windows activation

Hi have a look at Brinks Tutorials
Also don't think you need to re enter the key again as it is already activated

Did you install the same version you got with the free upgrade? If you got 10 Home as the free upgrade, but clean install Pro for example, it won't activate. Once upgraded and activated, on a clean install after that, no key is needed. You just click skip when asked for one.

coffeemad8 said:

it was the same win 10 home

I never clicked skip when reinstalling it

You can enter the Windows 10 key if you want, I do it with a PID.txt file just to skip having to click skip 3 times during the install. It also saves me having to select Home or Pro when using my MSDN ISO. All 4 of my PC's got the same generic 10 Pro key with the free upgrade. What key did you enter? Don't post it here, but how did you retrieve it? And what happens when you type it in?

No because windows 10 gives you its own key when you first install it
you should of skipped the bit where it asked you for a key or you need windows 10 key not your 8.1

Click on system and it will show you what version you have
mine comes up Windows 10
then at bottom
Product ID with a lot of numbers that is Windows 10 number

coffeemad8 said:

it was my key I used from win 8.1

I got it off my comp with belaric advisor

it says the product key did not work

You don't use a Windows 8.1 key to install Windows 10, that's why it was refused. showkey IMHO is the utility to use, https://www.tenforums.com/software-ap...7-showkey.html May not be any use now though, after doing the clean install. You really need to run it right after doing the free upgrade to get the correct Windows 10 key. It should have been the generic Windows 10 Home key. The way its supposed to work is, you do the free upgrade and activate. That saves a hardware ID on the activation server that gets you a digital entitlement to that version of Windows 10. Do a clean install with that same version, skip entering the key, and it checks the hardware ID again. If it matches it activates with no Product key needed. You didn't by accident install the N version or something did you? That will also cause an activation issue.

One option, is to reinstall Windows 8.1, then do the free upgrade again, and make sure its activated. Then check your key, and verify what version is installed. Then if need be do a clean install. You can get Windows 8.1 install media here, http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media that will read an use Windows 8.0 and 8.1 keys, even OEM embedded keys.