Windows 10: Activate

March 28, 2018 12:56 PM

I bought a refurbished Lenovo thinkpad with Windows 10 from Micro Center a few weeks ago. Because I’ve been dealing with a lot the past few weeks, I hadn’t gotten around to inputting the activation key for Windows 10 I had received on a piece of paper with the laptop. This weekend, a friend who was helping clean my apartment accidentally threw the paper away. Is this a big deal?

The computer operates just fine; there’s just a notice in the lower right hand corner that says “Activate Windows,” that directs me to go to settings to input the key. If I have lost my key, what are the ramifications?

posted by ocherdraco to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Can you call Micro Center and just tell them all of that? They were really nice to me and refunded me money for something I didn't even have (I had bought two years of Office & OneDrive, and only came home with one card. I decided I didn't want to go that way, and they let me return both even though I only had one card—it's one year per card). I'd bet they'll give you a new key.
posted by clone boulevard at 1:51 PM on March 28, 2018

Best answer: My refurbished computer from microcenter also had the activation key on a sticker on the bottom of the computer; I scratched part of it off to reveal the activation key. You might have one of those?
posted by ChuraChura at 4:09 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I do indeed have one of those! Huzzah!

But it's not working. Boo!

I'm getting an error message. But that's something concrete I can take to Micro Center and have them deal with. Phew!
posted by ocherdraco at 5:37 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]