Windows 10 Pro - Licence Key Issue

Housey · 18 Jul 2018 at 19:06

New MacBook Pro have arrived so moving my old one to Windows 10 Pro. Downloaded the ISO from Microsoft, used Bootcamp and fresh installed. Bought Windows 10 Pro Licence key from reputable source but when I come to activate I am being told it's not a Digital Licence Key.

Guidance on how I deal with this issue, written to vendor but wondered if someone could tell me what I have done wrong or can link me to the correct licence I need (ideally from this lovely company right ere

)

mmj_uk · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:05

Was the key you bought definitely a pro key and not just a home>pro upgrade key? a digital licence is when Microsoft have your system profile on file and activate it automatically, like with those who got the free upgrade from Windows 7/8. If you've input your own product key it should be using the normal activation method.

Housey · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:10

Definitely a Windows 10 Pro Key.

I don't know how they have a digital key for the machine as it's been a Mac OSX machine prior to today.

When I installed it, it asked for my key which it typed in and it accepted, confirming it as W10 Pro and went ahead and installed it all fine. But when I cam to use it, it asked me to activate it and got the message about the key.

mmj_uk · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:20

Try going to settings > activation and change product key, enter it again. If you're logged in with a Microsoft Account that has keys linked it might be interfering?

Housey · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:26

Did the try entering it again and didn't work.

I did this when I wasn't logged in so will try it again now, logged in and see what happens.

Housey · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:37

Still not working annoyingly.

Logged in to my Outlook account

Re-entered the same key I used to install it, still not joy.

Housey · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:39

Going to re-install from a different (not from MS website) ISO

jpaul · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:41

is the ISO the correct one ?
if it is not a retail pro from MS, but nonetheless legit, does it require an ISO for volume/enterprise versions ?

mmj_uk · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:47

I thought it might be ISO (product key v digital licence) but it seems to be a one fits all ISO. It's got me baffled, if you've purchased a product key it shouldn't be trying to use the digital license activation.

Housey · 18 Jul 2018 at 20:56

mmj_uk said:
I thought it might be ISO (product key v digital licence) but it seems to be a one fits all ISO. It's got me baffled, if you've purchased a product key it shouldn't be trying to use the digital license activation.

That's my thinking too, all very odd.

Going to do a fresh install and see what happens.

ubersonic · 19 Jul 2018 at 12:51

wrong thread, pls delete

Rensin · 20 Jul 2018 at 04:37

Had the same problem with 2x win 10 Pro keys (both digital upgrade keys from win 8)

Went on MS live chat twice who RDP to pc tried multiple times to activate and failed with same error .. in the end they activated my product key with another key and used the telephone activation ... Next day I turned my pc on and got the same message this is not a digital product key, windows is not activated.

Another 40 mins via RDP and touch wood not being asked to re-activate ... I was given a support ticket id and told next time I need to activate either license to give them the tickect id.

Not sure why boths keys failed activation, MS said so long as your signed i to the live account before reinstalling windows than it should re activate during the reinstall.

Housey · 22 Jul 2018 at 22:46

I think this is my own problem.

I had an old MacBook Pro 2011 model which I had a go at putting Windows 10 onto, but it isn't supported in Bootcamp and I gave up and put it back to OSX fully. I forgot but I used the key whilst I was messing around to activate the 2011 device, hence my issue I suspect. Will but another key.

Mujja · 23 Jul 2018 at 12:53

Did you ever install an older version of Windows on the MacBook? It seems if your computer was upgraded from 7 or 8 the device was registered with MS' activation servers with a digital license \ digital entitlement. If the computer has a digital license it shouldn activate without you needing to enter a key. In an admin command prompt type "slmgr /ato"

I can send you a spare Win 10 Pro key to try but I think you'll get the same error.

Mujja · 23 Jul 2018 at 12:57

This might work for you, never tried it myself. If you unregister the device it won't look for a digital license and you can use your product key.

How to Manage Registered Computers and Devices in Windows 10

edit: The MS Devices site