Finding Windows 10 Product Key

scottalanmiller

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@thwr said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

He said he's trying to update from 16(?) to 1903 - using Media Creation Tool.. I have a USB with Windows 10 on it.. but he cant get past this step..

If Windows was activated before, such an update would read the key (or some kind of a hash / token) from UEFI.

that's what I thought, but it's licensed.. There's a product key in the System settings.
he just can't use that one.

You jsut upgrade and click i don't have one. done.

That said, I've never seen that screen if you are upgrading from within Windows 10.

So I have no idea WTF is even possibly going on here in order to cause this.

That's what I thought too; but it wont let you.

Microsoft doesn't require a product key to install/upgrade windows 10 though... according to some research.

We've done hundreds, and never seen it ask for one.

JaredBusch

@scottalanmiller said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@thwr said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

He said he's trying to update from 16(?) to 1903 - using Media Creation Tool.. I have a USB with Windows 10 on it.. but he cant get past this step..

If Windows was activated before, such an update would read the key (or some kind of a hash / token) from UEFI.

that's what I thought, but it's licensed.. There's a product key in the System settings.
he just can't use that one.

You jsut upgrade and click i don't have one. done.

That said, I've never seen that screen if you are upgrading from within Windows 10.

So I have no idea WTF is even possibly going on here in order to cause this.

That's what I thought too; but it wont let you.

Microsoft doesn't require a product key to install/upgrade windows 10 though... according to some research.

We've done hundreds, and never seen it ask for one.

Same.

scottalanmiller

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

but it wont let you.

Then he is not running a legal windows 10 system to upgrade.

That's my guess. They go to great lengths to make sure it works when it is valid.

WrCombs

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

FYI, I have an assumption on exactly what is happening. But I'll be damned if I stop beating him over the head until he starts thinking for once.

WOW OK.

WrCombs

@scottalanmiller Thought it was odd too.

pattonb

@scottalanmiller I haven't done hundreds, but close to 100, and Scott's experience is exactly the same as mine.

WrCombs

@DustinB3403 said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

A licensed copy of Windows 10 will not ask for a product key.

This is the truth, maybe this is an illegal license?

he said Digitally Licensed

Dashrender

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

WrCombs

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Dashrender

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Is he booting from the media creation tool USB stick? or just running the upgrade from within windows off the usb?

WrCombs

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Is he booting from the media creation tool USB stick? or just running the upgrade from within windows off the usb?

This is where I'm confused; cause he goes into a file and runs a " Setup.exe " that open media creation.. then it fails

JaredBusch

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

I'm here trying to help him with his shit and getting nothing but push back.
I gave you all the information I was given.

And obviously, you should have went back to get more information when the information you had was found to be lacking.

JaredBusch

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Is he booting from the media creation tool USB stick? or just running the upgrade from within windows off the usb?

This is where I'm confused; cause he goes into a file and runs a " Setup.exe " that open media creation.. then it fails

WTF..
This means nothing. There are likely hundreds of setup.exe files on every single windows computer.

DustinB3403

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Is he booting from the media creation tool USB stick? or just running the upgrade from within windows off the usb?

This is where I'm confused; cause he goes into a file and runs a " Setup.exe " that open media creation.. then it fails

WTF..
This means nothing. There are likely hundreds of setup.exe files on every single windows computer.

Have I got a bridge to sell you!

scottalanmiller

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Is he booting from the media creation tool USB stick? or just running the upgrade from within windows off the usb?

This is where I'm confused; cause he goes into a file and runs a " Setup.exe " that open media creation.. then it fails

That does sound odd. Any why the USB stick? Try the media directly from Windows 10. Just download it and run it directly. It's fast (to download.)

DustinB3403

@scottalanmiller said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Is he booting from the media creation tool USB stick? or just running the upgrade from within windows off the usb?

This is where I'm confused; cause he goes into a file and runs a " Setup.exe " that open media creation.. then it fails

That does sound odd. Any why the USB stick? Try the media directly from Windows 10. Just download it and run it directly. It's fast (to download.)

My guess is the person is attempting to do an offline upgrade, and the upgrade is stopping because the installation is probably pirated.

Dashrender

@scottalanmiller said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@Dashrender said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

@JaredBusch said in Finding product Key:

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

The install step requires product key for windows 10 but it's digitally licensed.

This is untrue if

@WrCombs said in Finding product Key:

Trying to upgrade windows 10 to 1903.

This is true.

Both are true

Created media through Microsoft media creation tool
Runs that and it fails on product key, no way around it.
Is running Windows 10 1603 - atleast what he told me.

why is he using that? Isn't he being offered an update to 17xx or 18xx or 19xx inside Windows update? Why is he trying to use media creation tool?

I Have no idea.

Is he booting from the media creation tool USB stick? or just running the upgrade from within windows off the usb?

This is where I'm confused; cause he goes into a file and runs a " Setup.exe " that open media creation.. then it fails

That does sound odd. Any why the USB stick? Try the media directly from Windows 10. Just download it and run it directly. It's fast (to download.)

LOL - yeah, the creation tool itself is fast to download - the downloading of the ISO/blob is whatever speed you have for 3+ GB of download...

Dashrender

If the user is getting so far as the prompt for a CD key - then they likely are well past the media creation tool portion.

run directly on the machine to be upgraded - ran media creation tool > which asked local machine or other machine (choose local), confirms a few things, then downloads the installer... then starts the upgrade process - which can include the need for a CD Key (though, hasn't not provided the option for "Don't have one" in a long time, but if the machine is upgrading from a currently licensed machine, should not prompt for this anyhow.
upgrade another machine - ran media creation tool > choose other machine - asked - ISO or USB? Choose USB > downloads and builds USB installed media (takes for bloody ever!!) then open USB stick and run setup from within Windows - see above for rest.
Boot from USB - choose upgrade - system tells them to reboot into windows and run setup from within windows (at least that's what happened the last time I tried to upgrade from USB after booting from the USB - and that's been over a year).

Dashrender

@scottalanmiller said in Finding product Key:

It's sad that SO much of IT troubleshooting is trying to figure out what "seeing the world through the customer's eyes" actually means, but it is how things are. In certification tests, the tests are always based on truth. Things like "Error message says: X" or "the computer sounds like ....", but in real life, we don't get accurate info, we get bits and pieces with half those pieces being false or misleading.

OMG this - so much this!!!

scottalanmiller

I forked out the topic on end user information evaluation. Put additional comments there for that.