W10 activation fail

AlecEiffel

Hi all

Windows 10 1511 update put my laptop into a loop where it would try to auto repair and fail. Other attempts to restore failed and so I downloaded the latest ISO from MS tech bench to do a clean install. It's installed but Windows won't activate now and I get error 0x803f7001 and it says I have no valid digital entitlement or product key. It also says that it's unable to reach the activation server so does this error come up because of that?? The laptop is a dell, originally w8 and upgraded via the w10 upgrade app.

Cheers for any input.

GunJack

network adapter drivers missing?

AlecEiffel

It connects to the web and the time auto updates, and the ms site loads so not that I'm afraid.

jshm2

The MS message is correctly stating that you need to restore from your original key before it will allow you to update.

Therefore you'll need to backup your stuff and do a factory restore. If your machine was a Windows 10 machine originally, then it will revert to that -else whatever else wa the original OS. If you have no restore partition then you'll need to use your first backup CD's - else buy them from the manufacturer.

Regarding your updates, you should always use WSUSOffline update instead of Windows update. This, as it filters out the blackisted updates that bork most machines as in your case.

AlecEiffel

Thanks for the reply. I've already been using W10 for months though with no problem. I just need to reinstall it so shouldn't it just recognise the laptop (no hardware changes) from previous W10 install?

Fightsback

Was W8 home originally installed on this laptop then w8 pro put on it and then upgraded to w10 pro ? This can cause a problem due to confusion over the embedded BIOS key.

Also did you upgrade the laptop originally as part of the insider program and not after release to manufacture ?

Fightsback

jshm2 wrote: »

If you have no restore partition then you'll need to use your first backup CD's - else buy them from the manufacturer. .

That is incorrect, as you say it's factory installed windows 8 just download the W 8 ISO from Microsoft as the key is embedded in the BIOS.

AlecEiffel

Thanks for the replies.

My path so far has been-
W8 oem installed
Update to W8.1 via the windows store
Upgrade to W10 via the app at time of W10 launch.
Try to update to the November update via Windows update that failed, resulting in repair loop.

All are home versions, 64bit.

So should I go back to the dell W8 disc and repeat the above?

Jivesinger

AlecEiffel wrote: »

All are home versions, 64bit.

I seem to remember the Techbench ISOs contain both Pro and Home versions of Windows 10. Did you definitely pick 'Home' when you installed from the ISO? (If you picked Pro then it definitely wouldn't activate.)

AlecEiffel

The system info says its the home edition though I don't recall on installation the iso asking which version. I believe it did during the ISO creation though and I selected home version.

wongataa

AlecEiffel wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

My path so far has been-
W8 oem installed
Update to W8.1 via the windows store
Upgrade to W10 via the app at time of W10 launch.
Try to update to the November update via Windows update that failed, resulting in repair loop.

All are home versions, 64bit.

So should I go back to the dell W8 disc and repeat the above?

You wouldn't have to do all the steps. You could upgrade directly to 10 from 8 from Win10 install media.