Fixing A Corrupt Partition Problem Without Losing Existing Activation

Henrik37 · 02 Nov 2021

On an old Dell Optiplex 755 I use as 2nd PC, I got Win 10 Pro (1909) installed and activated on a new 2 TB HD, replacing Win 7 that was on a failing (and much smaller) HD and using the old Win 7 key. Unfortunately, the new partition arrangement appears corrupt. There was a unexpected lightning strike that hit my house [protected by a UL lightning protection system - no house damage(!)] while the Win 10 installation was in process followed by a brief power interruption so the installation was briefly stopped. I then restarted the Win 10 installation and Win 10 Pro appears to be working correctly and was successfully activated. I then discovered the partition problem(s).

I would like to correct the partition problems before reloading all of my applications and other saved data onto the new HD. Apparently, I need to do a new 'clean' Win 10 installation. I have both Win 10 (1909) and (20H4) ISO DVDs. I am worried, however, that a new 'clean' installation will cause my existing Win 10 activation approval to be lost. Where is this activation approval data stored on my machine? In a file I can't readily see, has it been somehow been added to my PC's BIOS file, or what?

Accordingly, how should I proceed? Thanks, in advance, for advice, guidance, instructions, or whatever. Please keep things simple and easy to follow as I'm in my mid-80s and my head doesn't work as well as it once did.

dalchina · 02 Nov 2021

Hi, your activation is a digital entitlement recorded on MS's activation servers against a hash of a form of your hardware id.

You can clean install Win 10 as many times as you wish- activation should be automatic.

RAM and disk can be freely changed without affecting this.

There are various tutorials covering activation in the Tutorial section which you might find informative e.g. on the activation troubleshooter.

I would recommend you also check your disk(s) for potential damage. A very good tool is
Hard Disk Sentinel
Crystal Diskinfo (free) is a simple SMART checker
Of course at present your PC is unbootable, so you would do that
- using a live boot disk to boot your PC
- connecting the disk(s) to another PC
- or hoping the clean install works, then checking your disk.

Note that when clean installing you must delete all partitions of the previous O/S.
Clean Install Windows 10

For the future: two ways of protecting yourself:
a. use disk imaging regularly and routinely, so should bad things happen you can restore your system from an image file safely held on external storage. E.g. Macrium Reflect (free).
b. use a surge protector

Berton · 02 Nov 2021

A clean install of a previously activated Win10 is no problem, usually gets it Digital License when connected to the Internet. Just be sure to let the process wipe everything out as long as your data is backed up and when prompted tell it you have no Product Key. And you will be given a choice of a Microsoft Account if you have one, choosin a Local Account is a bit more involved.

Megahertz · 03 Nov 2021

Henrik37 said:

There was a unexpected lightning strike that hit my house while the Win 10 installation was in process followed by a brief power interruption so the installation was briefly stopped. I then restarted the Win 10 installation and Win 10 Pro appears to be working correctly and was successfully activated. I then discovered the partition problem(s).

I would like to correct the partition problems before reloading all of my applications and other saved data onto the new HD. Apparently, I need to do a new 'clean' Win 10 installation. I have both Win 10 (1909) and (20H4) ISO DVDs. I am worried, however, that a new 'clean' installation will cause my existing Win 10 activation approval to be lost. Where is this activation approval data stored on my machine? In a file I can't readily see, has it been somehow been added to my PC's BIOS file, or what?

What is the issue that points to a corrupted partition?
A lightning strike may have damaged your memory. Do a memory test. If you boot the installation media there is a memory test under repair my computer.
If you don't have any program or data installed, I suggest you boot the installation media, go to install and delete ALL partitions till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed. It will clean your drive and reinstall Win 10