Upgraded HDD To SSD And Now I Have No Windows Product Key Or Activation.

[Rccan2325]

I bought this Dell PC and I upgraded the HDD to an SSD. After using the media creation tool and installing windows 10 into the SSD, I don't have a product key or activation, and I formatted the HDD. What do I do?

[RAM555789]

You might be able to contact Dell and get the product code from them, else your gonna have to deal with the annoying watermark or buy windows.

[AnirbanG007]

42 minutes ago, Rccan2325 said:

I bought this Dell PC and I upgraded the HDD to an SSD. After using the media creation tool and installing windows 10 into the SSD, I don't have a product key or activation, and I formatted the HDD. What do I do?

If you had your microsoft account set up with the HDD, there is a possibility that if you sign in with your microsoft account now, your windows will automatically be activated. Because the key would be tied to your ms account. In which case, I don't know if you will remember, but it should have been like this.

[porina]

How old is the PC?

 

If it has a Win10 sticker on it, then Win10 activation keys are built into the system and it should pick it up after the new install without further action. However you have to make sure you use the same version e.g. home or pro.

 

If Win7 era system, there should be a key on a sticker you can enter on it.  

[Rccan2325]

6 hours ago, AnirbanG007 said:

If you had your microsoft account set up with the HDD, there is a possibility that if you sign in with your microsoft account now, your windows will automatically be activated. Because the key would be tied to your ms account. In which case, I don't know if you will remember, but it should have been like this.

Yes it did say it was activated with a digital license but only for the first 10 minutes then it said that I need to activate windows.

[AnirbanG007]

56 minutes ago, Rccan2325 said:

Yes it did say it was activated with a digital license but only for the first 10 minutes then it said that I need to activate windows.

Wow, that is soo unfortunate  Idk man, talk to Dell, or get one of those keys from websites that sponsor a portion of Kyle's videos on Bitwit. You could prolly get a key for 15 usd, don't quote me on that tho. But def talk to Dell first.