Insider looking for insider help

I reinstalled Win 10 on my insider build partition using the media creation tool repair several Apps. I signed in with the MS account I used to sign up for the insider program. Under the insider setting there is a fix button, and when selected, the option is to stop insider builds. Under accounts, the system is inactivated.

Would reinstalling an earlier build ISO and then updating remedy this solution?

I'm confused as I had seen that to remain an insider, all I needed was to maintain the status quo, certainly that would not mean a lack of ability to reformat a test machine or partition.

I tried to do a clean install on a Dell desktop that I had previously upgraded from Windows 7 Pro to an insider build of Windows 10 Pro 10162. At that time of the original upgrade, it was activated. After a clean install with the July 29 Windows 10, it wasn't activated any longer.

When the July 29 final version of Windows 10 came out, I did a clean install with media I created using the Microsoft Upgrade Tool. The PC would not activate. I think that Microsoft wants to see an upgrade from the original activated Windows 7 or 8/8.1 to the July 29 version of Windows 10 so it can be recorded on their activation servers.

After I did an clean Windows 7 install on the PC and made sure that was activated, I then upgraded to and installed the July 29 version of Windows 10 and it activated and all is fine. Now under Settings, Update & security, Windows Update, Advanced Options, it gives the option to start receiving Insider Builds on this new install.

Antilope said:

I tried to do a clean install on a Dell desktop that I had previously upgraded from Windows 7 Pro to an insider build of Windows 10 Pro 10162. At that time of the original upgrade, it was activated. After a clean install with the July 29 Windows 10, it wasn't activated any longer.

When the July 29 final version of Windows 10 came out, I did a clean install with media I created using the Microsoft Upgrade Tool. The PC would not activate. I think that Microsoft wants to see an upgrade from the original activated Windows 7 or 8/8.1 to the July 29 version of Windows 10 so it can be recorded on their activation servers.

After I did an clean Windows 7 install on the PC and made sure that was activated, I then upgraded to and installed the July 29 version of Windows 10 and it activated and all is fine. Now under Settings, Update & security, Windows Update, Advanced Options, it gives the option to start receiving Insider Builds on this new install.

So it seems that preview builds did not register our computers for the insider program. Or, the RTM release, (which fixed everything, including the infamous KB3074683 update) is different than insider builds?

I am in a dual boot situation between Win 7 and preview builds. I did not upgrade Win 7, but insiders were told, to my understanding, that we did not have to upgrade to remain in the program. This was a concern to many that were in a dual boot situation, or who had an activated preview build on a test machine besides their Win 7 or 8 PC.

I thought my MS account would have been able to activate the reformat, which was badly needed.

The insider builds activate because they are insider builds. They also expire at some point. The RTM version doesn't expire.

Clean installing the RTM requires first a valid upgrade from activated Windows 7 or 8/8.1 to activate. After that, a clean install from the RTM version will activate because the previous upgrade info is retained on the Microsoft activation servers.

mrpumpkin said:

I reinstalled Win 10 on my insider build partition using the media creation tool repair several Apps. I signed in with the MS account I used to sign up for the insider program. Under the insider setting there is a fix button, and when selected, the option is to stop insider builds. Under accounts, the system is inactivated.

Would reinstalling an earlier build ISO and then updating remedy this solution?

I'm confused as I had seen that to remain an insider, all I needed was to maintain the status quo, certainly that would not mean a lack of ability to reformat a test machine or partition.

Yes, that button is wonky.

Go to Settings > System > Update and Security > Windows Update > Advanced
What does the button say now? I think it says Join ... or something along those lines - you should be able to make that install a Preview build install again. If that doesn't work, try signing in to the Insider program and check the status on your machine again.

Activation might require you to enter the 240 key for the edition you installed (Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education)

Slartybart said:

Yes, that button is wonky.

Go to Settings > System > Update and Security > Windows Update > Advanced
What does the button say now? I think it says Join ... or something along those lines - you should be able to make that install a Preview build install again. If that doesn't work, try signing in to the Insider program and check the status on your machine again.

Activation might require you to enter the 240 key for the edition you installed (Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education)

That path ends with only opting out, the button only says, "fix me," and then I'm presented with a "stop insider builds" option. I went to the insider web page (in this inactivated Win 10 install), already signed into my MS account to be greeted with a "welcome back insider" banner."

So, I think I have a 10074 ISO laying around someplace... delete the partition and reinstall that?

mrpumpkin said:

So, I think I have a 10074 ISO laying around someplace... delete the partition and reinstall that?

I wouldn't go back to the 10074 build just yet.

It sounds as though you're still an Insider and the only way to stop Tech Preview builds is to leave the program. This might have been what you did when you first pressed the "Fix me " button. Other than activation, the information you provided indicates that you are still an Insider.

Try launching the Insider hub app - you might have to install it if it's not in your menu list.
Settings > System > Apps & Features >Manage Optional Features > + Add a feature : Insider hub

With all of the options (upgraded OS, Clean install OS, Tech Preview build OS) it's not clear how you resolve this type of issue.

You might open a chat with MS support in the Contact support app - they might know. If you go that route and they give you a solution, please post what you find out.

In case anyone follows and to be sure I'm thinking along the correct lines:

You want to use this 2nd install as a Tech Preview / Insider build. The "Fix me" button seems to have taken you out of the program.

I think you're ok because the "stop insider builds" option is presented. So the issue now is the activated status - that might correct itself or you might try entering the insider build key for your edition.
See: Windows 10 Build 10240 for PC is now available - Windows 10 Forums

See what MS support has to say before taking the next steps.

Yeah, I should still be in the program. I never completed the opt out process when warned. Insider app still has me.


Checked the link and the product key on my PC is the same, -3V66T, but it is invalid. MS support said run the troubleshooter :/

Thing is, the reinstall helped with the update issue that some at MS said was possibly related to an Intel driver issue. Evidently not, but how can we test with no ISO and ability to reformat? My 10240 was basically just a fancy web browser by the time I reinstalled.

I finally installed 10074 again, and activated it with the original key. I was able to to force the update to TH1-10240 using this method. However, I am unable to sign into my MS account system wide (mail, one drive both work).

So, at the moment I'm on an active 10240 build without the ability to sign in with my MS account. Any ideas?

(Insider since 6/6/2015)
I installed Technical Preview 10074 yesterday, with a local account, then updated whatever was available through settings, and switched to my Microsoft Account, and switched to fast builds update (no explicit "Insider" option available at the time this TP 10074 version came out).

It failed to activate, or use the key (-YKHCF), even when I entered that key for 10074 using settings, activation or Slmgr -ipk. It remained with the key -HQRJR.

Today I used the registry hack in the post above to upgrade to 10240, and it auto-activated fine with -3V66T - I did not have to enter a key. No issues with sign-in with the MSA, and it had set to receive Insider builds automatically.