux Mint on since I only had the Home Premuim dvd for the old version and he had no key for 7! He wanted the laptop for media playback only so I put on an open source player and explained he would need to get a deal on 7 with a key before I could do any more for him. His nephew had brought him along one day when finding out I got other laptops going again.

Unfortunately now your best option without having a valid 7 key to restore 7 and upgrade from that long enough to get the DE needed in order to see a clean install follow that is the MS store. As for whoever that was at the MS Answers site likely they should have explained the need for either an upgrade over or the 7 key instead of taking it for granted you had that already. It would have been for that person to simply state once you saw the clean install you could use the 7 key at this time unlike when 10 first arrived where it was a mandate to see the update take place first so the MS servers would have a record of the hardwares.

 

I think my lesson here is that I need to talk to you in the future! Thanks for the information by the way. I dig Windows 10 a lot more than previous Windows versions and this site can teach me a lot. Have a great weekend!

 

It's a rough break but a good leaner for sure! I know only too well when something doesn't go right how frustrating it can be. I think we have all been there at one time or another! *Doh*Confused

 

No - the error was that you need to know your install key before you clean install. There is no need to upgrade first any more.

 

One question I could ask here would be how long ago was this? I would see where the pre-Threshold 2 Update time frame where a mod would still be thinking an upgrade mandate or simply assuming the labeling would still be intact on the laptop where you had the 7 key to use. The lack of mentioning that you could use the 7 OEM however in a most recent discussion would be problematic since those threads are looked at by everybody sooner or later simply running a search for upgrade information.

Generally the rule of thought prior to 10's arrival would be having already bought the new version already on media(dvd or now usb premade flash drives for 10) or using the "Anytime Upgrade" offer from companies like Dell, HP, Sony, Toshiba, Acer, Asus, etc. whoever else offering that option. With having a key included regardless of option the golden rule of thought has always been seeing a clean install over any upgrade to insure the best end results when going to try any newer version out. Everything starts off fresh and clean with far less worry over buggy upgrade type headaches.

Initially the 10 app was intended for promoting 10 by way of "reserving your free copy" until launch date arrives and suddenly the Media Creation tool is then linked after 10 had been out for a month or so. 10 was also arriving unexpectedly by way of the WU which caused a fuss! Yet MS despite all that still won't be reaching the One Billion mark by the first anniversary coming up. Last count was still under 300 million pcs. This is why MS held off on simply allowing people to use the keys for the existing Windows installs until the November update arrived. 10 was being pushed by way of the updates unless being an experienced user you found the MC tool or Tech Bench download page.

 

You don't need to know your install key if you're upgrading, which is what I was trying to do through the 10 icon in Windows 7. That wasn't working so I had to do a manual install. The tutorial didn't mention taking note of any key. It's not unreasonable to think that a key isn't needed, not just because of what the moderator said, but also because upgrading doesn't require it. If the Media Creation Tool lets you download 10, it should authenticate the moment you create the ISO or USB boot drive based off of your Windows edition before making the change.

 

No previous version of Windows has ever done that.

 

not sure if they was said already but id like to help. Like others said you can do fresh install without upgrade using your windows 7 or 8 key but a major note to keep in mind is it will only take them old keys if your installing windows 10 version 1511 if your using the old release it will not take a key then in that case u must use upgrade method once you have a successful activation you never have to enter a key again ever just click skip in the part where it ask for a key

 

Windows 10 isn't like any previous version *Smile