0
1
I originally had Windows 8.1 Pro installed on a machine. This was upgraded to Windows 10 Pro a while ago.
Unfortunately last night my OS SSD died and I've just installed a new one and installed Windows 10.
According to this Microsoft Article I need no Product Key as Windows will automatically activate online.
I have linked the new Windows 10 installation to the same Microsoft account but I'm still unable to get Windows to activate.
I had written down the product key as shown to me by the previous Windows 10 installation but that starts with two 0s which you can't even type into the product key box as it reports as an invalid character.
Has anyone else gone through this process and successfully activated Windows 10?
I'm worried if the change in hardware is the issue ... surely this is a very common scenario for the need to reinstall Windows?
You changing your HDD wouldn't have caused a hardware hash change. So in the future all you have to do is install Windows 10, since I assume now, the installation is activated. Furthermore, if you originally had Windows 8.1 you could just install that then upgrade to Windows 10. You could also just upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 10 since if you are doing that you have nothing to keep. – Ramhound – 2015-09-20T23:10:46.233
1MS Support told me that a change in HDD would change the hash, hence having to go all the way back to Windows 8 and upgrade through 8.1 to 10 again. – Jammer – 2015-09-21T10:00:55.920
You were told incorrect information. If you already had Windows 8.1 installed then there is no reason to install Windows 8, which accepts and activates, with Windows 8.0 licenses ( just doesn't install with them ). – Ramhound – 2015-09-21T10:20:12.697
Hmm ... out of the 6 calls to MS 4 of them simply were cut off. Not that impressed to be honest. – Jammer – 2015-09-21T13:50:07.363