Windows Activation Issues

[neonplanet40]

Hi Folks,

Recently upgraded to Windows 10. However it had created bugs in my network Homegroup and a clean install only would fix. So this morning I used the Microsoft Software media creation to make a Windows 10 iso. Installed a fresh install and for some reason it installed Windows 10 Home (I have Pro) and wouldn't activate! It is said that the only way to get it to work is to do the upgrade and then activate which should then save it to your account? As a clean install appears to have issues right now (thanks Microsoft for warning me first!).

So, I put in my Windows 8.1 disk and did a fresh install of that. However it is now telling me that my Windows 8.1 key is blocked and refuses to activate? It is an OEM key but it is linked and has always been linked to this machine. Also it was obviously not blocked as they allowed me to upgrade to Windows 10 a few days ago.

Any ideas what I can do? All the computer is telling me to do is buy a new one which is unacceptable.

Advice welcome.

PS - This Windows 10 activation nonsense has been a debacle.

[barry2811]

I presume you selected Pro and not Home when you used the Software Media Creation tool?

[neonplanet40]

Yes. Or at least I would hope so haha. But either way, I rolled back to Windows 8.1 and not is won't activate as it tells me my key has been blocked. Baring in mind, this is the same key that worked perfectly until now. Microsoft CS has been CS unfortunately.

Am I actually expected to go and buy a new key now? As that won't happen.

[DanceswithUnix]

I created USB sticks for home and pro, not tried the pro version yet. Will give it a go, see if I get a pro install at the end.

If the problem is that the media creation tool created you a home installer, then at some point you must be able to get a pro installer to work and you are back in business albeit with win 10.

[neonplanet40]

I have tried using the upgrade tool in windows 8.1 to get to windows 10 pro but as my product is no longer activated, it won't let me.

[DanceswithUnix]

You mean it won't let you create an install media using http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softw...load/windows10 ?

If you upgraded to Win 10 Pro then I can understand it saying that you are not licensed for Win 10 Home, though that is a tad annoying.

But an install of Win 10 pro should work, if you can create a DVD/USB stick for it?

This last week seems such a good advert for Linux!

[neonplanet40]

I installed windows 8.1 again (which my cd key was originally for). However since doing this I have been unable to activate windows. It says my cd key is blocked? Because windows believes my key is blocked and won't activate, it also won't allow me to install or upgrade to Windows 10 because I do not have a valid serial key.

[DanceswithUnix]

But you should be able to clean install Windows 10 Pro, not upgrade from 8.1?

[neonplanet40]

Hope so. I am trying that now! I will post back and see what happens. . . .

[neonplanet40]

Fingers crossed it is fixed. The only downside is that it appears I cannot downgrade to 8.1 if I choose to do so going by the problems today unless Microsoft fix it.

[GuidoLS]

A lot of the time, if you re-install an OEM version from scratch, you'll have to activate Windows once you have it installed, instead of during installation. I just had the same issue with a Dell notebook, and Win7. Had to try to activate twice before it took. Usually, it only takes the one time. But I'm pretty sure I don't recall ever being to activate an OEM key during install.

Just right-click on computer (my computer) either from the desktop or start menu and click properties. Scroll to the bottom of the screen, and hit activate.

[MutilatorUK]

Had such a job to get 10 to work as it should here. ended up wiping it twice. Ended up installing 7 and activated it that way as it wouldn't accept my clean install. Lucky I have fibre or it would of took an age.

[KeyboardDemon]

What I did on my PC was upgrade from Windows 8.1 and then once upgraded I registered the key to my Live email account. Then I wiped the SSD and reinstalled but when asked to enter my product key I skipped it, I think it asks twice for the key but I skipped it each time if it does and it allowed me to continue until I got to the logging in stage. When it did I logged in using my Live account details and it activated my Windows 10 installation as a clean install.

I don't know if that will help you, but assuming that your original Windows 10 was activated and has been linked to your Live account then you should be able to repeat what I have done and log on to activate Windows at the end of the installation process instead of at the start as that's what has worked for me.