Windows 10: Can't activate windows after clean install

Thanks for all your help but it looks like I have another issue on her PC as well. During all this fooling around, I kept getting the mesage popping up on her desktop that Windows had Security Updates that needed to be installed but couldn't until the PC was brought up to the current version. It started updating on its own and taking forever.

I decided to check her page file and was startled to see that her 'Default Operating System' was Windows 7 (System/ Advanced System Settings/Advanced/Startup and Recovery/Default Operating System). If I select the main System page (Control Panel/System), it shows Windows 10 Home.

OK, so what's happened here?

Also, could this be the underlying issue with not being able to activate the upgrade to Win 10 Pro 64bit?

 

I had originally asked you if she had W10 Home, but removed it because you said she had W10 Pro.

That`s why it won`t activate, use the W7 Pro key to activate windows 10 Pro, as I stated in my 1st reply *Smile

 

AddRam - I'll give it a try this evening and post back.

Thanks.

 

Checking her MS account/devices, I see that her online device OS is Pro, v 10.0.16299.15 but her Control Panel/System displays Home. So, where can I find the correct version?

Here's some info that might help:




Also, I'm being led to believe that I can't actually upgrade from the free Home 32bit to the free (.iso) Pro 64bit, since that is a completely different OS that what was free in the first place. Is that right? If so, I'll have to buy the Pro version.

 

No, bitness does not matter.

Take the 64bit Windows 10 media, boot it, delete all partitions on the drive then click next and let the installer create what it needs. Select Windows 10 Pro and off you go.
It's that simple.

 

Great. Thanks for all your help!!!!!

 

But you still need a key for W10 Pro, either use the W7 Pro key or you`ll have to buy one.

Your wife`s install is W10 Home, so you need a key for W10 Pro, period.