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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
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.
I agree.
Although it sounds like it is defective (possibly) in terms of hardware and outside of warranty?
In any case, who is the manufacturer and what is the model of the system?
Also, you may want to do a Google search for "get windows 8 product key from BIOS" and read up on some options in the mean time.
Will this manufacturer just send you restoration/recovery media on DVD or USB stick (you may have to pay a fee for that, usually for media and shipping if at all)?
Bought my Laptop installed with windows 8.1 but it can not be activated do not have the product key
Make & model?
The product key is likely embedded in the BIOS, but because you purchased the device with the OS, you should immediately contact said manufacturer for assistance as they provided you with the OS and product key as well as the method to restore the system to factory defaults.
I had all this nonsense with my daughters laptop. I fixed it by uninstalling windows 8 and then installing windows 8.1 This is because HP (Horrible products) and other manufacturers have a thing with MS that you can only get updates from them, whatever you want to think! Even after that I still get bits of 8 showing through like my daughters partners name comes up. However it now runs 8.1 and updates without popping along to the manufacturers site. Basically, if you can get updates direct from MS sites then you can upgrade yourself, if not the all of the manufacturers try to force you to pay for and use them. This along with the rubbish that you get fro the manufacturers means I buy ones or make with out an OS Then I can do what I want. Note if you uninstall the OS you should not lose files, but do not bank on it.
PS my daughter sillily upgraded her machine to 10. I told her NOT to do it as there are continually problems even though my 1 machine running 10 has been scanned and told by MS that it is a good machine and should have no problems still has BSoDS however the latest on her machine is the system says NO OS. The drive is recognised and there are things on the drive. Now I have to pray that I can get 8.1 to work and kick some sense into 10! The fact that we had no disc for 8.1, it came from MS via the net direct helps not!
i completed the first 2 ideas but it doesnt show anything about a country code or something
