Windows 10: I want to downgrade from a pirated version of Windows 10 Pro to a legitimate OEM copy of...

So I bought a used HP OMEN 15 (2017) from a reseller a while ago and it seems that the reseller had illegitimately upgraded Windows to Pro and a bundled a couple pirated software that I didn't want. So I reset the installation and shrugged it off. Of course the illegitimate license is still there somehow.

A while later the license expired and I lost the physical key displayed at the bottom of the laptop. So I used a key viewer to find the original OEM key. I then found an Enterprise OEM Non-SLP key somehow embedded in my configuration. I tried to activate it and got an error saying that I have the invalid license to use said key. So I gave up and tried to activate the core key. But the damage had been done. The Windows version became Enterprise and now It's somehow unable to connect to the activation servers and I cannot reach the activation settings. trying to activate the original key gave the error 0xc004f050.


It seems to be a problem with the KMS Emulator it initially had first before I managed to uninstall it. How do I make Windows be able to connect to the activation servers again? I would not like to reinstall Windows as I have important programs and files right now.

:)

 

Downgrading from a pirated Windows OS

You've already mangled your existing operating system by upgrading to a pirated version of Windows 10. Use your Windows 8.1 disk to do a new installation of your original Windows 8.1 operating system. If you have saved the product key from your original Windows 8.1 operating system, then use that product key again to install Windows 8.1.

You can downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 8, by following the instructions in the answers to this question: How can I downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 8?. Why not downgrade the pirated Windows 10 to Windows 8 instead and then change the product key and upgrade legally back to Windows 10? There are two reasons for not doing it this way:

1. Your new Windows 10 can inherit problems from the pirated version of Windows 10.
   
2. It's a two-step process to install Windows 8.1 and upgrade to Windows 10 instead of a four-step cumulative history: Windows 8.1 -> pirated Windows 10 -> downgrade pirated Windows 10 to Windows 8.1 -> upgrade to Windows 10. Even though the two-step method doesn't save any time, it still eliminates two unnecessary steps.
   

 

Cheap OEM copies of Windows 10 Pro on eBay: are these legitimate?

On eBay, I see supposedly legal, full version, English-language copies of Windows 10 Pro, complete with valid license keys, for as little as $10. Most are on DVD in unopened boxes, but a couple are offered as downloads, and at least one is on a flash drive.

Is this a scam? Or could these copies possibly be legitimate?

BTW, they’re all OEM copies. Is there any kind of downside to that?

Here are a few examples:

WINDOWS 10 PRO 32 / 64 BIT PRODUCT KEY & FULL DOWNLOAD LINK fast delivery

WINDOWS 10 PRO WIN 10 PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH OEM 64 BIT

BRAND NEW,MICROSOFT Windows 10 Pro PROFESSIONAL 64Bit OEM FULL VERSION

Microsoft Windows 10 Pro PROFESSIONAL 64Bit FULL VERSION*

 

How to Windows 10 Pro OEM downgrade to Windows 7 Pro

Understanding downgrade rights
Updated 11/30/2016

Important: the information on this page is intended for system builders and the downgrade rights that apply to their customers. If you are a customer of a direct OEM, please contact your OEM for more information about downgrade rights. If
you are a direct OEM, please contact your Microsoft Account Manager.

Downgrade and down-edition rights are an end-user right that Microsoft offers to customers for certain OEM products which meet the technical requirements for a Windows software downgrade. Downgrade rights are documented in the Microsoft Software License
Terms that customers accept upon first running Windows and Windows Server software. Thanks to downgrade rights, end users who have acquired a later version of the software (such as Windows 10 Pro or Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard) can use an earlier version
of the software until they are ready to migrate to a later version technology.

If a product includes downgrade rights, the license terms for that product will indicate which earlier versions of the software may be used.

Downgrade rights will vary depending on if the software was acquired via volume licensing, OEMs, or full packaged product (FPP).

Downgrade rights for Windows software
The following OEM versions of Windows software are eligible for downgrade rights.

Windows 10 Pro includes downgrade rights to:

• Windows 8.1 Pro
• Windows 7
  
  Professional

Windows 8.1 Pro includes downgrade rights to:

• Windows 7 Professional
• Windows Vista Business

Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate include downgrade rights to:

• Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate
• Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, or Windows XP x64 Edition

Note Other OEM Windows 7 versions (for example, Windows 7 Home Basic and Windows 7 Home Premium) do not include downgrade rights.

Note downgrade rights are only available as long as Microsoft provides support for that earlier version, as outlined in the
Windows lifecycle fact sheet.

Steps for an end user to downgrade Windows software

To downgrade eligible Windows software, end users must:

• Purchase a PC preinstalled with Windows software.
• Accept the Microsoft Software License Terms.
• Perform the downgrade process to the eligible downgrade product using the media/key from a genuine, previously licensed OEM or retail product.

The downgrade process

Follow these steps to downgrade to an earlier version of Windows software:

• Use genuine Windows media and a corresponding product key for the version of Windows that is eligible for downgrade. The media/key should come from a previously licensed product from the OEM or retail channel.
• End users who are licensed separately through Microsoft Volume Licensing (VL) may provide their VL media and key to a system builder to facilitate the downgrade on their own systems.
• Insert the downgrade-eligible version of Windows media and follow the installation instructions.
• Enter the product key.
• If the software was previously activated, it cannot be activated online. In this case, the appropriate local Activation Support phone number will be displayed. Call the number and explain the circumstances. When it is determined that the end user has an
  eligible Windows license, the customer service representative will provide a single-use activation code to activate the software. Please note that Microsoft does not provide a full product key in this scenario.
• Activate the software.

For scenarios involving large volume downgrades, end users are encouraged to consider VL which provides the benefits of reimaging rights and volume activation, which can make the process of downgrading much easier.

Authorizing a third party to exercise downgrade rights for an end user

Because downgrade rights apply to end users, they are not designed for third-party facilitation, which has many complications. Also, such facilitation is not suitable for carrying out on a large scale.