Windows 10: Clean install not activated despite upgrading first.

when you say upgraded to win 10 via clean install you mean you formatted c:?

Cheers

 

To be clear I reinstalled Windows 7 Ultimate, then upgraded to Windows 10 Pro using the upgrade option via the media creation tool.

I then downloaded the Windows 10 Pro 64bit ISO and created a bootable drive with rufus.

I then restarted the computer, booted from the USB drive, deleted all partitions on my C: drive and did clean install.

I think the first time I downloaded the Windows 10 Home ISO which is why my copy didn't activate upon installation. This time it was activated as soon as I could hit Win+Pause Break.

I was prompted several times to enter a serial but I had to just skip those screens.

 

It's impossible for you to have performed an upgrade, and have it change edition like that. That means you told it to delete everything, which is a clean install, and you chose the wrong edition from the Media Creation Tool. I suggest restoring Windows 8, then re-downloading the MCT and being careful about which edition you choose.

 

When bought I have windows 8.1 single language.bt now we install a fresh copy of windows 10.bt show that windows not activated... How can activate my windows 10.

 

I never said it changed whilst performing the upgrade and the problem is solved now.

 

You have to perform an upgrade from 7/8 to 10 first. If you did a clean install and missed that step then authentication will fail. The only option is to reinstall the old OS and start again.

 

After upgrade, no activation, said key is 'locked out'....sigh

My 'new' Macrium Reflect FAILED to restore my 8.1 Pro Media Center image, plus I lost that cool blue
Win 8.1 /Windows 7 boot option....CHIT!

Spent 6 hours re-installing 8Pro, downloaded and installed the 200 updates, then upgraded again to 8.1 Pro.
8.1 Pro w/ Media center is now once again activated, but I'm scared shitless to try installing 10 again.

 

windows 10 does not support Windows Media Center

May be why you getting Key Locked out

also no need to install 8 - just install 8.1
download windows 10 media and upgrade

forget the 8/8.1 updates and Media center

 

I do not OWN a legal copy of Windows 8.1.
Sooooooo??? Just re-re-re install Windows 8, then NOT add media center, and THEN try the 10 DVD upgrade?
Would that seemingly then activate 10?

Thanks for the tip!

 

Here's the scoop. The Win10 product key (actually the Win8.1 product key as upgraded computers only get a generic Win10 product key) is stored ON THE MOTHERBOARD, not on the hard drive. Windows 8.1 OEM mobos were required to have this capability (usually with a UEFI BIOS as well). If your mobo has this capability, Win10 will automatically activate after a clean install. If your mobo does NOT have this capability, then there may be issues. MS said that Win7 users may have to enter in the Win7 product key while doing a clean install or might have to call their help desk to activate Win10 on the machine. I think that if you did the upgrade to win10 and it was activated and then you tried a clean install and it did not activate, you need to call MS.

Windows 8 moves to BIOS-based product keys - CNET

 

I'm not sure that I buy this.

Manufacturers have been using BIOS based SLP (system locked pre-installation) keys for a long time. The PC still comes with a COA sticker, but that is not needed to install the OS from the custom install DVD that uses the SLP code. That the author of the article seems unaware of that doesn't do much for his credibility.

I had to reconstitute an SLP Windows 7 installation disk for an old Dell a couple of years ago.

I don't have a personal example that demonstrates that no activation information for the 10 upgrade is retained on the MB: the 2 systems that I've updated were Win 8.1/UEFI systems. One of them ended with a clean install (after the one time upgrade install) of Win 10.

If Microsoft made it so that the ability to activate Win 10 again relies on having a Win 8.1/UEFI system, they've bought themselves a lot of extra support calls.

 

I have a pretty old motherboard (no UEFI etc.) and i had no problem with activating my clean windows 10 installation.

 

That is a relief! It is still too new to figure out why some people are not being able to activate a clean Win10 install. Are they just plain doing something wrong like using the wrong version of Win10 on a DVD? Did they not get the upgrade done correctly before they did a clean install? I have had such a easy time upgrading 5 machines now that were not part of the insiders builds that I don't exactly see how folks could mess up a clean install, but folks are complaining about it even so.

 

I simply do not know. Like in the post above, I simply do not know why some folks were not able to do a clean install after a successful upgrade. This concern comes from a MS blurb (God knows where I saw it tho) that said you might need the Win7/ win8.1 product key when doing a clean install and to contact MS if the clean install does not activate. Yes, possibly a LOT of calls.

 

Let’s understand how Win 10 is activated. There are two scenarios:


- You have original win 7 or Win 8. You CAN’T use your win 7 or Win 8 code to do a fresh install. You will have first to do an upgrade on your win 7 or Win 8 (run setup from inside Windows, I suppose), MS will then verify if your win 7 or Win 8 is original, record your LAN MAC and activate. After this upgrade activation you can do a clean install using the same motherboard (LAN MAC). You just skip inserting the code during installation. To activate, MS won’t verify the Win 10 code, but if the LAN MAC has been used before during an update. Of course, if you have used same Windows 7 or 8 code in more than one computer, only the first one to activate will activate automatically.
Edited:
This scenario was valid for first edition of Windows 10. From Win10_1511 you just place your Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 key code and it will activate.


- You by a buy a Win 10 code. In this case you have to insert the Win 10 code you bought during installation. For what I read, I suppose MS will record the LAN MAC when you first activate, so it will activate automatically regardless when it was last activation, as long as it has the same LAN MAC, or in other words, same motherboard. Don’t know what is the procedure to activate if you change your motherboard (and the LAN code associated). Also don’t know if, with the same Windows copy and code, it is possible to install on more than one computer, using the telephone to activate.

I’m not planning to do the update right away, for obvious reasons. Many bugs to correct and there will be many, many problems and fixes on the next months ahead. The ideal is to wait the first service pack before installing a new OS.