Windows 8.1 Product Key and Activation

Anonymous
2013-11-22T04:35:23+00:00

About a week ago, I downloaded Windows 8.1 from MS Store. This was an upgrade for Windows 8 which came installed on my new HP PC.

The download was successful and Win 8.1 installed. However, Win 8.1 did not get activated and I keep getting a reminder screen to Activate Win 8.1.

This Activate Screen asks me to enter a Product Key. It gives me an error code of 0xc004c003 which states that the activation server has blocked my product key. It also gives the last five(5) characters of the blocked product key.

Well, I never entered a product key during the upgrade so I'm not sure where the product key came from.

I did a web search for the last five characters of the product key and it appears to be all over the web.

I used an application that showed the last fifteen(15) characters of the product key in my PC for Win 8.1 and they match the product key that I found all over the web.

It's no wonder that MS has blocked this key.

My question is. How do I activate Windows 8.1 since I have no product key.  MS Store did not provide a key with the download.

Dennis J. Ferrier

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Licensing and activation

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

127 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-12-08T20:49:12+00:00

    i need product key of windows 8.1

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2014-11-29T00:16:05+00:00

    It works. Thank you very much for your help.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2014-11-25T15:48:24+00:00

    This looks like your 1st post in this thread.

    You need to start your own thread in order to deal with the problem, each thread can only be marked as answered once so a second issue may never get seen.

    We need a little background information as you start your question with having already spoken to Microsoft.

    The only point I would make is Microsoft are entirely correct. Computers pre supplied with Windows have an OEM license. This is sold at a reduced cost to manufacturers because they undertake to provide technical support at their own expense instead of Microsoft. If HP supplied the computer with Windows 8 then they are liable to deal with your issue. You essentially accept the quality of HPs support when you choose to buy from them as well as the computer itself, effectively it is another component of that computer.

    The problem is there is no key to activate Windows 8.1 as an upgrade to 8.0, it should not require one.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

  5. Anonymous
    2014-10-29T07:38:38+00:00

    This worked perfectly, can't believe how simple it was, especially having spend countless fruitless hours trying to find answers to re-activating my windows 8.1, so many thanks..... and for those in a similar situation, simply try this, you won't be disappointed.

    Was this answer helpful?

    4 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments