Windows 10: Windows 10 clean install - fails to activate

I did a free upgrade from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro in early July. It hosed my machine, with constant CPU usage of 80-99%. Details are provided here: Windows 10 Upgrade Failure Results in Unusable PC – Specific Questions
I struggled to fix it throughout July, and then today finally decided to do a clean install of Windows, since I've read on forums multiple times that once you've upgraded to Windows 10, you can clean install without charge. Unfortunately, after the clean install, Windows 10 is not activated. During July, I had very limited capability. Settings for example would not open. From the command line I did "systeminfo" and it said Windows 10 was installed back on 7/12/16. That was the best evidence I had that it was installed ok, but I suppose it was installed but not activated?
Anyways, I called Microsoft after the clean install, and they told me to take a hike (i.e. go buy Windows 10). They said I should have called them before the clean install. Is there anything I can do at this point to get Windows 10 activated?

I am extremely frustrated after the hours I've spent on this. I had a perfectly good Windows 7 machine, then I bowed to MS pressure to upgrade to 10, which hosed my machine, and now all they tell me is to get lost!

:)

 

Windows 10 - Clean Installation Activation Failed

Got Laptop with preinstalled activated windows 8, upgraded to 8.1 and then free upgraded to windows 10. Facing some problems and decided to clean installation of windows 10 by using "Creating USB". Performed clean installation and now "Activation Failed".

 

clean install Windows 10-n after upgrade with Windows 10 activation failed

clean install Windows 10-n pro after activated upgrade with Windows 10 pro

activation failed tried phoning MS read out numbers no success

someone said you have to clean install same Windows 10 pro as was upgraded to I.e. NOT the ' N' version

is this true, is there a solution

 

You could try a clean install of Win 7 and then try to get this free upgrade method (to Win 10) to work:

Windows 10 free upgrade for customers who use assistive technologies

More:
http://www.howtogeek.com/265409/you-...sibility-site/

 

Please answer these questions as well as you can:

• What was the Windows 7 edition before your upgrade (Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate)?
• What upgrade method you used (Get Windows app on your Windows 7, downloaded ISO, Media Creation Tool)?
• Can you remember which Windows 10 version and build you got after the upgrade?
• Are you 100% sure that when clean installing now you used the same Windows 10 edition than which you got after the upgrade (Home or Pro)?

 

It is also worth to try activating with your Windows 7 license key.

Some users reported, that they can still activate Windows 10, despite free period supposed to be over.

 

Folks, thanks for your input.
I am thinking about reinstalling Windows 7, if I don't find a solution for the Windows 10 activation. I was sort of thinking to hell with Windows 10. I've found bugs in Windows 10 on my other PC. And the in question PC is from 2009. I don't know when MS will stop supporting Windows 7, but maybe by then I'll be ready for a new PC anyways.

Answers to Kari:

• What was the Windows 7 edition before your upgrade (Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate)? Pro.
• What upgrade method you used (Get Windows app on your Windows 7, downloaded ISO, Media Creation Tool)? The Windows 7 was OEM - came with the PC. Windows 10 the first time, I used that upgrade tool that MS has been pestering us with for the last year. The clean install today was a bootable thumb drive from the Media Creation Tool.
• Can you remember which Windows 10 version and build you got after the upgrade? The initial upgrade was to MS Windows 10 Pro, 10.0.10586
• Are you 100% sure that when clean installing now you used the same Windows 10 edition than which you got after the upgrade (Home or Pro)? If you mean the build, as far as I know, I didn't have that choice. I built the thumb drive for 32 bit, which I have, but there were no other choices. I did select Pro when running setup.exe off the thumb drive.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

 

OK, thanks for your answers. Your clean install should activate. Did you wait to see if the activation really did not work? I mean, I have experienced even 10 minute delay with digital license to come through.

Andre's tip is good:

 

Unfortunately, we have no way to know if the upgrade was ever activated. It seems likely that due to the problems you were having, the upgrade may not have successfully completed.

If that's the case, then you may well be out of luck for a free upgrade since the free upgrade offer has ended (not barring using any shady tactics). You probably should have done the clean install before July 29th, then we could have advised you to restore Windows 7 and the re-upgrade. But that won't work now.

 

FYI, my problem is solved. Based on a hint in the other thread I mentioned in the beginning, I found the Windows 7 activation code in the battery compartment. I tried to activate Windows 10 with that, and it worked!
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions.