Solution
You have installed the wrong version of WIn 10
Your license is for Win 10 Home Single Language, what version did you install?

On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB and make sure its the right Version.

you don't need the win 8 key, the PC was recognised by troubleshooter and your license details are stored on Microsoft activation servers.

You just need to install the right version of windows 10.

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
You have installed the wrong version of WIn 10
Your license is for Win 10 Home Single Language, what version did you install?

On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB and make sure its the right Version.

you don't need the win 8 key, the PC was recognised by troubleshooter and your license details are stored on Microsoft activation servers.

You just need to install the right version of windows 10.
 
Last edited:
Solution

Virago02

Commendable
Sep 27, 2019
11
0
1,510
zZ
Please specify "using my someone else windows drive ".
Which "older activation key" do you have? For Win 8.1?
Did this system have Win 10 on it and activated before?
I used my brother's windows disc just to install mine because I couldn't find mine.
My older key is for 8.1 but in the past there was an opportunity to upgrade from windows 8.1 to windows 10.
\
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
lose? What version of win 10 did you install?

If you installed Pro, you can try this
Unfortunately, clean install is your only option, you can't downgrade from Pro to Home. Changing the key will not work. You could try the following work around then test your luck:
  1. Open Registry Editor(WIN + R, type regedit, hit Enter)
  2. Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion
  3. Change EditionID to Home (double click EditionID, change value, click OK). In your case it should at the moment show Pro
  4. Change ProductName to Windows 10 Home. In your case it should at the moment show Windows 10 Professional
  5. Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Wow6432Node > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion, change the same two values as in steps 3 and 4 above
  6. Close the Registry Editor
  7. Insert the Windows 10 Homeinstallation media, do an in-place upgrade by launching the setup from desktop (not booting with Windows 10 Home install media)
  8. When asked, enter your validWindows 10 Home product key and select what to keep(settings, personal files and apps, only personal files or nothing)
  9. Windows 10 Home in-place upgrade will be done now.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-to-home/345f5464-cb7a-44b3-8856-237cbec072c8

I would back up any data you afraid to lose before doing those steps, just in case it doesn't work.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
zZ

I used my brother's windows disc just to install mine because I couldn't find mine.
My older key is for 8.1 but in the past there was an opportunity to upgrade from windows 8.1 to windows 10.
\
As above, you've installed the wrong version.
If you had installed the same version as was there originally, there would have been no Activation issues.

Create a new USB or DVD install.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Backup any personal data.
Do a whole new install, with the correct version.
It should activate automatically.