Windows 10: Windows Activation

I'm unable to activate my version of WIn10. It is installed on a Compaq machine which I bought from new and originally was running Win7. I ran an update at some point and upgraded to Win10 but I didn't activate it (I'm not sure why).

Last night an update ran and I have what appears to be an new install (there is a windows.old folder on the c drive). When I click to activate it says that my previous operating system (Win7) wasn't activated. I have tried inputting a new product key (using the serial on the sticker of the box for the Win7 license) but it is not accepted.

I have seen that there are license keys for sale on ebay. System properties says I am running Windows 10 Educational, if I was to buy one of these keys would it fix the problem. Or else how can I fix this.

Thanks.

:)

 

Can't Activate newly purchased windows 10 home

hi, I used the usb boot tool and installed windows 10S on my laptop. I realized I couldn't download anything not from the app store so I purchased windows 10 home. I was given a product key but it is not accepted in the activation settings. Just trying to
get this laptop operable.

Thanks

 

Upgrading to Windows 10 and Activation issue

Upgrading to Windows 10 for Windows 7

If you are going to upgrade Windows 10 from Windows 7 then you got a issue related Windows Activation.

And i.e. Product Key Blocked.

Now to activate Windows 10 mostly people use KMS Activation that actually activate Windows 10 but not permanently.

Those people use KMS activation go and check that Windows 10 is activated Permanently or not.

To check: -

1) Go and run CMD as Admin.

2) Then Type this command: -

slmgr -xpr

If Windows 10 is not activated then you got this: -

Windows is in Notification Mode.

And if your Windows 10 is Activated using KMS Activator the you got this: -

Expiry Date of your Windows Activation :
06/june/2016

If you use Genuine Windows Product Key then you got this: -

Machine is Permanently Activated.

So, Activating Windows 10 for Permanently is a issue and there is no Activator that Activate Windows 10 Permanently.

In case of Upgrading Windows 10 for Windows 7 and to activate: -

Buying Genuine Product Key from Windows Store is a only option to Activate Windows 10 Permanently.

Now how to Activate Windows 10 Permanently: -

If you want Permanently Activated Windows 10, then go and install Windows 8.1 and then Upgrade to Windows 10.

Before Upgrading Windows 10 to 8.1 Activate Windows 8.1 using Activator of your Choice (KMS Activator)After Upgrading to Windows 10 go and Activate your Windows 10 online, this will Activate Windows 10 Automatically.

Now go and check Windows Activation detail: -

Open CMD and follow those steps again: -

Type slmgr -xpr

And you got: -

Machine is Permanently Activated...

 

The key on base of pc is almost certainly for 7 Home and would only activate 10 Home.

You say you have 10 Education installed. As name suggests you can only get a key for educational use (via University, school etc.)

Education keys are not on sale to public and any on web are not legally for sale and could be a scam.

Run showkeyplus, select "check product key" tab and enter your 7 key.

Click on key to hide it and post image.

If, as I expect, it is a 7 Home key, you can install 10 Home and activate using 7Home key for free.

 

Try runningthis see if it gives you the key ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS-Office/SQL Server

 

HI ran showkeys it says the following:

Product Name - Win10 Educational
OEM Key - Win7 OEM marker in signature

 

No i get an error that says unable to connect to your organisations activation server. Should I not be able to enter my old Win7 key and use that to activate?

 

If I input my win7 key into keychecker it reads it as a: Win7 Home Premium Key OEM:COA. If I try to change my product key to this I get the spinning dot circles for 10 seconds or so before it returns to say the key didn't wok.

 

When you got 10 did you login with a MS account as it should have stored your details on the server and no key should be needed

 

Not sure how it upgraded to an Educational version of W10, as mentioned you`ll have to either install W7 Home Premium or install W10 Home and use the key on your COA to activate it.

 

During upgrade to Windows 10 you must activate first with your windows 7 product key, it will store in Microsoft server.

Try contact Microsoft support i think they can activate for you, provided no hardware changes in your pc.

 

I doubt very seriously that Microsoft support will activate Windows 10 Education for the OP. @spacebiscuit75 needs to do a clean install of Windows 10 Home - downloaded directly from Microsoft.

@spacebiscuit75 , if you open a Command Prompt (Admin) or Powershell (Admin) and run:

slmgr /dlv

What result do you get?

 

I was going to suggest same. I suspect the education key is almost certainly a volume licence key based on comment about activation servers.

I also OP has not run showkeyplus in check product key mode as I asked. I have never heard of a Windows 7 COA sticker on base of PC for Education (only Home mostly).

 

Yes the only way is to install Win 10 Home and enter the COA key to activate (the free upgrade still works, I did one yesterday with a Win 7 key)

- create a Macrium Reflect backup of the current installation
- clean install Win 10 Home
- recreate each profile
- install programs (incl Macrium)
- Open the backup in explorer (rt-click->explore) and copy back files in each profile folder...i.e. Desktop etc)

Job done.

 

Not sure how you ended up with 10 Education? There is no Windows 7 Education Edition to free upgrade from to that Edition. You can't get there from here. How did you do the upgrade? Windows update wouldn't do it either.
As mentioned, if your OEM COA 7 key is for 7 Home, install 10 Home and use that 7 key to activate it.

Just FYI, guys and gals, there are Retail Keys for 10 Education. I have them listed on My Visual Studio Subscription. MAK keys too. Normally, if there is no Retail version of that Edition only MAK keys are listed. Like Enterprise for example, I can only get a MAK key for that Edition. Retail keys being listed usually means there is in fact a Retail Edition. Education is also listed as an install option on my VL Multi edition ISO and the regular non VL ISO.