Windows 10 Pro Has Amnesia and Wants You Buy a New Copy from the Windows Store

I had this issue for several days recently trying to reactivate my Pro copy after a fresh format. I finally had to contact Microsoft for help. It took about 6 hours of going through various incompetent people until I found a guy that fixed the whole thing in 5 minutes. The others just seemed to ignore everything I was saying and tried to re-sell me Windows 10 Pro.

I went through something similar with a Essentials 2012 install; 1 robot voice, 4 people, 3 hours, too many please holds. The 4th knew what they were doing but I had to email pics of my receipt and bar code off the package.
 
It's still not "there" yet...especially for VR. Like it or not, the target platform for game devs is Windows 10. You MIGHT get your favorite game to run under Linux (hope you have an AMD card!), but it's a lot more effort just to get the game running at all, let alone running at similar performance to the same game at the same settings running under windows. We all want a real alternative to Windows, but, for as much progress as Linux has made lately, it's still not ready for the average user.

In the consumer space, desktop Linux is always going to be little more than an afterthought until the market share is there. Sure a lot of Windows games can work under Linux and lot don't if either way there won't be any official support so it becomes luck of the draw.

Windows 10 has its problems but so does everything else if you use it long enough.
 
Windows 10 routinely checks for a valid activation and there is not really a clean built in way to stop it (just like updates).

Curious if this issue exists for people who use Microsoft accounts and have their activation tied to the account. I've checked the activation on three of my Windows 10 devices this AM using MS accounts, all still activated.
 
Mine is fine. While I like changing my systems hardware on a pretty constant basis I have dealt with Microsoft activation hell even though I have legit licenses for all of my microsoft software. Not OEM, but retail licenses. I deal with this in ways Microsoft does not smile upon thus I never go through this problem anymore.
 
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Happened to me on my Ryzen upgrade. New Mobo/CPU. Booted up just fine. Installed some other updates went for the restart and it could no longer find boot media.

Did the system restore clean thingy (whatever it’s called now.) where it goes back to just the basic files and uninstalls other apps annnnd now it needs activation.

Near as I can tell activation is just to make the notification go away because it hasn’t stopped me from doing anything at all.
This isn't an issue if you have the product key associated with a Microsoft account. If you just use a local account then you're always going to have this issue.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
 
cageymaru did yours say anything about "your windows credentials have changed" mine constantly say that but I cant do anything about it. It has no possible methods of fixing lol
It didn't mention the credentials yet. If it does that then I might be writing articles from a Linux dual core laptop from 2010 or 2012. :)
 
I'm stuck on Windows since I use an Oculus Rift but, if Linux were capable of easily setting up and supporting the Rift I would switch pretty darned quick...

I've used Linux on and off since the 90s/Early 00's and I'm pretty comfortable with the CLI stuff, but I've reached the point where I want to use the OS, not tweak it. (call it old age...I don't mind anymore)
 
I bought (yes, bought) a win 10 license from MS directly on their store 3 years ago or so. Last fall after an "update" my license suddenly wasn't valid. Spent 4 hours on the phone going from tech support, to the MS store support to get them to find my valid license & invoice and then go back to tech support to get it to authenticate. Funny thing they never let you actually see your license in the system tab any more. I have the license saved in 3 separate locations now.
 
Windows 10 did this to me when I swapped out a bad motherboard around 6 months ago. Insisted for three weeks my key was no longer good and I should buy a new one.

While I procrastinated the activation server one day changed it's mind and everything was OK...
I had a MB failure, and upon replacement/upgrade, win10pro deactivated. Insult to injury. Buy new hardware to get back up and running - pay 200 dollar windows tax.

Mine never reactivated itself, and at this point, I don't care.
 
Installing win10pro on my new computer was a lot of hoop jumping, one moment my key was bad, the next it was fine, worked like that for me all thru the update download so i had to enter key like 3 times.
Never had anything just resembling that happen to me with any version of windows.
 
Confirmed this is affecting me right now. Brand new Dell Latitude 541. Windows 10 Pro.

Error:

Activation: Unable to reach Windows Activation Servers.


"We found a Windows 10 Home digital license for this device running Windows 10 Pro. To activate using this digital license, you need to install Windows Home."
 
Hmm.

If this happens to me I may have more trouble, as I absolutely refuse to have a Microsoft account. Local only user logins for me.

Can't look up my license in my account if I do that though
 
Confirmed this is affecting me right now. Brand new Dell Latitude 541. Windows 10 Pro.

Error:

Activation: Unable to reach Windows Activation Servers.


"We found a Windows 10 Home digital license for this device running Windows 10 Pro. To activate using this digital license, you need to install Windows Home."
The voodoo that is Windows activation is such a travesty, and MS will now only tell you to buy a new key. It sure seems like one of those oops I made a mistake and it works out in our favor types of deals. Also tying it to the motherboard was really nice of them, it's usually the first thing on the PC to die, costs at least $150 for a new one, plus a new Windows key. Most of them are made so cheap it's a wonder they last over a month, just had a perfectly fine Gigabyte die, even with the wonderful dual BIOS, it lost it's brains and is a boat anchor now. Thanks Gigabyte. Never again. New BIOS chips are $15 plus the work, not really even worth it, it will probably die again in a year.
 
Confirmed this is affecting me right now. Brand new Dell Latitude 541. Windows 10 Pro.

Error:

Activation: Unable to reach Windows Activation Servers.


"We found a Windows 10 Home digital license for this device running Windows 10 Pro. To activate using this digital license, you need to install Windows Home."

How "new" is brand new? Just wondering because I spent several hours last Friday evening reinstalling Win10Pro on 2 computers in order to resolve a really weird Networking issue. I'm wondering if the keys being "un-activated" are ones which were entered before a certain date or if they were entered recently or both types are affected
 
How "new" is brand new? Just wondering because I spent several hours last Friday evening reinstalling Win10Pro on 2 computers in order to resolve a really weird Networking issue. I'm wondering if the keys being "un-activated" are ones which were entered before a certain date or if they were entered recently or both types are affected


Ordered direct from Dell. Just opened the box this morning (10am EST, 11-8-2018). Joined the domain and installed Office 2016 and various apps. Just noticed it wasn't activated when I went to do Windows updates.
 
What I can't understand is if I access my ms account from one of my computers that's OK, it shows I have 3 licensed computers, but if I access my account from the computer with the activation failure, it shows only 2 computers and omits the non-activated one. So I can't use the option of selecting that computer and reactivating it.
 
Hmm.

If this happens to me I may have more trouble, as I absolutely refuse to have a Microsoft account. Local only user logins for me.

Can't look up my license in my account if I do that though

I too only use local accounts but I did purchase my 2 copies of Win 10 Pro through the MS storeplace. If I recall correctly, when I log into that account I seem to recall seeing my purchases. (and I do keep both product keys written down)

I haven't checked mine today (currently at work) so I guess I know what I'll be checking as soon as I get home tonight.
 
Well, I just switched 2 computers, one a a domain and one, my own laptop, too the Insider Builds. Upon reboot, they needed to both be activated. (Everything works and I do not have the desktop watermark.) Just have to wait for the fix. Also, reinstalled another laptop that already comes with Windows 10 Pro cleanly and it did the same thing. (This is an HP laptop with a stamped Windows 10 Pro bios.)
 
This is just because everything MS is doing is just too complicated. Every company wants so much real-time tracking and sifting big data on everything people do that the systems to make this happen have now reached the point they are just too much code, too unstable, too complicated.

Once a machine is activated that should be the end of it. It should be machine-side and not be pestered by online communication or timed checks.

Piracy concerns or not, desktops need processes like this to be simple and bulletproof. The system needs everything MS can do to keep everything it CAN simple. Some things about windows like the endless driver compatibility battle can not ever be won, only fought. But activation? That CAN be simple and bulletproof.
 
I have a retail license so hopefully this won't happen to me.

My W7 Pro OEM license deactivated itself after I installed SP1.

Hmm, I must be in luck. So far no issues with either upgrades from W7Pro OEM, W7Pro retail or W10Pro retail.
 
Fuck. Just wiped my pro install and reinstalled with Home earlier this morning and now see this. Can I charge Microsoft for my time?
 
Fuck. Just wiped my pro install and reinstalled with Home earlier this morning and now see this. Can I charge Microsoft for my time?

Why would you do that without even doing a bit of research on the issue first? Did you not know what type of windows license you had, and just assumed you made a mistake installing Pro because Microsoft said so?
 
Upgrade from Windows 7 Pro that was done the same week it was originally offered by Microsoft.
Same story here with regards to the upgrade from W7Pro and it thinking I was only eligible for the home version.

Thanks for posting this, thought I might have triggered it by swapping out video cards the other week. Which didn't make much sense, but that's MS licencing in a nutshell. :)
 
Mine said that I'm running Win10 Pro but have a Win10 Home Licence (I Know Better)... Reboot did nothing... Tried a known good key (Retail Box) and nothing... So I figured it's a AuthServer thing... Bingo...
 
Don't go buying keys to replace or reinstall Windows. the issue is known by Microsoft and it is most certainly on their end. The MS store won't even permit you to purchase any PRO versions at this time. It will all be sorted in the next few days. This also happened last year with OFFICE activation. Everything will be sorted out soon according to Microsoft but during the OFFICE activation problems it took a week before everything was fixed. There are many online discussions, especially on reddit.


 
I guess i'm lucky. 3 Pro machines. One 7 Pro to 8.1 Pro to 10 Pro upgrade, one MSDN 7 Pro upgrade and one OEM 7 Pro upgrade and all three are fine.
 
It isn't effecting all areas but in a lot of locations new activation's of PRO will not proceed. There has also been widespread accidental deactivation's during this SERVER catastrophe. Please do not attempt to repurchase... Even buying from authorized resellers will result in the same errors if your location has been effected by this issue. I'm gonna post a couple links that speak of the issue but many more exist. Just hold off on repurchasing and hang tight : )



https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/microsoft-confirms-it-accidentally-deactivated-some-windows-10-pcs/

https://www.ghacks.net/2018/11/08/microsoft-is-having-activation-server-issues-right-now/
 
Why would you do that without even doing a bit of research on the issue first? Did you not know what type of windows license you had, and just assumed you made a mistake installing Pro because Microsoft said so?

The real kicker is Home is probably going to de-activate once the Pro license issue is fixed lol.
 
My legit upgrade key stopped working a few months ago. After many wasted hours on the phone, I gave up and bought an OEM Pro key for $11. Has activated without issue through multiple reinstalls and hasn't been affected by this crisis yet.
 
Haven't you heard? You can game on Linux! And it's not hard...

Seems I need to keep making videos showing it :$

What do you like to play?
I wish you linux wizards would tell me how to do it. 18.04 stopped windows networking just like windows 10 1803
 
Mine reactivated again after running Troubleshooter. Looks like Microsoft may have corrected the issue.
 
Mine reactivated again after running Troubleshooter. Looks like Microsoft may have corrected the issue.

My computer is activated again without me having to do a thing. Have to agree with one of the posters though, it should be a one time thing, to keep it simple. (Except in the case of hardware changes, of course.)
 
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