Windows 10 won't activate??

[Thank you for moving your post from the Windows Update forum to the Win10/Install & Activate forum.]

1a. Were you running Win8.1 or Win7 before the upgrade to Win10?

1b. When (exact date) did you upgrade to Win10?

1c. Did you do a clean install of Win10 after you upgraded for some reason?

2. Has a Norton application or a McAfee application EVER been installed on the computer since you bought it?

3. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial [pick one] come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

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You're not alone! => https://goo.gl/h4nWA9

Microsoft sez...

<QP>
A networking problem has occurred while activating your copy of Windows. (Error code: 0xC004FC03)

You might see this error if you're not connected to the Internet or your firewall settings are preventing Windows from completing the activation process online. Check to make sure you're connected to the Internet and your firewall isn't blocking Windows from activating. If you're still having problems, you can try activating Windows by phone.

</QP>
Source & more: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/activation-errors-windows-10

Windows 8.1 was on this computer...it keeps saying I need to enter a new product key. the one i'm using is blocked. I believe I downloaded it on July 30. I uninstalled yesterday and then went through the updating process again. I haven't done a clean install because I thought you had to activate first.  Norton free trial was used a while back.

I did the phone deal, but it wouldn't work and wanted to transfer to person.

I have full internet connection

How do I check the firewall?

It would be a great help for me to know it isn't something to do with my computer. As far as I know my windows were genuine. If it's a networking problem and all I need to do I wait, I can do that.

Windows 8.1 was on this computer...it keeps saying I need to enter a new product key. the one i'm using is blocked. I believe I downloaded it on July 30. I uninstalled yesterday and then went through the updating process again.

So is Win8.1 or Win10 currently installed?

Have you ever run the Norton Removal Tool?

• Fact: Norton (and McAfee) applications are notorious for not uninstalling (or upgrading) cleanly. The "leftovers" may be your troublemaker here.

Windows 10....figured I'd wait it out. My free trial it's over... I never used the Norton system other than the regular maintenance ...

Q: Have you ever run the Norton Removal Tool?
A: [NO]

Is Firefox, Google Chrome or any other alternate browser installed?

Roll up your sleeves, cross your fingers...

ACTIONS

[You will want to print these instructions (or copy/paste into Notepad) for offline reference. IMPORTANT => DON'T SKIP ANY STEP & perform all Steps in one, uninterrupted session! If a Step says to reboot, reboot! None of the steps can possibly harm your computer.]

1. Right-click on the following link, select SAVE TARGET AS... & download the Norton Removal Tool, saving it to your desktop: ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/Norton_Removal_Tool.exe

2. Close all open applications (i.e., anything with an icon on the taskbar).

3. Right-click on the file you saved in #1 above and select Run as Administrator to run the Norton utility. Don't TOUCH your keyboard until the run completes, then reboot.

4a. Right-click on the following link & save the download to your desktop: ie8-rereg.all.zip [1]

4b. Right-click on the file you saved in #4a & select EXTRACT ALL. This will create a new desktop folder also named ie8-rereg.all. The folder will contain both of the scripts below (plus a third one that you will NOT use).

        Note => Don't worry, the scripts are good for IE10 & IE11, too!

5a. Close all open applications (i.e., anything with an icon on the taskbar), open the folder created in Step #4b above & double-click on the file named ie8-rereg.32on64.cmd to run the script.

5b. Repeat for the file named ie8-rereg.64on64.cmd then reboot.

6. Re-assert Internet Explorer as the default Browser in the CUSTOM (<=important!) section of Set Program Access and Computer Defaults [2]

7a. Right-click on the following link and SAVE the download to your desktop: http://www.slipstick.com/doit/chromehtml.reg [3]

7b. Double-click on the file you saved in #7a above & accept the prompt to MERGE the data with the Registry.

8. Reset Internet Explorer per the instructions on this page: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/reset-ie-settings#ie=ie-11  

          Note => For optimal results, check the Delete personal settings option.

9. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter from start to finish per the first paragraph on this page => http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/troubleshoot-problems-installing-updates [4]

10. Reboot once more then test.

11. Reply to this post with a status report.

Good luck!

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[1] Trusted Source => my colleague IE MVP Kai Schätzl's page: http://iefaq.info/index.php?action=artikel&cat=42&id=133&artlang=en

[2] After we've finished this thread, feel free to reassert Chrome as your default, if you wish.

[3] Trusted Source: http://www.slipstick.com/problems/this-operation-has-been-cancelled-due-to-restrictions/

[4] Full Disclosure: Running the Windows Update troubleshooter will delete your Update History but not the list of Installed Updates.

I am receiving an activation error 0xC004C003, but my answers differ for

1a. Were you running Win8.1 or Win7 before the upgrade to Win10?

Activated copy of Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit using media creation tool for the 8.1 Pro x64 .iso (not Windows 8.1 after 8 to 8.1 upgrade).

1b. When (exact date) did you upgrade to Win10?

Aug 1 2015

1c. Did you do a clean install of Win10 after you upgraded for some reason?

Yes I did a clean install using the media creation tool for Win 10 Pro N, but did not upgrade while Windows 8.1 Pro x64 was still running. 

2. Has a Norton application or a McAfee application EVER been installed on the computer since you bought it?

No Norton or other antivirus software has ever been installed on the activated copy of Windows 8.1 x64 Pro which I tried to activate from. Previous installations of Windows 8.1 x64 Pro or Enterprise (with different license keys) previously installed on this same physical machine have installed antivirus software (Malwarebytes, Zemana) and once, McAfee accidentally (for Adobe Flash update), but McAfee was quickly uninstalled. I want to reemphasize that these antivirus software applied to previous installations of Windows 8.1 Pro/Enterprise, but the Windows 8.1 Pro x64 and key which was activated and cleanly installed prior to my attempt to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro N, was clean and wouldn't have installed anything, other than the default apps like Windows Store, Internet Explorer, Weather, etc. that are included in a new Windows 8.1 Pro installation.

3. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial [pick one] come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

No.

Can my Windows 8.1 Pro x64 key, activated prior to my clean installation of Windows 10 Pro N be used to activate it somehow? Can a different Windows 8.1 Pro x64 key activate this copy of Windows 10 Pro N I am running. I have already begun to install large applications like Visual Studio 2015, Windows 10 SDK, and features such as Hyper-V, so I would hope there is a solution that doesn't require another clean reinstall of Windows 10 Pro.

Thank you