Windows activation

[Steeve]

SOOO, I upgraded my rig and now my windows says its not activated. I contacted Microsoft and they said i need a new key, but I don't know what i did with my key cause i activated my account 6 years ago.

 

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO, THE WATERMARK IS PISSING ME OFF.

[Razor Blade]

What version of windows did you have before? I believe windows 7 or 8 keys still work to activate windows 10 but don't quote me...

[Skiiwee29]

With Windows 10, the Activation key is tied to the Motherboard. So if you changed motherboards, you could be out the money for a new key. If you still have the system together, you could try a product that will retrieve your product key for you from the Registry files and try registering your windows with it again. 

[Steeve]

In 2012 I installed windows with a windows 7 key, then a few months ago i upgraded to windows 10. But I dont have the window's  key anymroe.

[Steeve]

1 minute ago, legacy99 said:

With Windows 10, the Activation key is tied to the Motherboard. So if you changed motherboards, you could be out the money for a new key. If you still have the system together, you could try a product that will retrieve your product key for you from the Registry files and try registering your windows with it again. 

I still have my old hardware, but I don't know how to get my old key.

[Razor Blade]

3 minutes ago, legacy99 said:

With Windows 10, the Activation key is tied to the Motherboard. So if you changed motherboards, you could be out the money for a new key. If you still have the system together, you could try a product that will retrieve your product key for you from the Registry files and try registering your windows with it again. 

Unless it's different if you don't tie the key to your Microsoft account, I used the same windows 7 key for my new system and it activated with no problem.

 

I still have my old hardware, but I don't know how to get my old key.

Do you have any sort of backup of your old OS? Even a backup of the registry?

[Steeve]

So i'm guessing I have to go buy a new key then, since I no longer have my windows 7 key?

[Steeve]

2 minutes ago, Razor02097 said:

Unless it's different if you don't tie the key to your Microsoft account, I used the same windows 7 key for my new system and it activated with no problem.

 

Do you have any sort of backup of your old OS? Even a backup of the registry?

I am still using the same hard drive. 

[Skiiwee29]

3 minutes ago, Steeve said:

I still have my old hardware, but I don't know how to get my old key.

https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/find-windows-10-product-key-3632749/

[Razor Blade]

5 minutes ago, Steeve said:

So i'm guessing I have to go buy a new key then, since I no longer have my windows 7 key?

Unfortunately if you did a fresh install, don't have the key written down, don't have a key on a sticker that came with the software when you bought it, and don't have any sort of backup image of your old OS you're kind of out of luck.

 

There are a few ways you could get a key cheaper than buying one at retail though.

 

1. If you're a student, many colleges give access to deep discounts on genuine software.
2. Try to find a cheap computer broken or otherwise with a genuine windows 7 or 8 key, buy it for scrap value, use the key, scrap the computer.
3. Purchase an OEM version of windows. You won't get support from Microsoft but you would save money over buying a full version at retail price.

[Ace McPlane]

On 3/31/2018 at 8:57 PM, Steeve said:

SOOO, I upgraded my rig and now my windows says its not activated. I contacted Microsoft and they said i need a new key, but I don't know what i did with my key cause i activated my account 6 years ago.

 

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO, THE WATERMARK IS PISSING ME OFF.

There's actually a bunch of things you can try.

 

1. Go into the activation section of the windows update control panel and click on troubleshoot. See if that fixes it on it's own.

2. If you bought a legit copy of windows, it's still in your email. Just search "microsoft store" in your email and it'll bring it up.

3. If you still have the original machine going, you need to format the drive before it'll allow you to use the key again, but if you still have access to the machine and it's fully working, there's a better way. First, change your windows account settings in the old computer so it uses your microsoft/outlook account to login. This then ties your microsoft product key to that account and makes it easier to move.

4. If all else fails, there are places you can get legitimate keys for windows for dirt cheap.

I'm pretty sure this is the site that BPcustoms just gave a good review on about finding windows 10 keys for cheap: https://www.scdkey.com/ Make sure you're buying the correct version though whether it's windows 10 pro or home.