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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-01-08T23:46:54+00:00

    This worked for me! Thanks so much!

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-23T19:37:04+00:00

    I retrieved the Windows Product Key that is stored on my PC and it is the same Product Key that I found available all over the web. If this is the Product Key that was provided by Hewlett Packard on my New PC, then the question is "Why has the MS Activation Server blocked it"????

    YOU WOULD THINK THAT SOMEONE AT MICROSOFT COULD GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION THAN A SIMPLE "ACTIVATION SERVER HAS BLOCKED YOUR PRODUCT KEY"

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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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  4. Anonymous
    2018-03-26T13:40:58+00:00

    **Thread locked by the moderator since it has already run its course. The efforts of all of the contributors in this thread are very much appreciated. If you're having issues with any Microsoft products or services, feel free to use the*'Participate' menu to ask a question or just simply click the 'Ask a Question' button on the upper right corner of the page.***

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  5. Anonymous
    2014-02-13T21:51:48+00:00

    I have long since resolved my problem. I performed a "System Refresh" which basically returned my system to its original Windows 8 factory configuration. Because of the "refresh" I was forced to re-install all applications that I had installed after purchasing my PC.

    I am sure that my problem was caused when I purchased Windows 8 Pro Pack. The download completed but the installation failed and my system was returned to Windows 8 Operations System.

    I believe that something was changed during the failed Windows 8 Pro upgrade.

    The irony is that I only attempted to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro to get "Windows Media Center" which I enjoyed on my Windows VISTA PC.

    I spent hours on the phone being bounced between Hewlett Packard and Microsoft Support trying to get a "Product Key" that would be accepted by my FREE Windows 8.1 upgrade..

    Neither company could tell me why my BIOS embedded "Product Key" was not accepted.

    I am now running Windows 8 and won't change no matter how FREE an upgrade is.

    I will think long and hard when deciding on which brands to select when purchasing my next Computer.

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    3 people found this answer helpful.
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