failing to get hp product key window 8.1 and failing to activate
Windows 8.1 Product Key and Activation
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Anonymous
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.
127 answers
Sort by: Oldest
-
Anonymous
2016-07-12T20:40:13+00:00 -
Anonymous
2016-07-23T11:34:41+00:00 Hi Isaac,
If you face any issue in the activation, try to refer the articles mentioned below and see if it helps you to fix the issue.
Get Help Activating Microsoft Windows
If issue persists and you could not activate your Windows then try to follow the steps provided in the article mentioned below and see if it helps you to fix the issue.
Hope this information is helpful. Please let us know the results. Feel free to write us back for any further assistance, we’ll be glad to assist you.
Regards,
-
Anonymous
2016-08-13T01:01:43+00:00 I called and was told it could not be provided to contact the manufacturer of my pc.
Not happy!
-
Anonymous
2016-08-13T01:23:40+00:00 Did you purchase the operating system (Windows) separately and install it yourself (no operating system came with the system) or did you purchase the system with the operating system (Windows) pre-installed by the system manufacturer?
If so, and it was/is Windows 8/8.1 or 10, your product key is likely embedded in your system BIOS by the manufacturer or it is on a sticker on the system itself (placed there by the system manufacturer.)
In other words: you seem to be getting the correct and logical advice.
-
Anonymous
2016-08-13T02:08:18+00:00 It was preinstalled and embedded in the system BIOS. Unable to repair, must do a restore and am being prompted for the product code. Contacted manufacturer, they will not provide a product key. They advised only two options:
"You can send the unit in for repairs (and pay for it) or you can purchase a recovery media and recover you operating system."
I don't think having to pay for something twice is logical...