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I have an HP laptop that came pre-installed with windows 10. MSFT update asked me to update to windows 11. Now I can't activate it. I tried using the original product key and it's is rejected. How can I fix this or get support from someone at MSFT?
Answer recommended by moderator
I reinstalled from scratch making a boot usb drive and using this hack to allow me to go to previous version of install, so I could ensure Windows 11 Home was selected. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYoQ_pPs_MQ&t=144s. After the install it was automatically activated (likely found the digitial key).
Unfortunate that windows update led me astray.
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The installation should use a key in BIOS and install correct edition automatically.
Meanwhile please repair system files by
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
command from Windows Terminal (admin) environment and re-run commands to see a key.
Seems something is wrong with the system.
Please contact HP support and ask whether Windows was preinstalled to this laptop.
the HP support sent me over here. It did come preinstalled. I'm going to a clean install of windows and hopefully it let's me choose Home. Then I'm not sure where I'll go from there. Not sure if the ShowKeyPlus is giving me the right code.
