Windows 10: Re-activating windows 10

Hi I have this week completed building my new Pc and I have received a message in settings you need to activate windows 10 which was a free download in July 2015 as I was upgrading from windows 7,however the product code I have does not work and Microsoft said I will have to buy a new key is this correct.

:)

 

Re Activating Windows 10

If you already have install media you won't need to use the Media Creation Tool.

 

Re Activating Windows 10

Download and run the Media Creation Tool

Here is the link https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Read and accept the License Terms..

Select "Create installation media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC"

Click or tap "Next"

We need to determine whether your running on x32 or x64...

Press (Windows Key) + R

Type "Cmd"

When that window comes up type "Systeminfo" into it.

And scroll down till ya find this...



It can be x64 or 32x..

Now that you know what "System Type" it is, go back to the Media Creation tool and to the right of "Architecture" there is a drop down menu, click/tap on that and select your computers "System Type" and press next.

Then in the selection area for where to install the media, select the USB Flash Drive option.

In the past I have had an issue where the software does not detect any Flash Drives you put in, don`t worry! There is another method...

Goto http://rufus.akeo.ie/

and download that tool, there is no install needed.

In the meanwhile, go back to the Media Creation tool and select "Back" in the bottom right of the window and instead of selecting to install on a USB Drive, select the ISO file option. Windows Explorer should pop up asking where to place the file. I normally
put it in my documents for easy access.

It will take a while for the tool to download and place the ISO file in your documents.

When it is done, close the Media Creation Tool and run Rufus.

When it asks whether to download and install update online, select no and then when the program opens, select the icon with the disk next to the drive. Windows Explorer will open and ask which file to use, goto your Documents and select the file the Media
Creation Tool made. Then check to make sure your burning the ISO to the right USB and then click Start.

The process will take around 10-15 minutes depending on your hardware.

When it is done, please log off/lock your windows 10 (Locking, Windows Key+L) and please press the power button on your lock screen (Possible that you may need to click/swipe the lock screen up, to the password entering screen) then Press Shift on your keyboard
and click restart. When you get there, there will be several options, select the option that boots you into your USB. Then follow the directions the program provides. It is possible you might need to "Press any key to boot into the USB". Watch for that .

Hope this helps - Gello

 

Welcome to TenForums, Roger.

If you've changed the motherboard, the MS activation servers will have rejected what it sees as a new device relative to the one you had upgraded. Is your Win7 license a one machine OEM license or a transferrable retail license?

If retail, reinstall Win7 on the built PC, confirm that it activates successfully, and then upgrade again to Win10.

 

Did you try the new 10565 widows insider build. Spose to be you can put your win 7 key in when you install 10 and you get a digital intitlement.*Smile