[Technology] calling @beorhelm @clippe_gull @wardystwin et al IT

[maffew]

I am fairly IT savvy but,

so I go my Dell inspiron 2 years ago with Windows 8 and quickly took the free upgrade to Windows 10. Now I dont have the install media or indeed receipts but back in June my laptop was running like a dog so I reinstalled Windows 10 from a USB ISO my brother had, appears to be iffy as I just got a message popup saying my Windows experience is about to expire, click here to register...

Your thoughts? I really dont want to reinstall...... Do you reckon if I contact Dell with my laptop serial number for a key? I dunno

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I am fairly IT savvy but,

so I go my Dell inspiron 2 years ago with Windows 8 and quickly took the free upgrade to Windows 10. Now I dont have the install media or indeed receipts but back in June my laptop was running like a dog so I reinstalled Windows 10 from a USB ISO my brother had, appears to be iffy as I just got a message popup saying my Windows experience is about to expire, click here to register...

Your thoughts? I really dont want to reinstall...... Do you reckon if I contact Dell with my laptop serial number for a key? I dunno

Does your laptop have the Windows 8 license sticker on the bottom ? If so the manufacturer will often provide you the original install media but for a price. It won't get you round re-installing though. I run a number of *cough* copied OS's and never seen one time out - maybe quickly backup your data and then wait to see what happens ?

 

[madinthehead]

I am fairly IT savvy but,

so I go my Dell inspiron 2 years ago with Windows 8 and quickly took the free upgrade to Windows 10. Now I dont have the install media or indeed receipts but back in June my laptop was running like a dog so I reinstalled Windows 10 from a USB ISO my brother had, appears to be iffy as I just got a message popup saying my Windows experience is about to expire, click here to register...

Your thoughts? I really dont want to reinstall...... Do you reckon if I contact Dell with my laptop serial number for a key? I dunno

This sounds like a scam, mate.. Dont click on the link. When did this pop up appear? While browsing?

 

[madinthehead]

To check if Windows is activated, do the following..

Tap on the Windows-key or click on the Start button, and select Settings from the menu that opens up. If you don't see settings, type Settings and hit enter. Alternatively use Windows-i to open Settings directly.
Navigate to Update & Security.
Select Activation on the left.
There you find listed the activation status of the operating system as well as the edition.
"Windows is activated" indicates that all is ok.

Assuming this is the case, maybe download and install Malwarebytes ( the free one, not the pro) and give your computer a scan..

 

[tinx]

When you upgraded to windows 10 this should have registered your machine with Microsoft as having a windows 10 license. This should mean that you can re-install windows 10 as many times as you like with install media and it will validate with microsoft that you are entitled. The problem may be that you have a license for Windows 10 Home but the media you have used is for windows 10 pro.

If thats the case you may need to download the windows 10 home media.

 

[maffew]

To check if Windows is activated, do the following..

Tap on the Windows-key or click on the Start button, and select Settings from the menu that opens up. If you don't see settings, type Settings and hit enter. Alternatively use Windows-i to open Settings directly.
Navigate to Update & Security.
Select Activation on the left.
There you find listed the activation status of the operating system as well as the edition.
"Windows is activated" indicates that all is ok.

Assuming this is the case, maybe download and install Malwarebytes ( the free one, not the pro) and give your computer a scan..

thanks this what I have

 

[maffew]

This sounds like a scam, mate.. Dont click on the link. When did this pop up appear? While browsing?

well I normally/always am browsing, it looks like a bonafide message I'll try and get a screen shot, it happened again just nw

 

[maffew]

Does your laptop have the Windows 8 license sticker on the bottom ? If so the manufacturer will often provide you the original install media but for a price. It won't get you round re-installing though. I run a number of *cough* copied OS's and never seen one time out - maybe quickly backup your data and then wait to see what happens ?

it doesnt have the license sticker on no - I think I will back up yeah, its been a while

 

[PeterOut]

You seem to have gone from a pre-installed version of Win 8 (presumably Windows Home) to a corporate version of Win 10 Pro.
Not the recommended u/g path, as far as MS is concerned.

I know you said that you didn't want to reinstall but to avoid further problems, I suggest you take a small hit now to save you long-term grief...

1. Back up your data onto removable storage.
2.Reinstall the original Win8 (contact Dell if you need original media - their online support is pretty good at identifying your PC and matching you as a genuine purchaser of the laptop)
2a. Alternatively, you may be able to persuade them to send you Win 10 (Home) installation discs
3. U/g to Win 10 via the MS site (if step 2a failed)
4 Avoid 'mates with a disc'

 

[maffew]

You seem to have gone from a pre-installed version of Win 8 (presumably Windows Home) to a corporate version of Win 10 Pro.
Not the recommended u/g path, as far as MS is concerned.

I know you said that you didn't want to reinstall but to avoid further problems, I suggest you take a small hit now to save you long-term grief...

1. Back up your data onto removable storage.
2.Reinstall the original Win8 (contact Dell if you need original media - their online support is pretty good at identifying your PC and matching you as a genuine purchaser of the laptop)
2a. Alternatively, you may be able to persuade them to send you Win 10 (Home) installation discs
3. U/g to Win 10 via the MS site (if step 2a failed)
4 Avoid 'mates with a disc'

That makes sense ta

 

[madinthehead]

thanks this what I have
View attachment 92198

companies use Microsoft volume licensing and one product key is shared across the organization.

The computer checks in to a licensing server on the company network every so often. After a certain time not talking to the licensing server (usually 180 days) the OS will deactivate.

This prevents employees from installing Windows on their own machines and also if a computer is stolen, it will eventually deactivate.

If you type this at a CMD prompt, you can see the OS license info:

Slmgr /dlv
you can then see what the state of the licence is...

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

It's also worth looking to see if there is a recover partition on the hard drive from when the laptop was first built. If so after you've backed up your data you'll be able to use that partition to recover back to factory settings. You'll be back on 8.1 or whatever it was you were on previously but it's a start. You can then look at your options for getting windows 10 installed.

 

[maffew]

companies use Microsoft volume licensing and one product key is shared across the organization.

The computer checks in to a licensing server on the company network every so often. After a certain time not talking to the licensing server (usually 180 days) the OS will deactivate.

This prevents employees from installing Windows on their own machines and also if a computer is stolen, it will eventually deactivate.

If you type this at a CMD prompt, you can see the OS license info:

Slmgr /dlv
you can then see what the state of the licence is...

180 days sounds about right yeah

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

View attachment 92199

It's failing as it's not talking back to the KMS server, I am guessing your brother gave you a corporate copy he managed to get not realising how it was licensed. I'm surprised it took this long to start throwing up activation warnings.

I used to have this problem all the time with teachers laptops when I worked in a school. They would take them home and use them, but never sign into a VPN or bring them into the school and connect them to the network there which would talk back to the KMS server.

 

[maffew]

It's also worth looking to see if there is a recover partition on the hard drive from when the laptop was first built. If so after you've backed up your data you'll be able to use that partition to recover back to factory settings. You'll be back on 8.1 or whatever it was you were on previously but it's a start. You can then look at your options for getting windows 10 installed.

No recovery partition, that would be my favourite option

Are my Windows.old folders any use?

 

[maffew]

It's failing as it's not talking back to the KMS server, I am guessing your brother gave you a corporate copy he managed to get not realising how it was licensed. I'm surprised it took this long to start throwing up activation warnings.

I used to have this problem all the time with teachers laptops when I worked in a school. They would take them home and use them, but never sign into a VPN or bring them into the school and connect them to the network there which would talk back to the KMS server.

Well he is coming round tonight to cook a curry, I'll eat that then smash him up

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

No recovery partition, that would be my favourite option

Are my Windows.old folders any use?

View attachment 92200

Not sure, never tried it, Google seems to suggest there is a method to do so, but it might need the installation disk to kick off the recovery process.

 

[madinthehead]

180 days sounds about right yeah

View attachment 92199

OK.. maybe you just need to buy/pick up a different product key.. You should be able then to update from the activation page earlier..

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-change-product-key-windows-10

You can get an OEM pretty cheaply nowadays..

Just google windows 10 pro oem key

 

[btnbelle]

Ditch windows....

I have moved to Linux and not looked back....