Okay, so I got Windows 8 Pro for last Christmas, I used it a lot of times because Windows kept crashing and I had to keep re-installing. Now I can't use my key anymore, but it is paid for. What can I do?

To install an upgrade version of Windows 8, you must already have Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP installed on your PC.

If you formatted the drive before the upgrade version of Windows 8 was installed, you won't be able to use your upgrade product key to activate Windows 8. To activate Windows 8, you'll need to install your previous version of Windows, and then reinstall Windows 8. For help with the activation process, contact support.

1. Press Windows key + X then clickRun, then type: slui.exe 4
2. Next press the 'ENTER' key
3. Select your 'Country' from the list.
4. Choose the 'Phone Activation' option.
5. Stay on the phone (do not select/press any options) and wait for a person to help you with activation.
6. Explain your problem clearly to the support person.