Windows 10 activation problems

[Super9ova]

I have a OEM windows 10 that I purchased and it tells me that it is not activated, can I simply return this one and buy a retail copy, and then change the key in the settings to the retail key?

 

[Colif]

Can you right click this PC on desktop and choose properties from the menu
in next window, at bottom there is a section called activation. There should be a way to contact Microsoft from here, and they might be able to sort it out for you.

Not a great difference between retail and OEM now.

 

[Super9ova]

Can you right click this PC on desktop and choose properties from the menu
in next window, at bottom there is a section called activation. There should be a way to contact Microsoft from here, and they might be able to sort it out for you.

Not a great difference between retail and OEM now.

I will try this, but it was a cheap copy and could be a volume key so idk

 

[Colif]

If it doesn't work, give your idea a try. if the same place is willing to swap, retail might be safer. You will be able to enter key and activate current install with key, provided they both same version of win 10 (can't use a Home licence on a Pro install, for instance)

 

[USAFRet]

Can you right click this PC on desktop and choose properties from the menu
in next window, at bottom there is a section called activation. There should be a way to contact Microsoft from here, and they might be able to sort it out for you.

Not a great difference between retail and OEM now.

I will try this, but it was a cheap copy and could be a volume key so idk

With licensed software, especially a Windows OS, 'cheap' is very often not 'valid'.

The install and the license are two different things.
Where did the install come from? If not from Microsoft, I recommend you obtain a valid license, and do a full reinstall.

If you got the Win 10 install directly from MS, and your 'cheap key' did not activate, then yes, you can just buy a real OS license, and activate the current install with that.