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Activate Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums Scratch that this tut is for the earlier preview. But try this open command prompt as adminType slui.exe 4Press enter This should bring up the activate by phone method. At least it did in 8.1
I wonder if the problem is your replacement motherboard has a different Windows 8.1 OEM key embedded. In that case, perhaps the quickest route WOULD be install of Windows 8.1, activation of that and then re-upgrade to Win 10.
On the other hand, the phone route may have you subject to whoever you get on the phone and their individual mindset - sometimes just calling back and starting from scratch with someone else might have a different outcome.
Type "slui.exe 4" without quotes press enter choose country then it should give you a number to call
Dell is absolutely NO help I called them twice and got the same result twice..what makes me so angry is when the technician was here he said "All you have to do is call Dell and they will give you the activation code" he was full of it that is NOT the case Dell said twice they dont do that, so why did this technician lie..he said that there was supposed to be a little red sticker giving him the code but it didnt come with the motherboard. I am just going to call Dell tomorrow and say that the same crashing issue is happening and to replace my PC because seriously this hassle its not worth it
Again open command prompt as admin and type "slui.exe 4" note the space before the 4 and with the quotes press enter
When I referred to phone route, I meant Microsoft phone route. I think the person you talked to and wanted you to buy a key is full of it, although I acknowledge a slight chance I'm full of it.
Check here - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/950929 It says that if you are not activated in Win 10, the Activate by phone option will be available.
Yeah I did the whole slui.exe 4 and unfortunately after I typed in the installation ID and it wouldnt activate it and I talked to microsoft and they said I have to get windows 8.1 and do a clean install of that, since I had the motherboard replaced it removed everything so its like its starting from scratch
Too bad Dell couldn't do it more conveniently for you and replace your motherboard with a Win 10 OEM version (or whatever it' called nowadays) - I know it's extra work for you but the new motherboard OUGHT to activate Win 8.1 OK (or whichever version the board is coded for).
Don't forget the data backup and rounding up the third party program license keys and install files you may need.