How Do I Activate My Windows 7 Product Key
Felicity
I using a MacBook Pro with the M1 chip and running Windows 11 ARM in a Parallels Desktop VM. I really like the new look of Windows 11. Since this version is an Insiders version why is it always asking me to activate it? How do I stop this version of Windows from doing that? I thought since it was an Insiders version it will not ask me to activate it because Windows 11 is not yet released to the public.
The interesting thing is that W11 installed on a machine with an activated W10 will be activated. I witnessed that on my Surface Pro and my Intel Desktop PC I got updated to W11 insider preview by joining the Windows insider program and obtaining the upgrade through Windows Update.
My assumption is that Windows on Arm in general does not work with any Windows product key obtained through public available means, as Windows on Arm is only delivered to OEMs for production and meant to be sold with the device they produce. The keys you may obtain through MS Store ore other valid channels are meant for Windows on Intel.
Because there are many software apps that only are available in Windows, I hope they will change that in one of the updates because there are a lot of people who are using the new MacBooks with the M1 ARM chip in them. I also hope the next update of Windows 11 for ARM will allow users to enter a product key that will be accepted.
Well, never mind. I knew I had an unused W8.1 pro license lying around somewhere - and found it in my e-mail (luckily I keep those as an archive of already historic proportions) :) And that key, once obtained through the W8 promotion program, activated W11 pro in my Parallels M1 installation. Another W7 home premium key did not do the trick, an edition mismatch probably (wasn't it that W7 home premium could be upgraded to W10 pro?).
Before I signed up to the programme, I had an older MacBook and had Windows 10 intel version running under Parallels. When I purchased a newer MacBook with the M1 chip, I transferred my Parallels license to the new computer but found my Windows 10 would not run on that computer so the Parallels support rep gave me a link to get Windows 10 for ARM from the insiders programme. The Windows 10 beta version they gave me had a product key to use which was different than my Intel version of Windows 10. It looks like one of the updates had a problem with product keys because that's when it kept on asking me to activate windows even though I had a product key that Parallels support gave me and it work working perfectly. It was a long time ago. I think it was an ISO file they sent me. That's how I entered the product key they gave me. Maybe that key had a limited amount of time to preview the software.
Hi @tallinn1964
When I had my older MacBook I was running the Intel version of Windows 10 on a Parallels Desktop VM. My license key came from that install of Windows 10 which is many years old. When I purchased my current MacBook which is ARM based, I installed the ARM version of Windows 10 which I got from Microsoft Insiders onto the VM. That version never asked me to activate the install twice regardless of how many times the automatic updates for Windows 10 for ARM where installed. My problems only started when the automatic updates were for Windows 11 for ARM. Each of the Windows 11 updates worked for around 2 hours just like the previous Windows 10 for ARM did. While I was using each update, I got nagging reminders to activate Windows even though the software was activated. Some bug in one of the updates caused all new builds to keep nagging me to Activate windows, so I gave in and contacted Microsoft to purchase another license key. I tried to enter that key into the activate screen and it refused to accept that newly purchased product key so I got a refund. This is clearly some kink of bug if it doesn't accept any valid license key. I even called them and also sent feedback to Microsoft through the feedback process of Windows 11 but they won't get back to me which is very frustrating. They really need to fix that bug or do something that will stop those nagging reminders.
My laptop hard drive has died and I am replacing it with a new SSD. I am downloading a tool from Microsoft's website to install Windows 10 on the new drive, but how do I activate it? Windows 10 came with the laptop so I don't have a key stored anywhere except on the completely toast hard drive. And I don't think I had the foresight to link the system to a Microsoft account. Any other way to get the system activated using the original key? The laptop is out of warranty btw.
If the license key came with your laptop, it means it is a OEM key, which is bound to motherboard. Windows 10 should be activated by default on new SSD. However, OEM key is not transferable and can be only used on one device.
After updating my gigabyte z790 aorus elite ax motherboard to the latest BIOS April update, I can no longer activate Windows. When I do the hardware change option under troubleshoot, I get the below message:
I purchased Windows last year. I have talked with Microsoft support, they did a number of CMD command line changes and an in-place update (reinstall of Windows) and none of these worked. They directed me here. In total, I spent 3 hours chatting with them and never got it addressed. I do not want to pay for Windows again. Thanks for the help in advance.
With these instructions, I managed to reinstall an old legitimate WinXP again on an old PC that is going to be used as an off-line machine for some old programms. Some software just do not work correctly, or at all, with modern hardware and systems.
In my call to Microsoft I chose the text to smart phone option and was instructed to tell how many digits were displayed one the screen, but there were no digits displayed. After 3 tries with the same results, I tried the voice option and was supposed to be transferred to a person but got a message stating Windows XP is no longer supported and was disconnected from the call. I guess this means Windows XP can no longer be activated by any means.
I just finished upgrading to windows 11 home from windows 10 home and decided I would like to purchase windows 11 pro. I used the link in settings to upgrade my version of windows. I bought the 99 dollar windows pro from within the Microsoft store. It showed the purchase was successful and a button appeared saying install now.
I restarted my computer to see if that would fix the issue. As I restarted, my computer said it was performing updates. When it finished performing updates, my computer turned back on it now how's that I have windows enterprise installed and it will not let me activate. The trouble shooter does not work and it displays the error code 0xc004c003.
My my Microsoft account shows my purchase of windows 11 pro but it doesn't give me an access to a product key. When I click on more details it takes me to a broken link within Microsoft website saying this page no longer exists.
if you upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro , please follow these steps :
1Select Start > Settings > System > Activation.
2Under Upgrade your edition of Windows, select Open Store
3Select "I have a Windows 10/11 Pro Product Key", then input the product key
4: If you have any error warning , please reboot your PC and try it again
and I get my windows 11 pro key from the microsoft partner online store keyingo.com, and i upgrade with the key and follow the instructions without any problems
I am having the same problem and spent two hours on the phone with Microsoft. They said I had to upgrade my Windows 11 home, but it would wipe out
every other application on my computer that wasn't a Microsoft product. This is a new laptop with Windows 11 so I don't know why I would have to upgrade it
to use the key to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro. So frustrating.......when I try to enter that default key I get an error. Did you have any experience with this?
this seems to be a generic key for windows 10 not 11 , Currently having the same issue with a brand new windows 11 PC and upgrade to windows Pro
Microsoft message screen says select troubleshoot below. Which of course there is no Troubleshoot below !
In the end I had to get the vendor to log in and fix this problem, firstly by changing the version to Windows 11 Pro un-activated in Powershell/Terminal and then activate it with a fresh valid product key through System settings (several activation keys had been attempted through the System Settings previously to no avail)
So the best approach is to go to a Microsoft authorised vendor in the first instance)
I buy my license on the Microsoft site. They said that the product key is on the mail sent when I bought the license buy it doesn't. and in the order history doesn't appears the product key. I'm asking for every possible way to get my product key, my actual windows is a home ed, but I need some features of my pro version.
I want to upgrade but without my key is impossible. I already have my ms account associated to my login and is an administrator account. the only way to upgrade it is using the key or buy a new license (is totally illogic buy a new license to get my old license...) and nobody answer from Microsoft. the only thing the have is a troubleshoot step by step that goes in circle. Is sooooo hard to them give me my already bought key?
Hello everyone. I have some issues with my PC HP Compaq dc7800 CMT. When I type the Product Key to activate Windows 7 Professional, it blows a dialog with the error: "Licensing service detected, that the rating of the license failed." What can be the issue?
There are 2 types of product keys out there. The first type is often on a sticker on the back or bottom of the PC. This is an OEM product key. It will say what version of Windows that the key is good for. Windows 7 Professional, Windows Vista, Windows 8, etc.
Microsoft USED to allow OEM Product keys for 8 to be used to activate windows 7 because for a while after machines were first sold with 8 on them, MS allowed for "downgrade rights" because many people were not willing to run 8 on the machines. They would be offered a choice of 8 or 7 on initial boot. The same thing was done for Vista and XP - many machines that have OEM Product keys for Vista will activate XP on them.
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