My preinstalled windows 10 is asking for an activation code. Where do i look for the activation code

[tintinsheth]

My envy x360 came with pre-installed windows 10. Now, the message" Activate Windoe=ws" is constantly displayed on the screen.

Where do I look for the Activation code?

I do not have any packaging material

[erico]

If you have been online with the new notebook, the activation key is tied to the mac address of the notebook and is registered in the Microsoft Windows activation servers. That is Microsoft's current activation key model. That has been the case for about two to three years.

Have you created USB recovery media?

Some Windows updates cause the issue you are seeing. Many of us, myself included, have had that unpleasant experience. 

What is the build version of the Windows 10 operating system that is installed?

What are the latest Windows updates that have been installed?  Hint: check the Update history in Settings -->Windows Update. 

[tintinsheth]

Hey Thanks for the prompt response erico.

I am confused:

replies to your queries:

f you have been online with the new notebook, the activation key is tied to the mac address of the notebook and is registered in the Microsoft Windows activation servers. That is Microsoft's current activation key model. That has been the case for about two to three years.

Where is the Mac address?

Have you created USB recovery media?

Nope

Some Windows updates cause the issue you are seeing. Many of us, myself included, have had that unpleasant experience. 

I think it must be so...how to resolve?

What is the build version of the Windows 10 operating system that is installed?

Windows 10 Home 64-bit Version: 17134.523

What are the latest Windows updates that have been installed?  Hint: check the Update history in Settings -->Windows Update. 

feature update shows updated on 18-07-2018

quality udate shows updated on 18-01-2019

[erico]

Every electronic communication device (NIC) in a PC or laptop has a MAC address.  If you use your router's administrative graphical user interface you will see that your notebook or desktop PC for that matter has a MAC address. 

From the wikipedia:  

"A media access control address (MAC address) of a device is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for communications at the data link layer of a network segment. MAC addresses are used as a network address for most IEEE 802 network technologies, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth."

Feel free to search for words or tech terms that you do not know or understand in the future.

Search bar, type in the word  "activation" and click on the icon that appears.  There should be a troubleshooter link at the bottom of the window. Click on it.

Windows 10 Activation

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12440/windows-10-activation

It would have helped if you included specific information on the updates instead of the general type descriptions. 

[Lil_Boy_Blue · Accepted solution]

Hi

To supplement Erico's answer....

KeyFinderInstaller may help....
https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Doing research, and none of the methods are mine, I have some, simple single lines of code that will list the same value for your Windows 10 Product Key…
Two for Windows 10 and one for Linux.

W10 Using cmd.exe as an Administrator (copy and paste accordingly).

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey >> c:\ProdKey.txt

Creates a text file called ProdKey.txt on your C:\ area.

Next is a PowerShell command, as Administrator...
(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey

but it will run within W10 using cmd.exe as an Administrator.
powershell (Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey

Last, but not least....
Linux@Lubuntu:~$ sudo cat /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDM | strings | tail -n 1

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

[tintinsheth]

It would have helped if you included specific information on the updates instead of the general type descriptions. 

Does this help?;

Feature Update:

Feature Update to windows 10, version 1803

Successfully installed on 18-07-2018

Quality Update:

2019-01 Update for windows 10 version 1803 for x64 based systems (KB4023057)

Successfully installed on 18-01-2019

[erico]

Thanks!

Using the activation troubleshooter

https://support.microsoft.com/en-my/help/10738/windows-10-get-help-with-activation-errors

[tintinsheth]

Thanks Lil Boy Blue...Issue resolved.

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Prego.

[tintinsheth]

Thanks for your help