No Product Key after Clean Install

[Vieux Richard]

My PC was running 8.1 French version converted to English version (Reseller screwed up).In practice a lot of the stuff was displayed sometimes in Eng sometimes in French. I have the 8.1 French CD.
So instead of doing the upgrade which I thought would result in another mishmash of languages, I did a clean install of 10 Home Eng via USB key downloaded install media.
Apart from a few video probs (BSOD) blinking cursor, all went well.
Problem now, I cannot use 8.1 product key to activate. Looks like I may have to buy new product key for W10.
Any suggestions?

 

[davidhk129]

Installer was not asking for Win 8.1 product key.
It was asking for Win 10 Home product key which you don't have. Nobody has.

I don't claim to be an expert. What I am telling you from here on is just my own suggestions.............

1. You can, as you said, buy a Win 10 Home license and reinstall fresh with the key.
2. Roll back to the mismatched language Win 8.1, download the Win 8.1 ISO with English language and reinstall Win 8.1 with English language. That means all the updates will have to be installed including Win 8.1 Update 1. Then you will get a free upgrade to Win 10 Home through Windows Update and this time you will have the right language you want.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html
Use Option One.

 

[Roddie]

Since you had 8.1 you should have a Microsoft Account. If this is so called Microsoft and they will give you a key since you have proof that you had 8.1. Everything is in the cloud.

 

[Vieux Richard]

Since you had 8.1 you should have a Microsoft Account. If this is so called Microsoft and they will give you a key since you have proof that you had 8.1. Everything is in the cloud.

Interesting comment Roddie. Yes I do have a M$ account, would you know how I would go about asking them for a key via my Outlook account?

 

[Vieux Richard]

Installer was not asking for Win 8.1 product key.
It was asking for Win 10 Home product key which you don't have. Nobody has.

I don't claim to be an expert. What I am telling you from here on is just my own suggestions.............

1. You can, as you said, buy a Win 10 Home license and reinstall fresh with the key.
2. Roll back to the mismatched language Win 8.1, download the Win 8.1 ISO with English language and reinstall Win 8.1 with English language. That means all the updates will have to be installed including Win 8.1 Update 1. Then you will get a free upgrade to Win 10 Home through Windows Update and this time you will have the right language you want.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html
Use Option One.

Thank you for your reply. I am loathe to attempt your suggestion as I can no longer access my BIOS since installing the downloaded W10 install media. This was due to having to change the partition from MBR to GPT because the Install warned that W10 does not install on MBR partitions. So I used DISKPART to make the changes. Thank goodness I had an external backup of my data as W10 deleted the data partition (D whilst installing on the formatted C: drive. It's a risky business.
Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and shell out some $ unless Roddie's suggestion can be made to work.

 

[BigFeet]

Reinstall the old version of Windows you had. Upgrade. Then do a clean install.

 

[Roddie]

Interesting comment Roddie. Yes I do have a M$ account, would you know how I would go about asking them for a key via my Outlook account?

Windows 10
To start Product Activation:

1. Go to Start, then select Settings, choose Update & security, and then select Activation.
2. If your device is not activated, the Activate by phone option will be available.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus/technicalsupport?wa=wsignin1.0#

 

[Vieux Richard]

In my version of Windows 10 there is no Activate by Phone option. If the Product Key is incorrect, which appears to be my case according to Microsoft in the Activation window: "this Product Key doesn't work"
The only options are to Change Product Key or Go to Store.
I have sent Microsoft a help request via my Outlook.com account and will see whether they come back with anything helpful.

 

[BigFeet]

Reinstall the old version of Windows you had. Upgrade. Then do a clean install.

Sigh

 

[Roddie]

In my version of Windows 10 there is no Activate by Phone option. If the Product Key is incorrect, which appears to be my case according to Microsoft in the Activation window: "this Product Key doesn't work"
The only options are to Change Product Key or Go to Store.
I have sent Microsoft a help request via my Outlook.com account and will see whether they come back with anything helpful.

https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/how-to-change-product-key.793/

This should give you the number for your region.

 

[Johneb2]

I was able to find my product key for Windows 10 by going to Control Panel, System & Security, System. On the bottom of the page it had the product key listed. Hope this helps.

 

[Vieux Richard]

I was able to find my product key for Windows 10 by going to Control Panel, System & Security, System. On the bottom of the page it had the product key listed. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply - I checked out your suggestion and found my Product ID which is not related to the Product Key that I am after.

 

[Vieux Richard]

Sigh

What would be the point of reinstalling my French Windows 8.1 then upgrading since surely I would still have Windows 10 in French?
Also as I can longer access my BIOS due to W10 destroying my MBR, how would I boot from a DVD now?

 

[steven mcginley]

My PC was running 8.1 French version converted to English version (Reseller screwed up).In practice a lot of the stuff was displayed sometimes in Eng sometimes in French. I have the 8.1 French CD.
So instead of doing the upgrade which I thought would result in another mishmash of languages, I did a clean install of 10 Home Eng via USB key downloaded install media.
Apart from a few video probs (BSOD) blinking cursor, all went well.
Problem now, I cannot use 8.1 product key to activate. Looks like I may have to buy new product key for W10.
Any suggestions?

down load--rw everything--click on --acpi--next window--click on msdm-- product key will be at the bottom under data. give that a try. hope that helps

 

[Vieux Richard]

down load--rw everything--click on --acpi--next window--click on msdm-- product key will be at the bottom under data. give that a try. hope that helps

I downloaded & installed rw everything. Located acpi but could not find msdm in the acpi window. Plenty of other stuff but no msdm & no sign of a product key.

Incidentally when I go into Activate, W10 shows a Current Product Key that is 'x'd" out apart from the last 5 digits with a mention above that "this product key doesn't work. You might etc". Where did this come from I wonder?

 

[steven mcginley]

try this link---https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw4hxthAzO0

 

[Vieux Richard]

try this link---https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw4hxthAzO0

The video confirms your previous instruction but as I said there is no MSDM tab in ACPI when I run rw everything. After doing some searching online, it would seem that if there is no MSDM tab, then there is no Key in the BIOS.

 

[davidhk129]

My PC was running 8.1 French version converted to English version (Reseller screwed up).In practice a lot of the stuff was displayed sometimes in Eng sometimes in French. I have the 8.1 French CD.
So instead of doing the upgrade which I thought would result in another mishmash of languages, I did a clean install of 10 Home Eng via USB key downloaded install media.
Apart from a few video probs (BSOD) blinking cursor, all went well.
Problem now, I cannot use 8.1 product key to activate. Looks like I may have to buy new product key for W10.
Any suggestions?

Vieux Richard,
Provided you have not deleted the windows.old, here is a method to revert back to your mismatched Win 8.1.......
However, I am not sure if that option is available on a Clean Install situation. No harm to give it a try.

Start button > left side, click Settings > select Update & Security > left side, click Recovery > right side, is there an option to Go back to Windows 8.1 ?
If yes, click the Get Started button under it.

Please post back of the result.

 

[Vieux Richard]

Vieux Richard,
Provided you have not deleted the windows.old, here is a method to revert back to your mismatched Win 8.1.......
However, I am not sure if that option is available on a Clean Install situation. No harm to give it a try.

Start button > left side, click Settings > select Update & Security > left side, click Recovery > right side, is there an option to Go back to Windows 8.1 ?
If yes, click the Get Started button under it.

Please post back of the result.

Yes there is an option to Reset this PC but I am loathe to try it since even if it works, which I have my doubts, I will be back at the beginning with a French version of Windows 8.1

 

[davidhk129]

Vieux,
We are going in circles. Take a deep breath. Then read this.

1. Go back to you mismatched Win 8.1.
2. Use this link and create installation media for Windows 8.1
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media
Please read the whole page so you know what to do.
3. Insert a DVD or a USB, then click the Create Media button.
You will be ask to choose ..................................
Language , select English (United States ),
Edition ( Win 8.1 version, Home or Pro ), make sure you take the same version you started with.
and bit version ( 32-bit or 64-bit ), also make sure you take the same bit version you started with.
click Next
select either USB drive or ISO file ( read what it says about ISO file option )
click Next
then follow the instructions to finish.

After you've created the installation media, do one of the following to install Windows 8.1:

• Connect the USB flash drive to the PC where you want to install Windows 8.1, browse to it in File Explorer, and then open the setup.exe file. Follow the instructions in setup.
  
  
• If your PC is set up to boot from a USB drive, connect the USB flash drive to the PC where you want to install Windows 8.1, restart (reboot) it, and then follow the instructions in setup.
  
  
• If your PC is set up boot from the DVD drive, insert the DVD into your PC, restart (reboot) it, and then follow the instructions in setup.