Windows 10: Can't activate Windows 10. Tried everything.

I just don't know what to do at this point. Won't activate from the "Get Windows 10" program. Won't activate from the MediaCreationTool. It fully downloads and then restarts, but restarts to Windows 8.1

Endless failed updates, Tons of useless downloads in my softwaredistrubution folder.









I get that far and the bottom screen just dies. Doesnt tell me what went wrong. Doesnt tell me anything.

I downloaded the .ISO file to a USB and thats useless too, When I boot from my USB it just starts up Windows 8.1

:)

 

Activate Windows

I recently (6 months ago) had a major hardware failure, and had to have a new motherboard installed. Before this I had upgraded to Windows 10 and everything was fine. The shop that fitted my new motherboard also installed Windows 10, since when I have been
getting upgrades which have installed ok, until recently when Activate Windows has appeared in my desktop. Whenever I try to do this, I can't, because I get an error message )xC004F074. I've tried troubleshoot, and everything, but I can't activate. My computer
is getting slower and slower. I would like to 'activate' Windows, but can't!

Someone, please help!!!

Colin

 

Activating windows 10

I downloaded Windows 10 for free through an advert by Microsoft on my DELL Laptop,
So I did so ....

The process took a while and eventually .. Ta-Daa

Windows 10 was installed,

IT now discreetly says, on My screen ....

Activate Windows

Go to Settings to Activate Windows.

When I do it says ..

We can't activate windows on this device as we can't connect to your organization's activation server etc,etc

and gives me an Error code "0xC004F074".

Iv'e tried the troubleshooter

and says can't activate you might not be connected to the Internet,(I am definitely am)

and to contact your system admin.

BUT everything works on it i.e. apps,etc,

WHY

 

Any help would be great

 

I would suggest making an image of your current Windows 8.1 using Macrium Reflect and saving it onto an external USB hard drive (it will probably be too big to fit on a USB memory stick). Use the Windows troubleshooter (built into Windows 8.1) to reset your windows 8.1 install - which will erase all your accounts and data - that's why you make the image first. Make sure the Windows 8.1 is activated. In Windows 8.1, insert the Windows 10 USB you created (don't boot from it), and run setup.exe from the USB.

Something in your Windows 8.1 seems to have gotten corrupted during all the updates it's done since it's been installed and that's keeping it from upgrading. Once/if Windows 10 upgrades, you can load Macrium Reflect again, mount the image file you created, and retrieve your data. Or if Windows 10 upgrade fails, you can do a full restore from the image you created and be right back where you started.

 

Your problem seems to have started in JUNE when only the TP version was available, had you enrolled for the insiders preview???.

Thats whats i think is getting in the way.

As for installing via usb you will have to go into your BIOS settings and select load from USB as your primary option.

Roy

 

He has to have a successful upgrade installation first to get Windows 10 to activate. He doesn't need to boot from the USB to do an upgrade.

 

I have three pcs; two have been installing just fine. The laptop refused. Finally I removed the non-system drive (ssd) and the install succeeded. Have no idea if that's your problem, but mine turned out to be simple. I went through much stress before I fixed it.

 

Hi Navy,

He said DOWNLOADED iso to USB , NOT an upgrade.

As his comp boots straight to W8 its obviously picking up the HDD as the primary boot option.....
which is why he needs to change his Bios

Roy

Got the date thing wrong im English
Its not actually an activation problem its a download failure

What is the error code from
ControlPanel>admintools>EventViewer>Microsoft>windows>WindowsUpdate>6/8/15

 

Hey Hawkman, booting from his USB won't do him any good because he has never successfully upgraded to Windows 10 yet - just like he has never booted from his USB yet. Yes, he has to change his BIOS boot order to boot from the USB, but that won't do him any good at this point because he needs to get a successful upgrade first to activate Windows 10 and booting from the USB will do nothing more to accomplish that.

To upgrade from a USB you plug in the USB while operating in the old operating system and just run setup.exe form it.

 

Well if I successfully upgraded to 10, I would have 10. I have downloaded 10, many times, as you can see by my image, it gets fully downloaded but then doesn't activate. I dont use a SSD. And when trying to boot my USB, I do change my primary boot option to the USB.

 

http://s15.postimg.org/8mkzamj8b/Untitled3.png

I can get to EventViewer, but not sure where to go from there

 

And since you haven't successfully upgraded to 10 - which is why there is no need for you to boot from the USB at this point in time until you do get a successful upgrade - then if you want a clean install of Windows 10 you will need to boot from the USB (or DVD).

 

Ok so how do I get a successful upgrade then

 

I posted how in posts #5 and #10. But, I think I might see your problem. You stated you saved the ISO to a USB. Did you just copy the iso file itself? If so, that is the problem. The iso file is just an image - like a zip file. You have to actually mount it or extract it to see the files inside the iso file.

An easier option is to run the Windows Media Creation Tool and select one of the first options that comes up which is "Upgrade this PC now". If the upgrade fails, see post #5.