Windows 10: I can't activate my Windows 10

@Devilz

Sorry. Ignore my previous post. I forgot this is for an Acer Aspire V3-771G laptop



Earlier on you said you said with regard to your license:

So I want to take things back a little for confirmation

• You have a Win 8.0 installation DVD that came with the laptop,
• The Win 8.0 installation DVD is not an Acer recovery disk but is a proper Windows installation Disk
• You also have a Win 8.1 upgrade DVD that you purchased direct from Microsoft
• The Win 8.1 upgrade was executed without error and Windows was still recognized as genuine product

Please confirm all of the above are correct


But I am still confused as you also posted:

So have you got a Win8.1 upgrade DVD bought from Microsoft, or did you simply upgrade online and do not have a DVD, or have completely misunderstood it all?

Like I said, I am totally confused here about what you bought, what DVDs you own etc etc etc

Please confirm all of the above

 

My laptop came with windows 8 presintalled and I got dvd from microsoft as backup cause acer doesn't provide OEM disks anymore. When windows 8.1 came out I upgraded it online and also got dvd from microsoft to use as backup just in case if something goes wrong.

Now when windows 10 came out, I didn't realised I need to upgrade it first to make it activated. I did cleaned install and now I am stuck with unactivated version of windows. Now whenever i try to activate it, it doesn't saying key is not genuine. (obviously key embedded in BIOS is for windows 8)

I am trying to boot my laptop with windows 8 DVD and I get error of product key not valid.

 

@Devilz

• Did you run Showkey as suggested by alphanumeric in post #23?
• Have you entered the Win8 product key as identified by Showkey?
• What type of Win8 license has Showkey identified?
• When you downloaded the Win8 installation media from Microsoft was it for the exact same type of license as identified by Showkey?

 

@WhyMe

I got Windows 8 DVD but its not the same version as showkey displays. It's a retail version, now where can I download OEM version for my Acer laptop. When I try to boot and install windows from DVD it doesn't give any option to enter key. It just gives me the error "the product key entered does not match any of the windows images".

I made a mistake by removing all partitions before I did clean install, now I don't have any recovery partition to go back to 8.1

 

AFAIK, the OEM discs and Retails discs are the same (RTM) other than the former including drivers/bloatware.

The discs obtained from MS have both Pro and Core - it may be defaulting to Pro (the first index) and that is probably why it's giving the error that the key is not valid.
You could try adding a PID.txt file with the OEM key to the sources folder of the iso and run setup from within Windows 10 - choose to keep nothing, install Win8 and then upgrade to 10.

Save a pid.txt file - open notepad and add your OEM key like this:
Code: [PID] Value=YOUR-OEM-KEY-GOES-HERE[/quote] This way windows will be forced to install Core.

Good luck

NB to check your disc - insert it and run this command:

Dism /get-imageinfo /imagefile:E:\sources\install.wim

Change E: to your DVD drive.

 

What version of Windows does showkey say the OEM key is for? Post back exactly what it says for the OEM Edition: please.

 

Alpha, I'm assumin' this is what he has on his lappie I can't activate my Windows 10 - Page 2 - Windows 10 Forums

I know you have done the pid.txt thing, but the other way round, if I'm not mistaken - just strange that his core key is not getting verified...

 

That is exactly what my laptop lists for OEM Edition. If I use my MSDN ISO (which I believe is identical to a Retail DVD) it installs Core automatically with no key prompt. If I use the 8.1 Core download from the MCT, same deal. Yes I use a PID.txt file to force a PRO install with my MSDN ISO to save having to do an upgrade from Core to Pro. And to save having to type it in on a clean install. Well I did when I was running 8.1. I've moved on to Windows 10 now.

I just wanted to make sure it wasn't the Single Language or With Bing version. They each have their own set of keys.

 

This way windows will be forced to install Core.

Good luck

NB to check your disc - insert it and run this command:

Dism /get-imageinfo /imagefile:E:\sources\install.wim

Change E: to your DVD drive.[/quote] I tried installing following these but it still gave me same error "Product key doesn't match any of the windows image available"

 

Where can I download this MSDN ISO from?? I really need to sort my laptop as running unactivated version of windows causing all sorts of problems.

Thanks

 

I am downloading iso from above mentioned link. Fingers crossed, this might work

 

Hey, not sure how relevant this as I am not a licensing guru but thought I should mention

The install disk in your screenshot drive F: is for 8 PRO N version for EU. The screenshot from post #17 for showkey does not mention the license being an N version (for EU)

 

Yep, that's correct... He needs the standard 8.1 (core) iso.

 

Bingo, if its the "N" version that's why it won't work. Nice catch.

 

You can't download from MSDN without a subscription. If you go here, http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media and download the Windows 8.1 (not Pro) version, it should work.