Windows 10: Change Product Key in Windows 10

Not working. I enter the 9 blocks of digits which are accepted. A recorded message then say to wait while an activation code is generated, which is then followed by another message saying the key was not accepted. That takes me to the phone help which I've tried 3 or 4 times already. I'll have to try again tomorrow or next week and use a landline phone which might be more 'intelligible'. The audio quality from the operators is so poor that I can't make out what they are saying half the time.

Honestly, it s l ke t y a e tal I g on a co r less ph ne wh n wa k ng ar u d

*Smile

 

This product key is being used on another PC. Please try a different key. Error code: 0x803FA071

You need to transfer your Windows 8/8.1 license to a new computer, because the automated phone activation system does NOT work on Windows 10, if you see an error message that says "This product key is being used on another PC" and if you are using a Windows 8/8.1 product key.

So you will first need to perform a clean installation of Windows 8.1 to a new computer (enter your Windows 8/8.1 product key) and then activate your copy of Windows 8.1 via the automated phone activation system (select the "Call support" option). When Windows 8.1 is activated, just do a fresh Windows 10 install (enter your Windows 8/8.1 product key), or you can upgrade Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. After the Windows 10 installation is complete, Windows 10 will be automatically activated online.

 

Hello Nipax, *Smile

Windows 10 can now be directly activated with a Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key that you have upgraded from to Windows 10.

 

That won't work, Mooly will get the same error message.

This is what Mooly is going to have to do first on the new PC once they have an activated Windows 8.1 on it and Mooly will probably have to use phone activation get activate the Windows 8.1. Once the upgrade to Windows 10 is successfully done and activated, then the hardware ID for the new PC will be saved on Microsoft activation servers and a clean install of Windows 10 can be done.

Unless they are getting the error message "This product key is being used on another PC". Then, apparently, they have to go back and install Windows 8.1. Activate it via phone activation. Then upgrade in place to Windows 10.

 

But activation would not be successful if you receive the following error message: This product key is being used on another PC.

So you will first need to perform a clean installation of Windows 7/8/8.1 to a new computer and then activate your copy of Windows 7/8/8.1.

 

If it's actually for the same PC you are trying to activate on, you should be able to just activate by phone instead of having to do a clean install.

On a new PC, then yes a clean install will be needed.

 

Thanks. I've done as you suggested and installed 8.1 onto the PC in question and following automated phone activation W8.1 is now activated.

I now want to clean install W10 and so I understand I now need to enter the W8.1 product key into the W10 initial screen... which it does say 'if you are installing a different version..... etc'.

That's going to be a 5 or 6 hour install again (buggy driver). I just glad I didn't put the time in setting the first W10 install up with all my software and so on.

 

Yes.

When installation is finished, Windows 10 will be activated automatically.

 

Lets hope so. I'm just at the early stages of the install (only 1 hour in) and so haven't found out yet.

 

Well... W10 has activated OK *Smile

So I did have to install 8.1 first, activate using the automated phone service, and then clean install W10 entering the W8.1 product key at the start of the W10 installation. So as Nipax suggested, simply clean installing W10 doesn't seem to work without first installing W8.1 that the license key relates to.

Thanks *Smile

 

Hi..
I have a situation.. I had 2 computers running Windows 7 pro.. I upgraded 1 to Win 10 and it was Activated.. In error, I used the same product key for Win 10 to activate the 2nd computer.. and it went through.. So now I have 2 computers with the same Windows 10 product key and both Activated... I tried to change the product key with a Windows 8.1 key that my school provided me with...once I input the win 8.1 product key...it goes through and I get the message, "Windows is activated"...but it does NOT change the product key.. so both computers have the same Product Key.... will this be an issue later even though both are activated?

 

On the activation tab of the updates & security settings menu, do the computers show as activated with a digital entitlement? If they do, then you are good to go. The digital entitlement is stored on Microsoft activation servers.

 

Yes, they both say "Windows 10 on this device is activated with a digital entitlement." - - - I was doing more research and noticed that others have the same product KEY as I do.. ending in 3V66T.. I guess those are system generated keys and what matters is the Product ID activation?

 

It's actually the Installation ID which is made up of a number of components, one of which is the Hardware ID which is what makes the Installation ID unique to that computer.