Unable to activate Windows 8.1 after system reset

I am working on an HP Omni computer for some friends of mine and I am having a bit of an issue. I had to run a reset to fix an issue in Windows. This reinstalled Windows from the restore partition on the hard drive. After I did this and I started setting up their programs again, I got a message about activating Windows. However, it tells me the key is invalid for activation. There is no actual key to type in, this is a Windows 8 computer that I understand should have the key embedded in the BIOS, and should "just work" when I reinstall Windows. It isn't, however, and I have no other key to type in to try.
HP support was absolutely no help, the first call they insisted I needed to call Microsoft, which I knew wasn't true, but I tried anyway. They said I would need to contact HP. So I tried again, this guy was more helpful, at least he tried to be, but he told me I would need to buy a new copy of Windows. This is ludicrous, I restored from the restore partition, and there is no way I am buying another copy of Windows. Does anyone have any ideas what I might need to do? I work in IT and install Windows all the time, but this is the first time I am dealing with Microsoft's new activation method. So far, I am not a fan.

Hi,
I don't work for HP.
I will request to have someone else take a look and see if anything can be done to help.
Jaco
****I am not an HP employee****
Please give a" Kudos, Thumbs Up" if advice received is relevant or" Accept as Solution" to assist other forum users having a similar problem.
Errare humanum est.

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Solved!
Go to Solution.
Attachments:
Screenshot 2014-11-05 19.30.01.png ‏182 KB
Screenshot 2014-11-05 19.47.09.png ‏97 KB

Any idea why my windows would just deactivate like that?
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Check the status of the service. If the service is down, wait tor it to come back up. There may be a localized outage, even if the status indicator is green.
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(Please take a moment to "Vote as Helpful" and/or "Mark as Answer", where applicable.
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