Windows 10: Moving to new computer - activation question

Somewhere from the microsoft.com website. All of this happened right after Windows 10 came out, and according to my research at that time many people had problems getting their Windows 10 upgrade activated.

By the way, I am not completely at home with Windows as I usually provide professional Mac support. But you can be sure that I talked to Microsoft and not some fake support entity in India. It's a while ago but I would assume that I got the number to call from [Microsoft Store - Sales and support] (or whatever the respective website might have been in 2015).

 

The IP of the kms server is local it can't be connected via the internet it's either your PC or one on your network go-to PCHF System Scans run frst scan and post results it will be to files

 

OK. FRST64 created two files which are attached here.

I did notice the entry "License Activation (slui.exe) failed with the following error code: ..." but do not understand what this actually means. When searching for it I find quite a few other people to whom this is or was also happening.

However, since this PC is on its way out I'd like to come back to my actual question: Will I be able to install Windows 10 on my new PC with the same product key that I used to activate it on this PC? Or should I try to install first Windows 8 (with the original Windows 8 key) and then try to upgrade to Windows 10 (either directly or via the "Assistive Device" detour)?

 

No.

Why would you use the "'Assistive Device' detour"? Do you have a handicap that requires you to use Assistive Technology on Windows 10? If you do, then it wouldn't be a "detour" for you, would it?

As it stands now with Microsoft, once you have Windows 8 activated on the computer, then you can upgrade that Windows 8 to Windows 10, or you can use that same Windows 8 product key to activate a clean install of Windows 10. And that has nothing to do with the "'Assistive Device' detour". Once you get a legitimate activation of Windows 10 on that computer, with a digital license, then you no longer need any product key to install and activate the same version of Windows 10 on the same computer.

We just don't know how long Microsoft will keep the free activations of Windows 10 as an upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 going.

Now, some people will come along and say that you don't need to install Windows 8 first. The only problem with that is that you don't really know the status of your Windows 8 product key. It might be blocked from online activation. If it is then you will have to call the Microsoft Activation phone number to activate Windows 8 with it, but you can't activate Windows 10 that way.

 

Do you use teamviewer and vnc if not I wonder if your pc is being connected to by someone else ?
From a cmd prompt type
ipconfig /all

post results

 

I'm using all of that and more (namely Splashtop SOS). Right now I'm connected to the PC from my Mac with Microsoft Remote Desktop.

 

W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX. is a KMS Client Setup key (GVLK) that will never activate. https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...(v=ws.11).aspx Something was done at some point to switch it from activating with a Digital License to (trying) to activate via KMS?
Was your original version of Windows 8 Pro?

 

Correct. My original version was Windows 8 Pro, later updated to Windows 8.1 Pro, then upgraded to Windows 10 Pro.

 

Open the system screen, click change product key, and enter this key, VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T. If its accepted, and that PC has a DL for Pro it will activate. That should take you out of KMS activation and switch you back to normal online activation. If there is no DL for Pro for that PC though, it won't activate.

 

This switch to KMS activation didn't happen on its own by the way, something initiated it. Did you reinstall windows at some point after doing the free upgrade?

 

Somebody probably installed KMSpico (an illegal activation program). The program also is said to illegally activate Microsoft Office, so maybe it was installed for that and automatically triggered the illegal activation of Windows 10. If the switch to the generic Windows 10 Pro product key -3V66T does not activate, @desertman can then also change the product key to his Windows 8 or 8.1 Pro product key and if it is not blocked from online activation then it should activate Windows 10 Pro.

 

Was just about to edit my post with the same, if 3V66T doesn't work message. He could also try the Windows 10 Pro key he got from "Microsoft" tech support.

 

Yeah, somethings not kosher. He missed something, or left something out? Or somebody else has access to this PC and did something he doesn't know about?

 

You guys are right... there is a local KMS spoof exploit installed.

Check the key MS sent with ShowKeyPlus as suggested... I assume it's retail and thus should work on the new mobo.

I don't see why you needed to get a new key as a retail Windows 8 key should have worked unless it has been blocked, but either of those should work on the new mobo - if not run ADT so that we can get some technical info to work with.

 

Ya that part about W10 not activating after upgrading from Windows 8 sounds mighty strange.

I look at it this way, you bought a PC without an OS. Unless your original Windows 8 key was Retail then you have to purchase Windows 10 like anyone else.

Or install a Linux version.

And why buy a new PC without an OS ????

If you don`t get your key situation straightened out, this may help you if you have a Microsoft Account.

How to re-activate Windows 10 after a hardware change | Windows Central

Microsoft Account - Link to Digital License on Windows 10 PC