Question Windows 11 Activation help

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very_452001

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Mar 8, 2014
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Hello,

I bought a new Windows 11 gaming PC from the store. It has Windows 11 home. I found a unused 64-Bit Windows 10 Pro Product Retail Key in my email that I bought 2 years ago from electronicfirst.com

So I searched for activation settings on my new pc, then clicked on upgrade to upgrade from home to pro, windows prompt on screen enter product key in which I did then I clicked next then windows did the download, prep and the upgrade to Pro then my pc restarted.

The upgrade went well after restart no probs so far but now windows saying windows 11 pro is not activated.

How do I fix this so I can use windows 11 pro, if its impossible to fix then how do I downgrade to windows 11 home like it was before?

So I searched for activation settings on my new pc, then clicked on upgrade to upgrade from home to pro, windows prompt on screen enter product key in which I did then I clicked next then windows did the download, prep and the upgrade to Pro then my pc restarted.
Click to expand...

If there were issues with my Product Key then why did windows allow me to continue with no error/warning messages on screen?

Cheers,
 
sound like the windows 10 pro key is not legit
how much did you paid for it?

we can install without a key. only when activation

as far as I know there is no downgrade, so fresh install to get back to home edition
 
punkncat said:
Pretty much lands on the issue, right here. This is among reasons why not to purchase grey market keys. I also second a fresh install back to the W11 home version you paid for with this PC.
Click to expand...

So you saying the only option I have left is delete everything and Install fresh windows 11 home again?

I don't see the Windows product key sticker on the PC or in the PC packaging when I unboxed it.
 
rgd1101 said:
sound like the windows 10 pro key is not legit
how much did you paid for it?

we can install without a key. only when activation

as far as I know there is no downgrade, so fresh install to get back to home edition
Click to expand...

So keys from electronicfirst.com are not legit?

Also I don't see the Windows product key sticker on the PC or in the PC packaging when I unboxed it so if my only option is to do a fresh install of windows 11 home like you say then how am I gonna activate home after fresh install when I cant find the product key?

If I do manage to find or obtain the home product key from the store then can I enter it in windows activation settings to get it from pro to home again?
 
very_452001 said:
So keys from electronicfirst.com are not legit?

Also I don't see the Windows product key sticker on the PC or in the PC packaging when I unboxed it so if my only option is to do a fresh install of windows 11 home like you say then how am I gonna activate home after fresh install when I cant find the product key?

If I do manage to find or obtain the home product key from the store then can I enter it in windows activation settings to get it from pro to home again?
Click to expand...
A Win 10 or 11 Pro for $10 is NOT legit in any way.

You have to ask yourself....how can they do this?
They don't have some special discount line with Microsoft.

This is like finding a site selling a new 75" Sony TV for $25.
Or a 16TB SSD for $50.
You'd (hopefully) run away laughing, knowing it was fake.

Moving on...
This was a prebuilt PC, with a preinstalled and activated OS?

A simple wipe and reinstall of whatever it came with should activate no problem.
Key word....should.

It was WIn 11 Home?
Reinstall that, and all will probably be well.
 
USAFRet said:
A Win 10 or 11 Pro for $10 is NOT legit in any way.

You have to ask yourself....how can they do this?
They don't have some special discount line with Microsoft.

This is like finding a site selling a new 75" Sony TV for $25.
Or a 16TB SSD for $50.
You'd (hopefully) run away laughing, knowing it was fake.

Moving on...
This was a prebuilt PC, with a preinstalled and activated OS?

A simple wipe and reinstall of whatever it came with should activate no problem.
Key word....should.

It was WIn 11 Home?
Reinstall that, and all will probably be well.
Click to expand...

Yes its a prebuilt PC with preinstalled and activated Win 11 Home.
What if it doesn't 'Should'? Because I cant find the windows 11 home product key. I be in the same Activation problem again after a fresh install?

Talking of fresh installs is there like a Windows 11 home without all the bloatware and unnecessary background processes version? Like a clean version of Win 11 home and if so can I install this without any activation problems?
 
very_452001 said:
Yes its a prebuilt PC with preinstalled and activated Win 11 Home.
What if it doesn't 'Should'? Because I cant find the windows 11 home product key. I be in the same Activation problem again after a fresh install?

Talking of fresh installs is there like a Windows 11 home without all the bloatware and unnecessary background processes version? Like a clean version of Win 11 home and if so can I install this without any activation problems?
Click to expand...
It should activate.

Cross the "doesn't" bridge if/when that happens.

Get and create a new WIn 11 Home install direct from Microsoft.

The install is 98% the same as Win 10:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
 
very_452001 said:
So you saying the only option I have left is delete everything and Install fresh windows 11 home again?

I don't see the Windows product key sticker on the PC or in the PC packaging when I unboxed it.
Click to expand...

It is most likely safe in a "Hardware ID" once you restore the proper version with the same PC. Probably worthwhile once done to tie this OS license to your MS account.
 
USAFRet said:
It should activate.

Cross the "doesn't" bridge if/when that happens.

Get and create a new WIn 11 Home install direct from Microsoft.

The install is 98% the same as Win 10:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
Click to expand...

What if I purchase another Win 11 pro product key and click on change key on windows to save me the hassle of deleting everything and starting fresh again?

If this new key works and I get the activated message then from this point should I stop worrying and its all sorted?
 
very_452001 said:
Please advise.
Click to expand...
You may try this unsupported method (at your own risk).
www.elevenforum.com

Downgrade Windows 11 Pro to Windows 11 Home

This tutorial will show you how to downgrade from Windows 11 Pro, Education, or Enterprise to Windows 11 Home without losing anything. You may find yourself needing or wanting to downgrade from the Windows 11 Pro, Education, or Enterprise edition to the Windows 11 Home edition. A direct...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

If you decide to try it, please share your results.
 
SkyNetRising said:
You may try this unsupported method (at your own risk).
www.elevenforum.com

Downgrade Windows 11 Pro to Windows 11 Home

This tutorial will show you how to downgrade from Windows 11 Pro, Education, or Enterprise to Windows 11 Home without losing anything. You may find yourself needing or wanting to downgrade from the Windows 11 Pro, Education, or Enterprise edition to the Windows 11 Home edition. A direct...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

If you decide to try it, please share your results.
Click to expand...

Generally how has the results been so far from other people?

Seriously Microsoft should fix this issue and prompt the user on screen that there is a issue with the product license key before continuing to prevent the mess in the 1st place but instead MS allows the user to continue then tell them there's a issue afterwards. Way to go Microsoft!
 
very_452001 said:
What is Hardware ID?

I used the Win 11 PC without a MS account associated to it.

Please advise.
Click to expand...

Hardware ID is the specific components of the PC that you are activating OS on. When you activate the Hardware ID of the system as it is built is saved to the authentication such that you don't have to use/find your key any time you have to re-install or whatnot. In that alone, it is handy. The issue that often arises are things such as if you have to change a motherboard then you have to have "assistance" from MS to reactivate. I have had it happen for CPU updates as well. Typically speaking, they will do this 2-3 times before refusal and then the option is typically to buy a new key.

Once you activate and have this Hardware ID, you can surf online to your MS account and will see that PC as one of the registered devices to your account once you 'log in' to MS on it. That is handy in case of the above parts change situation where it makes it easier to reinstate if a problem arises. At the same time, if you sell the PC with the OS intact you can also disassociate it from your account so the next owner can.
 
punkncat said:
Hardware ID is the specific components of the PC that you are activating OS on. When you activate the Hardware ID of the system as it is built is saved to the authentication such that you don't have to use/find your key any time you have to re-install or whatnot. In that alone, it is handy. The issue that often arises are things such as if you have to change a motherboard then you have to have "assistance" from MS to reactivate. I have had it happen for CPU updates as well. Typically speaking, they will do this 2-3 times before refusal and then the option is typically to buy a new key.

Once you activate and have this Hardware ID, you can surf online to your MS account and will see that PC as one of the registered devices to your account once you 'log in' to MS on it. That is handy in case of the above parts change situation where it makes it easier to reinstate if a problem arises. At the same time, if you sell the PC with the OS intact you can also disassociate it from your account so the next owner can.
Click to expand...

Hardware ID based on the CPU or Motherboard? So you upgraded your cpu to lets say a faster cpu and because of this you have to buy a new MS windows license product key to continue using windows?

What if the user used windows OS without associating an MS account to it?
 
very_452001 said:
Hardware ID based on the CPU or Motherboard? So you upgraded your cpu to lets say a faster cpu and because of this you have to buy a new MS windows license product key to continue using windows?

What if the user used windows OS without associating an MS account to it?
Click to expand...

As mentioned, they will assist in re-activation in my own experience around 3 times. The online assistance option for this actually has a prompt for "changed configuration".

You don't have to associate your MS account with it, but it helps keep track in my own opinion.
 
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Okay I managed to get the Product License Key for Win 11 home from the store I bought the PC from.

In activation settings, if I click on change key, will this work revert back?
 
Hi,

Coming back, what if I buy another Win 11 Pro key? I'm looking for the quickest fix and appreciate the earlier help however that seems too long and hassle to do all that delete/format/reinstall you know what I mean.
 
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