I have an older Dell desktop PC (~10 years old), which originally came with Windows 7, I did the free conversion to Windows 10 Pro at some point, and have been keeping up with all Windows 10 updates since then.
A couple days ago, at powerup I got POST beeps indicating that the coin battery on the motherboard was dead, so I replaced it and it booted OK, along with downloading and installing the latest W10 updates.
I don't know whether that motherboard battery replacement has anything to do with this problem or just a coincidence.
Ever since then I have been getting a message that my Windows 10 is not activated. I've gone through all the activation troubleshooting to no avail, and I don't have a key for windows 10 on this PC since it was a later, free upgrade.
I've used keyfinders like Magic Jellybean as well as the one microsoft recommends as a MS Store download, and both come back with the same key, which is the same as the "RTM generic key(retail)" for W10 Pro listed here:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/959 ... tions.html
(This is also the same key listed in the registry at HKLM\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\softwareprotectionplatform under 'BackupProductKeyDefault' )
I've tried entering this key in the activation troubleshooter but it won't take it. From there, microsoft directs me to the MS store to pay $200 to buy a new W10 Pro.
Yes, I've tried, for 2 days now, to get help from a human at microsoft. All their help is now "AI" and runs in circles, and any place that claims it will lead to a phone number, that link is no longer available.
So I have no clue how to fix this. The Windows 10 pro on this PC has been running for years and is a legal copy.
Any suggestions on what I can do would be appreciated.
Also, any explanations on why this happened appreciated as well (was it the MOBO battery replacement that triggered it?)
A couple days ago, at powerup I got POST beeps indicating that the coin battery on the motherboard was dead, so I replaced it and it booted OK, along with downloading and installing the latest W10 updates.
I don't know whether that motherboard battery replacement has anything to do with this problem or just a coincidence.
Ever since then I have been getting a message that my Windows 10 is not activated. I've gone through all the activation troubleshooting to no avail, and I don't have a key for windows 10 on this PC since it was a later, free upgrade.
I've used keyfinders like Magic Jellybean as well as the one microsoft recommends as a MS Store download, and both come back with the same key, which is the same as the "RTM generic key(retail)" for W10 Pro listed here:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/959 ... tions.html
(This is also the same key listed in the registry at HKLM\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\softwareprotectionplatform under 'BackupProductKeyDefault' )
I've tried entering this key in the activation troubleshooter but it won't take it. From there, microsoft directs me to the MS store to pay $200 to buy a new W10 Pro.
Yes, I've tried, for 2 days now, to get help from a human at microsoft. All their help is now "AI" and runs in circles, and any place that claims it will lead to a phone number, that link is no longer available.
So I have no clue how to fix this. The Windows 10 pro on this PC has been running for years and is a legal copy.
Any suggestions on what I can do would be appreciated.
Also, any explanations on why this happened appreciated as well (was it the MOBO battery replacement that triggered it?)
Statistics: Posted by Tamales — Sun Jan 12, 2025 11:52 am — Replies 12 — Views 498