Windows 10: Clean install after upgrade and now not activated: troubleshooting

Some months ago I upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 pro. I recently did a clean install, spent hrs setting up the system the way I wanted and then received a prompt about activation. After this I did another clean install of Windows 10 Pro N with the same result.

No hardware was changed in this process.

My questions are:
- Is there a way to query the Microsoft database to confirm my license?
- What do the licenses specify. Is it just home/pro/enterprise and with/without media bells and whistles (N)?
- Does it matter if you select personal vs business in the set-up process (after install)?
- Can it take some time for the activation to register? e.g. If I left my system running for a week, would the system eventually recognize the computer in the database?
- Should I try the home edition? It was definitely a pro license, but at least I would be trying something ... out of other ideas.

:)

 

Not activated after clean install

I'm happy for you. I'm still waiting from a week..yes i'm sure that windows 10 was activated after performed the upgrade of windows 8.1.

 

Not activated after clean install

I downloaded Windows 10 yesterday. This is the steps that I took:

1. Downloaded Windows Media Creation Tool

2. Made a bootable CD with the Windows 8 .iso.

3. Upgraded Windows from the Media Creation Tool.

4. After Windows 10 was installed, I did a clean install of Windows 10 on top of the upgraded Windows 10.

I don't know what I did wrong or what, because I'm pretty sure that I followed everything that Microsoft told me. However, it says here that my Windows 10 isn't activated. I've been waiting for a day to see if the Windows servers activate it. But I don't
know... It doesn't seem like it.

Is there anything I can do? Because I'm considering reinstalling Windows 7 and then upgrading again.

 

Hi there, SFrav. Welcome to Windows TenForums.

At times activation does take a few days or so, but certainly not a week. You must've had digital license.

Do not install Home for I don't think it will activate.

Pro N has no windows media apps.

If you have your Windows 7 keys enter them via Settings app > Update & Security > Change product key. It should then activate.

If that doesn't work you'll have to call Microsoft.

 

Something else I found: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ivation-errors

 

So if the watermark comes up saying that it's not activated, then it might resolve itself in a few days?

My error number was 0x803f7001 "This error means we didn’t find a valid Windows license for your PC."

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

See if you can find information in these links about windows 7 > windows 10 > clean install > activation:

Windows not activated after clean install Solved - Windows 10 Forums

FAQ: How to install, reinstall, upgrade and activate Windows 10 | ZDNet

 

Ok. I see some people's clean installs were activated after a few days. I'll wait it out and see.

Thanks!

 

Pro "N" will not activate with a Pro Digital License. If your original upgrade was to 10 Pro (the regular non N version) your current Pro N install is not going to activate no matter how long you wait. The Editions have to match exactly for the auto activation with a DL to work. Home is one licence, Home Single Language is another. Then Pro, Pro N, Pro KN etc. These each require specific product codes to activate and each have a different Digital License. If the original install was 10 Pro, that's what you need to install. Installing any other edition will fail to activate. The only exception is Windows 10 S. It for some reason will activate with a 10 Pro DL. It did for me anyway. I'd stay with 10 Pro though, 10 S is heavily restricted and locked down.

 

To second what @alphanumeric posted, if you have Windows 10 Pro N installed now, 99% chance it is the wrong version and will not activate. If the computer came from the factory with Windows 7 installed, does it have a Windows 7 COA (Certificate of Authenticity) sticker attached anywhere? If it is still readable, it will have a product key printed on it and tell what version it is for. As of right now you can still use the Windows 7 product key printed on such stickers to activate the matching version of Windows 10, but we don't know how long that will last.

But, if the sticker says Windows 7 Pro - the product key will only activate Windows 10 Pro - not Windows 10 Pro N.

 

@alphanumeric I agree that Windows S is too restrictive for many purposes.
@NavyLCDR I am sure it was windows 7 pro and then upgraded to windows 10 pro. I have a screenshot of the 'about' page (win version, product id ect.) from before I upgraded.
Unfortunately I don't have the product key attached, and I formatted the recovery partition.

Can I do anything with my previous product ID? If I speak to Microsoft and give them the product id along with some details that would identify my hardware in their database, would that help?

Still not activated by just sitting and waiting.

 

There is a cost for upgrading windows s.
This cost can be waived by the Microsoft honor system.

How do I switch to Windows 10 Pro on my Windows 10 S PC?You can switch to Windows 10 Pro easily at any time through the Windows Store for an affordable price; payment is collected through the Windows Store.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ndows-10-s-faq


What Is Windows 10 S, and How Is It Different?

 

Again, though, the last version that you posted that you had installed was Windows 10 Pro N. Is that still the version that you have installed?

 

I spoke to Microsoft tech support. They used ShowKeyPlus to check whether the key was available.

Apparently the product ID is of no use.

The final recommendation was to install windows 7 and then upgrade again.

 

And what are you going to use for a Windows 7 Product Key to activate it with?