Windows 10: Generic Windows 10 Key cannot be used Error code: 0xC004C003

So after a bad mess last night I had to re-install windows 8.1, then upgrade to windows 10. I tried using my Windows 8.1 key for installing Windows 10 but it denied it. I read about a program called Ultimate PID checker. That can find your key. So I found my supposed Windows 10 Key that is what everyone is calling generic. Now windows is telling me:

So what do I do? Do I have to restart ALL Over and skip the CD key input?





:)

 

Product Key

Error code 0xC004C003 means "The activation server determined the specified product key is in use."

 

windows 10 activation error: 0xC004C003

Please refer and contribute to the following thread if your activation issue still persists ...

Error Code 0xc004c003 - Clean Install after Upgrade - Let's Unite

 

I have this same screen as the attached picture...
If this is indeed a generic key (which I have the same last digits of as well) I believe we are indeed screwed.

I called Microsoft.
Apparently, after you upgraded from your old OS, you were supposed to go into the Activation settings and manually hit the activate button, or wait and make sure that windows automatically activated (which it didn't for most people, there is a 24-48 hour waiting period it takes to verify you I guess) . Your Windows 10 product key is tied to your mobo's BIOS, and this activation is what triggered that pairing...
If you were like me and you thought Windows was smarter than that, you took that generic key given before manual activation and tried to use it on a brand new clean installation.
You were also to NOT enter a product key during the Windows 10 clean installation, and were to wait until you got into the Desktop to later activate it... I fell victim to that as well.

I was told I would NOT get a unblocked key unless I reinstalled my valid version of Windows 8.1, updated it all the way until the latest update, and then upgraded to Windows 10 AGAIN. Then manually activated it in the upgraded 10 installation, then clean installed onto the PC, without activating until I got the the desktop and activated it in the settings manually. I'm assuming there is no product key and that it would read your BIOS, but I would copy down the key using a program after the upgraded copy is verified anyways.
So yeah, My only hope is that I can do this all over again on another Hard drive, from
8.1 (with an eternity of the latest updates)>10>activate>copy key> and use that on my current 10 installation.
Even then, it may require a brand new clean installation that skipped the key entry in the first few steps, so going through all of this still may be a bust for my current clean install...

What the actual F\/<k Windows? Thanks for the guidance. They're unforgiving too, this is the only way to do it, no freebie product keys.
Time to grab either a $20 HDD and waste 4-5 hours doing this all over again or pay up $119.99 for a windows 10 license...

If you else hears or discover otherwise, please let me know!

 

I can tell you windows 10 has nothing to do with BIOS

 

I guess it's not tied to your BIOS (the Microsoft operator kept saying that, he must have had no clue) but it is tied to your specific motherboard, I'm guessing by serial number or etc.