A good attitude and profuse thanks are called for. Tell the folks on the other end of the phone that you had a genuine copy of Windows 7 or 8.1, but you used the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to create a boot USB, then perform a clean install. I’ve been working with phone activation for many years, and although there are a few notable exceptions, in almost every case, if you have a good story you’ll get a Windows 10 key. If that doesn’t work, get on the phone and talk to a human. Click Next on the slui dialog box and type in the numbers you should be home free. You will hear an automated voice give you an installation key. You’ll receive a toll-free number and a horrendously long list of numbers known as the “installation ID.” Call the toll-free number and type in the installation ID. If all else fails, and you’ve waited a few days (rebooting occasionally), try an automatic phone activation. After all, it’s in Microsoft’s best interests to get everybody on Win10. If you’re installing Win10 fresh – a clean install - you can type in any valid Win7 or 8.1 key and the Win10 installer will accept it. Chances are very good that Windows will recognize the error of its ways and not bother you again, although it may take a couple of days for the activation routine to figure it out. Don’t bother trying to find a Windows 10 key. If you’re upgrading from a “genuine” Windows 7 or 8.1 machine, click Skip, Do This Later, or Next (depending on the dialog box). Microsoft knows all about the nod-nod-wink-wink free upgrade lapse and hasn’t taken any steps to change it. No, the installer doesn’t enforce it: Win10 upgrades from genuine Win7 and 8.1 are still free as a breeze. Yes, the “free” upgrade to Windows 10 officially ended on July 29, 2016. If you encounter a dialog like this one, insisting that you type in a product key, simply click Skip and don’t worry about it. AskWoody Lounger jmwoods has detailed instructions for stopping the Windows Update service, renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder, then restarting Windows Update. I’ve also seen situations where cleaning out the SoftwareDistribution folder does the trick. Run the update again: If the update works, simply delete the renamed $WINDOWS.WoodySaidZapIt folder. Rename it to $WINDOWS.WoodySaidZapIt or something similar. Rename the folder called $WINDOWS.~BT: That’s an odd name for a folder, but then again Windows Update is pretty weird anyway. In Win7, click Folder Options, View, and under Advanced Settings check Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives. In Win10, click View, then check the box marked Hidden Items. Show hidden files: I generally recommend that you show hidden files all the time, but if you haven’t yet taken off the training wheels, now’s the time. Navigate to C: Look under This PC if you can’t find it immediately. Regardless of which version of Windows you’re using, try this: Sometimes the hidden folder used to store upgrades (both Win7-to-Win10 and Win10 version-to-version) can get corrupted. If the Troubleshooter doesn’t catch the problem, there’s one more general trick you should try. Click Close, and the Troubleshooter disappears. To see the results of the scan, click the link to View detailed information. If it encounters any problems, it will fix them automatically. The Troubleshooter will take a minute or two to scan your update files and settings. InfoWorldĬlick on the Advanced link, then click Run as Administrator. Double-click on it and you’ll see the Troubleshooter (see screenshot below). The downloaded file is called latestwu.diagcab. Go to the Windows Update Troubleshooter page and download the Troubleshooter for your version of Windows. In my experience, they don’t work all that frequently, but they’re easy to use and if you’re lucky can save you a lot of headache. If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with your machine – that is, why an update doesn’t take – you should start with Microsoft’s downloadable troubleshooters. You’d be surprised how often an install will go through the second time, once your machine sheds its odd peripherals. Disconnect unnecessary USB-connected items: drives, modems, dongles, toasters, and so on.Disable antivirus and firewall – even Microsoft’s antivirus and firewall.If your upgrade failed on the first try, take these three simple steps before you try again: I’ve listed the fixes in the order they should be pursued. Here’s our attempt to guide you through the upgrading process – what you need to accomplish and what to avoid.
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