Can't buy windows 10 w/store + many vendors have issues with bad keys

I have a fresh install of windows 10 pro. I was going to buy a download key via newegg but so many people there report that they were issued keys that failed or had been used before, and resolving the issue is complex, time consuming, and can fail. I then tried to buy from within windows, via the activation dialog that offers to take one to the windows store. But that fails I get a brilliant message: "The thing you are looking for isn't here". There are a host of websites offering methods to fix errors that are something like this. I tried the msft page and it didn't help. I'm not going to try all 17 steps that some of the sites offer to resolve this.

I know Microsoft often has a collective IQ of about 40, but this strikes me as particularly lame. I am trying to send them money and they can't figure out a way to pull that off?

Does anyone have a sure fire way to acquire a valid key?

Side issue I bought an upgrade windows 10 home > pro key a year ago for a notebook that I returned. I understand that I can apply it to another pc. Does anyone see an issue with buying home and applying the upgrade key?

Were you trying to buy from Newegg DIRECT or from someone else THROUGH newegg?

I would not anticipate trouble from Newegg direct or Amazon direct.

I didn't try to buy from newegg. Many many people reported issues buying from newegg direct, not third parties.

The entire process is now more convoluted than it was in the days when you'd get the product on a disc----regardless of where you get it.

Most of the issues I've heard of are about the getting the key and then having to download the application.

If I were concerned, I'd probably choose to have the key sent to me by US mail on a piece of cardboard, rather than getting it by email. I did the email thing from Newegg direct myself and didn't have any issues.

Offhand, I can't recall complaints here about getting it direct from Microsoft, but maybe I haven't kept up.

jaycee, no, I didn't try that, was attempting to do it via cp activation then store hoping it'd be bulletproof. I could use the link you provided, thank you.

It is might be cheaper to buy win8/8.1 pro and use that key for win10. Can also still use win7 keys, if you have any.

Only need the key - installation media is readily available from MS.

SIW2, I thought the windows 8 keys would only work for windows 10 on machines that were upgraded from windows 8? I have an unused copy of windows 8 pro, but didn't think it would activate this fresh install of windows 10 pro?

Sure it will. That will save you shelling out an extra couple hundred bucks.

I bought a few keys for win7 and then some win8 when MS were doing the intro deal for 25 or 30 bucks. I haven't needed to buy a win10 key.

I haven't tested if the latest version of win10 to see if it still accepts the keys directly, but if not, you can always use gatherosstate.exe

There is probably a tutorial on this site, but it is very simple.

Try entering your win8 key and see. It will have to be the same edition, home or pro.

If that doesn't work, then just create another partition ( or attach another hd to that machine ) install win8 onto that ( takes at most 10 15 mins) , then generate the genuine ticket using gatherossstate.

Here's how to do the gatherosstate dance - piece of cake

You just copy the gatherosstate.exe file from the sources folder of win 10 install media onto your win7/win8 desktop. Run it and it creates a file called genuineticket.xml

Then copy that genuineticket.xml into win10 drive ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ClipSVC\GenuineTicket folder. When you restart into win10 it will activate using that.

If you want pictures
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First