Activate Windows 10?

Check if same version of Windows as original. It will ask for activation if you install Win 10 pro on a Win 10 Home machine and vice versa.

hawkeye62 said:

...I used an HP repair or install USB stick that I made when I first got the laptop. It is now asking that I activate Windows. Of course I don't have a code to enter, so what do I do about activation?

If this HP was supplied with Windows 10 pre-installed then there should be a digital license for this PC stored on Microsoft's activation servers and linked to the hardware ID of the PC. As long as you have installed the same edition as you had before (Home or Pro) then it should activate from this digital license as soon as it can contact the activation servers. Normally a clean install with Microsoft install media should install a generic key, your HP media may have installed an inappropriate one.

Check your installed key with ShowKeyPlus

This will tell you the installed key, and as this was supplied with 10 pre-installed it should also show an OEM key that's embedded in your bios firmware.

You could try changing the installed key to the appropriate generic key, if it is not already set so.

Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Home: YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

You could also try the embedded OEM key.

Change Product Key in Windows 10

hawkeye62 said:

Thanks for the replies guys! I will try your suggestions. Although, I haven't seen the pop up that says I need to activate windows the last few times I logged in.

Regards, Jim

First check in Settings > Update & Security > Activation. If that now says 'Activated with a digital license....' there then it could be it just took its time to contact the activation servers.