Install on new pc, reset pc, now activation key no longer working

Apr 24, 2018
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Hi everyone,
So, I juist built my first pc ever, and didn't have access to internet yet when installing. So, I activated windows with a Pro OEM key from Kinguin, and it made me create an account. Unfortunately, due to some strange happenings, what I thought was the correct password actually wasn't, and long story short, I reset the pc. (In the re-install, I did have access to internet and entered through my own Microsoft account). However, now it says that it cannot activate windows on this device because the product key was already used on another device.

Does anyone know what actually happened here, and more importantly, how to 'fix' it?

Thanks in advance!
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Normally a reset won't ask for the installer key again, as reset process starts at the User creation screen. I assume you used the installer instead again and just did a fresh install? If so, what you should do at that screen where it asks for a licence is click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue installation and check activation servers at the end.

If PC was activated already, it will reactivate when it checks MS servers.
The activation key is one use, every other time you install win 10 on a PC its already been on, you just skip that page. You don't need to know it anymore, details of PC + license code + perhaps email address are stored by Microsoft.

Buying cheaper keys through Kinguin comes at the risk it might just stop working.
 
Apr 24, 2018
2
0
10

I did not do a fresh install; re-installing happened automatically after the reset. I was not asked for a license key before installation. However, in the "Settings" screen it says that the entered key (so it did remember that) had already been used on a different computer and can thus not be used again.