Windows 10: Retail product key for Windows 10 is not working with new computer build.

I recently built a new computer, I recycled the boot SSD and HDD. Everything else is new including RAM. When I booted the computer I noticed I still had Windows 10 Pro, however it was indicating that Windows was not activated in settings with error code 0x803f7001, and displayed a watermark on my screen constantly. I wiped my drives. Went to my Microsoft account, purchased Windows 10 Home. Indicated a local install of Windows 10 Home. Installed Windows 10 Home. Restarted my computer. It is still indicating that I need to activate Windows 10. So, I enter product key manually. No go. "That product key you entered did not work, check product key and try again or enter a new product key". Error code 0xc004f050. I mean come on, I payed for the software. Why would that product key not work? Mint or Ubuntu is starting to look tempting.

:)

 

Building a new rig to transfer Windows 10 but not sure if it's OEM or Retail

If you upgraded from a retail box copy Windows 7, it has retail transfer rights.

Use the following to see if you can find the original Windows 7 key. If you can't find the original Windows 7 key, you won't be able to transfer it.

Step 1: How to Find Your Product Key After Upgrading to Windows 10

Step 2:

• How to Transfer your Windows 10 License to a New Computer

 

Windows 10 Retail Product Key

I own a retail copy of Windows 8.1 from the Microsoft Store.

It is visible in my account purchase history.

I furthermore have a retail Product Key associated with that purchase

in the email I received when I made the purchase.

I want to upgrade this machine, running this Retail copy of Windows 8.1,

to Windows 10, through the Retail Upgrade 1-Year program.

Here is my question.

Will I receive an unique, individual, windows 10 Retail Product Key,

That I can extract from the registry and write down on paper with a pencil,

as opposed to TY4CG-JDJH7-VJ2WF-DY4X9-HCFC6(build 10240 generic key)?

This hypothetical question is brought to you by my future self 366 days from now,

where my current computer dies and I purchase a new one and desire to transfer

my Retail Windows 10 License to a new computer.

This question requires a fully qualified Yes or No answer to be considered answered.

I will not accept any cookie cutter answers. Please do not copy and paste information

that I can read elsewhere, I and the rest of this community have already read that

information to the full extant it is available for us to read.

 

Determining if I can use my product key for new build

So I currently have a Windows 8 Pro key that I bought in 2012 at Microsoft's official store for €30 (promotion for eligible people who had xp, vista, or win 7 - I had win 7), which further down the line gave me the free upgrade option to windows 10.

It's only been used on the computer I am using now (so only 1), and when I do "slmgr -dli" in cmd, the prompt shows: "Windows(R) Professional Edition, Description: Windows(R) Professional Edition, RETAIL channel, Partial Product Key: XXXXX, License Status: Licensed".

Question is: can I deactivate the key on this computer, and reactivate it on my to-be new build? Also, do I need my new windows 10 product key (if there is one - can't seem to find it on my computer), or do I just use the Win 8 Pro key that I have when I reactivate windows 10 for the new build?

Found an insane amount of conflicting information regarding this questions when I googled it, so I got no clue what website or article to believe.

Any help is greatly appreciated! *Smile