Windows 10: Cant activate after a clean install of windows 10

Hi all,


I have had my pc for about 3 years now, it was a custom build sent to me from a trusted 3rd party. The pc initially came with windows 7/8.1 and I received the windows 10 upgrade through the insider program. After 3 years the PC had became a bit sluggish and I felt it was time to start fresh.

I performed the reinstall through the windows OS and chose to delete all my files as I had backed them up.

Before I started I did some research and seen that the install would have no issues as I wasn't changing any hardware etc and that the license would reactivate when setting back up.

This is not the case though, I am being told by the PC that windows has not activated, No key exists and the trouble shooter is completing telling me "We can't activate your copy of windows. Make sure that you are online and try again, if you are connected to the internet contact your system admin" with a link to I recently changed hardware.

I am online as I'm writing this FROM the PC, I haven't changed any hardware and from what I've read the motherboard should have been enough to identify it as the same PC to activate it. I am using the same Microsoft account and have changed nothing between last night when I started the process and this morning.

I even scheduled a call from Microsoft support who tell me that I need the original windows 10 activation key (was never supplied with one) or I cant get my PC reactivated. They don't seem to understand that it came pre-installed and upgraded with no codes.

I've reached out to the 3rd party for the original windows 7/8.1 code but have no idea if I will get a reply after this long.

Any help would be appreciated


Will

:)

 

Clean Install Workaround for Vista

You may remember this news story on techPowerUp! a couple of days ago relating to the lack of clean installs when using the Upgrade Editions of Vista, which required an old OS to be installed. However, Paul Thurrott has managed to find a workaround for this issue, which ironically lets users do a clean install Vista without any previous version of Windows, albeit a little tedious. Here are the steps:

• Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD as normal
• When prompted for a product code, leave this blank
• Select the version of Vista you have purchased and let Vista install
• When you boot to your desktop for the first time, run the Vista setup from Windows
• This time enter your product key
• When asked whether you want to do an Upgrade of Custom install, select custom and choose a clean install
• Windows will now install for a second time and you should be able to activate it

Remember, these steps are only advised for use in order to achieve a clean install of Vista, it is only legal to use the upgrade editions if you have previously purchased the appropriate version of Windows.

Source: DailyTech

 

Clean Windows 10 (?PRO?) install

I have bought a legit "Windows 10 Pro" key of a key website. It is legit since i'm currently using it for over a year now. I currently have Windows 10 Pro installed on my PC and I want to do a clean install. I just can't find the windows 10 Pro download in the tool. But if i could use a windows 10 pro key with a normal windows 10 install, I'll be good to go.

 

Is it time for Windows 10 already?

Here's a good step by step guide on doing a fresh install.

How to clean install Windows 10 from a USB drive - Software - Feature - HEXUS.net