windows 10 - not authenicating

put windows 10 on my partners laptop, (it had windows 8.1 installed) all went smoothly, however i wanted to use it today to burn a CD and i noticed in the corner it said for me to authenticate windows 10 followed the instructions but i had an error code ending in 003 which either meant I was using a wrong product key or i changed something since i installed it, the code i used to install windows 8 was legit , ive put in a SSD over 8 month ago and I had no problem with windows 8.1 .

when i go on authenticate it, it wants me to part with the best part of £190 for a legit copy, so i rolled back to windows 8.1

i want windows 10 on it - l how can i make windows 10 activate ?

Comments

  • simon69csimon69c Posts: 1,423
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    Did you upgrade it to Windows 10 or do a clean install? You need to do an upgrade first in order for the MS servers to register your machine as having previously been on 7 or 8.1 and thus get free activation for Win 10. After that you can safely do a clean install (if you wish) and the MS activation server will remember that your machine is activated.

    If it was an upgrade was the 8.1 legitimate? You will only get it for free I the 8.1 (or 7) install was genuine in the first place.

    If indeed it was a legitimate copy you upgraded from then maybe just give it time - the MS activation servers are I overdrive at the moment trying to keep up with all the Win 10 activation requests - might work fine later.
  • rtavy73rtavy73 Posts: 439
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    The windows 8 then the free upgrade to windows 8.1 was legit, I bought windows 8 when they had an offer for £25 when it was released. The upgrade to windows 10 was an upgrade not a clean install,

    I did my laptop earlier and I didn't have to activate it, it did it automatically. I'm re-installing windows 10 on my other half's laptop as I type this, so fingers crossed
  • WellHiddenMarkWellHiddenMark Posts: 1,797
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    I did the upgrade from Win 7 to Win 10 and it has gone horribly wrong over the last few days.

    First it was the little errors in menus. Then I had permissions problems where I couldn't save anything except to the desktop.

    Now the start menu has completely stopped working (I can only right-click on it to get the other menu)

    I have activated Win10, so how do I do a "clean install" now?
  • rtavy73rtavy73 Posts: 439
    Forum Member
    I did the upgrade from Win 7 to Win 10 and it has gone horribly wrong over the last few days.

    First it was the little errors in menus. Then I had permissions problems where I couldn't save anything except to the desktop.

    Now the start menu has completely stopped working (I can only right-click on it to get the other menu)

    I have activated Win10, so how do I do a "clean install" now?

    You can't do a clean install once you have put it on your machine, you have to start from scratch and re install it
  • rtavy73rtavy73 Posts: 439
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    It should have a refresh so you can make it like a new install, windows 8 has it so 10 should
  • WellHiddenMarkWellHiddenMark Posts: 1,797
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    I found this link in another thread
    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

    I'm thinking of downloading that to a DVD, booting it and formatting the C drive before installing.

    I won't lose any data as I only really use the PC for gaming so it's more of a chore just having to re-download all my games from Steam

    I'm hoping that it will recognise that the machine has already been activated.
  • KrommKromm Posts: 6,180
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    rtavy73 wrote: »
    It should have a refresh so you can make it like a new install, windows 8 has it so 10 should
    Win 10 DOES have that.

    At least the Win 10 Media Creation Tool does it.

    Plus the Recovery Options on a built system have a way to "clean" a computer to that "OS restored only" state too.
  • oilmanoilman Posts: 4,529
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    Kromm wrote: »
    Win 10 DOES have that.

    At least the Win 10 Media Creation Tool does it.

    Plus the Recovery Options on a built system have a way to "clean" a computer to that "OS restored only" state too.
    It also retains all OS updates.
  • kempshottkempshott Posts: 1,881
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    MagicalJellybean's Keyfinder (the free version) list your Windows 10 key after you've upgraded,

    You could try this for a clean (re)install if you don't trust Microsoft's assurance that it will recognise your PC's hardware for activation
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