Looking for a Cheap Way How to Activate My Windows 10

Ritchma on 05/07/2016 - 23:46

Hi guys.

Some time ago I bought a laptop with preinstalled windows 7. I had product key but unfortunately that sticker came off my laptop without me noticing so I didn't take a photo of it. I've recently done free update to Windows 10. I had issues with my hard drive and as I was suspecting it might let go so I found a way how to get my product key, purchased new HDD, replaced it and did clean windows 10 installation. Unfortunately my product key cannot be used to activate windows. I contacted Microsoft support and they advised me that if I can provide them with product key what was on sticker what came with laptop they can activate my windows but obviously that's not going to happen so I'm looking for a cheap and LEGAL way how to activate my Windows. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you…

Computing

Comments

  • xoom on 05/07/2016 - 23:57
    +1

    When you update a legit copy of windows 7 or 8 to windows 10. It ends up with an activated windows 10.

    So when you reinstall windows 10 it should be able to install without serial and be activated.

    The link below should explain better why this is.

    http://www.redmondpie.com/windows-10-product-key-and-activat…

    If you upgraded your PC to Windows 10 from a genuine copy of either Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 7, your license will be tied to the hardware you upgrade on, not your Microsoft account, and you won’t get any new product key either. You can verify this using any third-party product key fetching software like ProduKey or The Ultimate PID Checker. They will show you generic product keys like TX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99 for Windows 10 Home and VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T for Windows 10 Pro edition.

    So what if you want to clean install Windows 10 on the same machine? Yes you can do that by downloading an ISO file, turning it into a USB drive or DVD media and then running the setup for clean install. During install, when Windows setup asks you for product key, simply skip the step and let it complete the installation. Once Windows 10 clean install is complete, your copy of Windows will activate automatically as soon as you connect to Internet.

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 07:08

      True but when you do hardware changes in my case new hardware it no longer works. That's what Microsoft support said.

      • Colombian on 06/07/2016 - 09:42
        +1

        Not true. I just swapped the hard drive of my old laptop for an SSD and Windows 10 worked without issues. Serial is stuck in motherboard bios now.

        Maybe there is more to the story?

        • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 20:41
          +1

          Once again I can get fully working illegal copy that's not a problem but because I bought my laptop with legal Windows I would like to keep it that way. What are you saying is not exactly true. Microsoft says that if you do hardware changes and your product key doesn't work you just have to contact them. I did that yesterday and lady did some checks in my pc remotely and said that if I can provide them with the original product key my problem is guaranteed fix. Unfortunately I don't have it. I would like to have legal Windows. This is my last option if I won't find help here I just start looking for a cheapest place to buy it…

  • ozhunter on 05/07/2016 - 23:58

    If you found your Windows 7 product key, it should work with Windows 10. Double check you inputted it correctly and you have the correct edition(eg. 7 Pro and 10 Pro)

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 07:14

      I haven't found it. That's my problem. I only found product key after I upgraded to Windows 10 and that's not the same as windows 7 product key what was preinstalled in my laptop.

  • Sage on 06/07/2016 - 00:08

    Use the serial from the old drive.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 01:02

    Piracy… Piracy..

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 07:09
      +2

      Def not. I know how to get illegal working copy but don't want to go this way… That's why I'm asking

  • shapers on 06/07/2016 - 01:09

    There's a program that tells you what your previous product key/s were, can't remember the name of it but I used it a few weeks ago when I had the same problem

    • ozhunter on 06/07/2016 - 01:17

      Magicjellybean.

      But he already found his product key.

      • shapers on 06/07/2016 - 01:19

        Oops, probably should have read his post properly before commenting.. :P

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 07:10

      It only showed me the one for windows 10 which according to Microsoft support is not the same as the one what was on laptop when I bought it…

  • mrluke on 06/07/2016 - 01:22

    My laptop just automatically updated to windows 10, it prompted me for ages and i declined and declined and then one day it just did it…

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 07:13

      Well in my case I didn't want to update but one day even though my laptop was closed it somehow updated itself and when I turn it on internet connection didn't work. I tried to fix it got help from other people and then I just gave up and updated to Windows 10. That fixed my problem but now I'm stuck with not activated copy and I'm not happy about it…

  • mandachic on 06/07/2016 - 07:37

    I've installed the free Windows 10 upgrade but I have annoying ad pop ups

    Can anyone offer advice on how to stop it? Please

    • llama on 18/07/2016 - 03:44

      Any of the common Malware / Rootkit scanners. Malwarebytes will probably be good to start of with

  • systema on 06/07/2016 - 07:47

    Clone your old drive on your new harddrive. Then upgrade to Windows 10. Do a clean install after that. Make sure you do all this before the free upgrade offer expires.

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 20:44

      My old HDD was already updated to Windows 10 and serial key what was windows showing after update wasn't different than the windows 7 key I had at the beginning. Also that HDD is completely dead and was running in RAID 0 it would be almost impossible to use it now…

  • altomic on 06/07/2016 - 08:41
    +1

    Apparently some people use KMSpico to trick the computer into thinking that it doesn't need activating. And adding that to the white list in virus protection so it doesn't accidentally get viewed and removed.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 06/07/2016 - 09:49
      +2

      'Apparently some people …'

      Chuckle.

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 20:45

      well as I said I can do illegal that's not a problem but for some reason I don't want to. I guess I'm getting old or something…

  • cameldownunder on 06/07/2016 - 11:06

    What about the microsoft partner program? I don't remember the site. You enter your company email, or like I did my wife's and see if you can get windows cheaper.
    Or Maybe it's only for Office.

  • PVA on 06/07/2016 - 20:50

    can you buy the win7 disk from ebay for the laptop (eg win7 disk for Dell).

    can you use the hidden partition that hads the old win 7 install to reinstall that way?

    • Ritchma on 06/07/2016 - 21:30

      the old hdd is dead. I'm not able to access any data from it and get it recover professionally would me more expensive than brand new copy of Windows 10. Would getting another product key from different laptop work or would Microsoft know that that product key doesn't belong to my laptop. I just realized I have another laptop with windows 7. Something died I don't remember what but can put it apart and get the HDD out. Just not sure how hard is to find a product key if I can boot from that hdd…

      • PVA on 07/07/2016 - 07:31

        Sorry, I read it as the old drive was on its way out not dead.
        You can put the other wine drive in bit I would think it won't work (may be a specific makers version). There is software that gets the key for you.

  • [Deactivated] on 08/07/2016 - 13:08

    If you can't find your product key:

    1. install win 7 or 8, home or pro (download form MS website, google how to create an install usb drive for windows).
    2. Activate using a KMS service (google search), if unlucky you may get a virus but who cares as you will format later.
    3. Immediately do free upgrade to win 10.
    4. Use Belarc Advisor or similar to get your product key (write this down).
    5. Immediately do clean/fresh install of win 10 (do a format - to clean any virus), activate with product key you wrote down.

    A Windows install from usb drive is only about 10 minutes. Downloading Windows file size is approx 3.7gb and you will need both win7/8 AND win10. Your win7/8 version must match your win10 version (home or pro).

    Source: Last week I upgraded win8.1 to win10, then 2 days later my OS SSD died so I had to redo. My original product key was tied to my UEFI motherboard and it did not want to work so I used the above as a work around.

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