How to Activate and resolve common Product key issues in Windows 10
Product Activation was first introduced into the Windows family with the release of Windows XP in 2001. Activation pairs your product key with your computer. It is also used as a mechanism for copy protection in addition to defining support rights depending on the product channel from which the software was acquired: Retail, OEM, Volume License, Trial. With Windows 10, Microsoft has made huge announcements regarding product distribution. The most notable being that Windows 10 will be free to existing Windows 7, 8/8.1 users for the first year. Regardless of this, product activation remains a part of Windows 10. In this article, we take a look at product activation and troubleshooting steps.
Details
Things you should know:
- A Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key cannot activate Windows 10. Windows 10 uses its own unique product key.
- By default, Windows 10 builds are pre-keyed, meaning, you do not have to enter a product key and should not be prompted to enter one as long as you upgraded from an activated Windows 7 or Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 license or Windows 10 Preview build.
- If you perform a clean install on first attempt, you will have to start over from an activated Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 installation.
- If you are prompted to enter a product key, click Do this later and give it a few days, Windows 10 will activate automatically.
- Activation servers might be overwhelmed at the times because of the volume of upgrades, so give it some time if you get an error message such as (0XC004E003, ,0x8007000D, 0x8007232b or 0x8007007B) Windows 10 will eventually activate as long as you upgrade using the appropriate method.
- There is no need to know your Windows 10 product key, read the following 'Understanding Product Activation in Windows 10:
Understanding Product Activation in Windows 10:
In previous Windows releases, when you installed an upgrade version of Windows, if you wanted to reinstall the upgrade version, you had to first reinstall the qualifying version from which you upgraded, reactivate it, then upgrade again and reactivate again.
With Windows 10, this is no longer the case. Once you have upgraded to Windows 10 and activate, you can simply create a bootable copy on DVD or USB and reinstall just Windows 10 without the need to reinstall the qualifying version and it will reactivate automatically.
Quote:
"Windows 10 handles keys differently. When you upgrade to Windows 10 via Windows Update from Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, the process registers your computers hardware, and qualifying OS with a Microsoft Product Activation Server. The device is then considered a Windows 10 device.
Subsequently anytime you re-install (or clean install) the installation checks with those servers, finds the unique installation ID and produces the validation"
Important Note to persons installing build Windows 10 10240
In order to activate Windows 10 build 10240 (RTM), you must upgrade from a previous qualifying operating system that is genuine and activated: this includes Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10 Insider Previews.
If you are running the Windows 10 Enterprise Preview, you either need to stay in the Windows 10 Insider Preview Program or activate using a product key from the Volume License Service Center (VLSC) when it becomes available in August. If you are not eligible to be running Windows 10 Enterprise, I suggest you make preparations to rollback to the original version of Windows your system was licensed for and make areservation to upgrade to Windows 10.
Learn more: http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/06/19/upcoming-changes-to-windows-10-insider-preview-builds/
Resources:
- How to migrate from Windows 10 Preview Releases: Dual Boot Setup and Protect Accumulated Data
- How to: Reinstall or Restore your original Windows installation after evaluating the Windows 10 Previews
- How to: What to do if your currently installed build of Windows 10 expires?
Can I perform a clean install using the Free upgrade?
No, it will require that you are running a previous qualifying version and start the upgrade from within the qualifying version. You can initiate a clean install after completing the Upgrade.
Please be aware that you cannot use the free upgrade offer to perform a clean install on first attempt. You must first upgrade from the qualifying version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 (whether you do it through Windows Update or using the .ISO file). Ensure the upgrade is completed successfully and then ensure that it is activated. You can then proceed to do a clean install by using recovery media or using the Reset function in Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC (Get Started).
To find out which edition of Windows 10 you are running, see the following article:
If Windows does not activate.
If Windows 10 does not activate even after detecting an active Internet Connection, restart and try again. Or wait a few days and Windows 10 should automatically activate itself.
I downloaded the .ISO file but Windows 10 setup is prompting me for a product key or indicates the product key does not work with this edition.
Please note: The copy of Windows 10 you download must correspond with the edition of Windows you are upgrading from:
- Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Windows 8.0 Core, Windows 8.1 Core must use a Windows 10 Home ISO
- Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.0 Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro must use a Windows 10 Pro ISO
- Your currently installed copy of Windows must be activated. If it is not, you will be prompted to enter a product key.
- If you are using Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8.0 Enterprise, Windows 8.1 Enterprise editions you won't be able to use the free upgrade offer.
Get Windows 10 App indicates my license is not activated:
Again, you must ensure you are running a genuine activated copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1.
Click Start, right click Computer (Windows 8 or later - press Windows key + X > click System)
Click Properties
Scroll down to Windows activation.
If your Activation status indicates it is not activated, then you need to do so.
Your Activation Status must look like the following:
I upgraded from a activated copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 then I decided to reinstall using either the .ISO file, Reset this PC or Recovery drive, but I am prompted to enter a product key:
Click Do this later
Windows 10 will automatically re-activate within a few days.
I just installed or reinstalled a preview build of Windows 10 and I want to upgrade to the final release, but it will not activate.
Microsoft has suspended Preview Builds and also deactivated their product keys at this time. This means you won't be able to download, install or activate builds 10162 and 10166 or earlier builds in order to qualify for the final release.
Your best option is to reinstall a valid license you have for either Windows 7, Windows 8.0 or Windows 8.1, make sure it is actvated, then upgrade from that to Windows 10 on July 29th or later.
If you maintained your current activated Windows 10 Preview, you should be able to upgrade from it to the final relase.
How do I check my activation status after upgrading?
Click Start > Settings (press Windows key + i) > Update & security > Activation
Activation Error: 0XC004E003 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938450
Wait a few days and try again or just leave it and let it activate on its own. The activation servers might be overwhelmed.
Contact the Microsoft Activation Center for further assistance:
Try the appropriate phone number listed here: Microsoft Activation Centers Worldwide Telephone Numbers:
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/existing-customers/activation-centers.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/existing-customers/activation-centers.aspx
Reset your license status:
Press Windows key + X
Click Command Prompt (Admin)
At the command prompt, type the following commands:
slmgr.vbs -rearm
Hit Enter on your keyboard
Exit the command prompt
Restart your computer
Enter the product key using the instructions about.
Force activation:
Press Windows key + X
Click Command Prompt (Admin)
At the command prompt, type the following commands:
slmgr.vbs -ato
Hit Enter on your keyboard
Exit the command prompt
Restart your computer
Scan for broken operating system files:
You can also try running the system file checker utility to see if might resolve any problems that might be preventing product activation.
The issues below are more likely to affect retail bought and volume license clients.
If you are unable to enter the product key:
Press Windows key + X
Click Command Prompt (Admin)
At the command prompt, type the following commands:
slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx (allows you to replace the current product key with the specified)
xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx - represents your product key
Hit Enter on your keyboard
Exit the command prompt
Restart your computer
Try Activating by telephone again
You were never running a genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8 license.
This issue particularly affects Windows 7 licenses.
Lately there have been several reports of instances of blocked MSDN keys packaged with legitimate looking media. I can't stress enough to save your packaging, media and reciepts, if you purchase software such as this seek recourse with the store you purchased it from and report it to www.microsoft.com/piracy
If you have purchased a key, with or without DVD's or packaging from EBAY or any other person or vendor and believe it may be an MSDN key because your key has been blocked you can check a few things yourself, if you received your key with the physical product go to www.microsoft.com/howtotell and verify your product however some counterfeit software is so convincing you may not be able to spot it as such.
To check your PID press the win key and pause at the same time, or open system properties through the control panel, scroll down to activation section and look at the PID It will look something like this 12345-067-1234567-54321, the portion you are interested in is the three digit section, if it matches or is within one or two digits of the examples below you probably have an MSDN key.
065, 066, 067, 068, 069 for Ultimate, 220, 221, 222 area for Professional and the 230, 231, 221, 232 area for Premium, there are probably others but they should be close to those posted. - Carl_OH
About MSDN or TechNet Product Keys
They are genuine Microsoft product keys, they are actually retail licenses, but it is intended for a particular product channel either the Microsoft Software Developer Network (MSDN) or TechNet for IT Professionals who pay a subscription fee. The are mainly for evaluation purposes. The great thing about them, unlike trial Microsoft software, MSDN or TechNet keys don't expire. Because the agreement under which the subscription is provided is a single license, none of the software should be distributed outside of it. Even though it is $50,000 worth of licenses, it is for one person only to use and no one else. Unfortunately, regardless of the licensing terms, persons still abuse the program, either giveaway product keys or resell them on auction sites. Microsoft licenses it in good faith that customers won't do so, but I guess human nature wins out.
In your case, what probably happened is, you bought an MSDN licensed key, which carries up to 10 activations unlike full packaged retail licenses which only carry 1 activation. The person who sold it to you probably sold it to 10 other persons. Somewhere along the way, one of those persons might have installed it on a second system, activated it, because it went past 10 activation threshold, Microsoft detected it that it was being abused and blocked the key from further use.
Validate Now:
You can confirm that your software is genuine now. It’s quick and easy.
Click the 'Validate Windows' button, if the validation check fails, then click on the 'Get Genuine' button to get a WGA Kit.
Resources:
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