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

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-02-21T19:59:06+00:00

    Yes, I performed a "system refresh" which returned my PC to the original Windows 8 OS. I have been running Windows 8 ever since.

    Basically, I am not running Windows 8 Pro which I had purchased and then received a refund: I am not running Windows 8.1 which I downloaded free but could never get an acceptable "Product Key" in order to activate Windows 8.1.

    In addition, because I performed a "system refresh", all applications that I had installed since I purchased my PC, had to be re-installed.

    An unpleasant experience with both Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-10-07T02:53:41+00:00

    I cannot get windows 8,8.1 to work for nothing. I have done everything

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  3. 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.

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  5. 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.

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