Windows 10: Cannot activate Windows 10 after custom PC rebuild

Hi, recently we rebuilt my PC from scratch - new motherboard, CPU, etc, minus the hard drive. Prior to this I made sure that my copy of Windows 10 was linked to my Microsoft account. I guess here is where I made my fatal mistake, because I forgot to write down my product key.


After putting all the new parts in I was having problems with Windows so I decided a re-installation was in order. I did not reactivate Windows before doing this since I didn't see the point, maybe this was another mistake, I don't know.


After the reinstallation I get an error code, 0xC004F213 - no product key. The troubleshooter doesn't activate Windows of course, so I choose the hardware change option. It gives me the choice to choose my old computer from the list and I choose it, and I get a generic "We can't reactivate Windows on this device. Try again later" message with no explanation as to what's wrong. It's been 2 days now and I can't activate.


I contacted customer service already to see if they could help and unfortunately the response was less than inspiring, since they said they can't do anything without the product key after changing the motherboard. The website I purchased the key from has gone out of business, so there's no getting the key from them again. Am I really just out of luck over forgetting to write the key down? I really can't afford to spend $200 buying Windows again from Microsoft, and it's extremely frustrating when there's a perfectly good license tied to my Microsoft account that isn't being used.

:)

 

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.

 

Lost default photo viewer after profile rebuild


Thanks Brink. I've tried those steps before i started searching Google. After the profile rebuild i don't have the Photo app listed to choose to make it default in either the system settings for default apps or the Open With option.

I can't even find it doing a search. Seems to have been removed somehow with the profile rebuild, which doesn't make sense.

Might be helpful to list what i've done I've done the open with check, the choose default program in the system menu, tried that in device manager default programs also. I've checked the programs and features Turn windows features on/off and it's not listed there (never thought it was but that was a suggestion), searched the MS Store, it's not listed there either.

I don't like playing in the registry unless i have defined steps and haven't found anything for this yet, just the Win7 version like in my OP.

 

PC rebuild

I had to rebuild an old pc with apps I need that are not current but run on Windows Vista Ultimate. When I try to activate Vista, the MS server says the product key is in use (was activated on the old drive that failed, hence the rebuild). How do I get
the server to allow me to activate my valid Windows Vista Ultimate on this rebuild?