Enable the windows (windows not recognized) option.
Enable the windows (windows not recognized) option.
I saved the Windows 8.1 installer on a USB stick and used it to launch the system. My memory was hazy due to a medical condition at the time, so I don’t recall much about the process. I spent a lot of time searching for activation details, but I built the OS myself and wasn’t very familiar with software setup. It worked surprisingly well! After recovering my documents, I also got my cover letter and resume back.
Your Windows license is unrelated to your Office license. If you purchased either from the gray market (like eBay), it’s likely your key was resold and activated on another device.
They didn't provide much information. Did you purchase it online? Digital keys are emailed to you. If you got a cheap copy (under $80 for Home OEM), it matches what Goodbytes mentioned. A grey market key that has been resold or blocked by Microsoft is an option. If you used an activator, we can't assist as that involves piracy.
If you locate a purchase receipt, it could be sufficient for MS support to obtain the key. However, without any records—no account used for the purchase, no prior access to the account before Windows lost activation—there’s nothing anyone can do.