[SOLVED] Locked out of windows 10 (organization account)

[Slimpar]

I've been using a student version of windows 10 on my home pc because it was offered for free by my university. I asked them multiple times if I would still have access to it after graduating, and they all said yes. Lo and behold when I try to log in now I get a message "you can not log in with this account, please try a different account" (of which I do not have). Needless to say ill be having a long discussion over the phone with them in the morning. However I wanted to poke around on the forums to see if there was a way I can purchase and apply a new code to my pc and keep all of the data that are on my hard drives already? Keep in mind I can't get past the login screen but I do have a windows boot media drive I can use. TIA

 

[Tom_nerd]

I have had the exact same issue

 

[USAFRet]

I've been using a student version of windows 10 on my home pc because it was offered for free by my university. I asked them multiple times if I would still have access to it after graduating, and they all said yes. Lo and behold when I try to log in now I get a message "you can not log in with this account, please try a different account" (of which I do not have). Needless to say ill be having a long discussion over the phone with them in the morning. However I wanted to poke around on the forums to see if there was a way I can purchase and apply a new code to my pc and keep all of the data that are on my hard drives already? Keep in mind I can't get past the login screen but I do have a windows boot media drive I can use. TIA

I don't believe you can.

I don't think you can apply a Win 10 Home or Pro license to an EDU install.
After a full reinstall of Home or Pro, sure.

 

[Slimpar]

I don't believe you can.

I don't think you can apply a Win 10 Home or Pro license to an EDU install.
After a full reinstall of Home or Pro, sure.

So would I be able to purchase a new key and use the boot media to install the new key version?

 

[USAFRet]

So would I be able to purchase a new key and use the boot media to install the new key version?

Given a full OS reinstall, yes.
You'd be installing Home or Pro, and using the valid license key you purchased.

 

[Slimpar]

Given a full OS reinstall, yes.
You'd be installing Home or Pro, and using the valid license key you purchased.

Thanks for the help, just making sure, I'd lose all my files?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the help, just making sure, I'd lose all my files?

If you've not made backups of them before this...then yes.

 

[Slimpar]

If you've not made backups of them before this...then yes.

Well I have two drives. My HDD has an old backup. Could I potentially download the new os onto the hdd and then grab everything that I want from my ssd over to that, then macrium reflect back onto the ssd so that the new windows in on the solid state drive?

 

[USAFRet]

Well I have two drives. My HDD has an old backup. Could I potentially download the new os onto the hdd and then grab everything that I want from my ssd over to that, then macrium reflect back onto the ssd so that the new windows in on the solid state drive?

Installing the OS on the HDD will wipe everything on the HDD.
What type of "backup" is it on the HDD? A Macrium Image?

 

[Slimpar]

Yeah its an exact image of my ssd. I just want to do it so I can grab a few files off the ssd and then macrium reflect back over to have the os on the speedy ssd

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah its an exact image of my ssd. I just want to do it so I can grab a few files off the ssd and then macrium reflect back over to have the os on the speedy ssd

Do this instead:
Boot up from a Macrium Rescue USB that you can create (if you have access to another PC), you create an Image of the current SSD contents. Write this to the HDD (assuming there is enough free space).

Install a new OS on the SSD.
After it is all working, reconnect the HDD and you can mount that Image as a drive letter. Retrieve what files you need.

 

[Slimpar]

Do this instead:
Boot up from a Macrium Rescue USB that you can create (if you have access to another PC), you create an Image of the current SSD contents. Write this to the HDD (assuming there is enough free space).

Install a new OS on the SSD.
After it is all working, reconnect the HDD and you can mount that Image as a drive letter. Retrieve what files you need.

Got it, thank you!

 

[thelastwinchester]

Another option is to connect your SSD into your friend's PC or any other PC and copy whatever you want onto another external drive or even your phone if its storage is free enough or your HDD as well.