Inspiron 660 Upgrade Failure

Our school purchased over 20 Inspiron 660 desktops back in the day. They were supposed to come with Windows 8.1 OS. They opted to not have any operating system preinstalled as we were using their Microsoft Volume License Agreement to downgrade the systems to Windows 7 Pro. We were supplied with Windows 8.1 disks and told that we could upgrade the systems at a later date. With the end of support for Windows 7 coming, they opted to upgrade these systems to Windows 10. We will no longer be using the Volume license on these machines as they will be going to a different area away from the school domain for the sports coaches.

When I tried to install the 8.1 disks to get the activation code to upgrade to 10, I am prompted with a Windows Key prompt. I can not continue without typing in that key which Dell never provided with the machine.

I contacted Dell about the problem and here is part of their reply:

Lalit S (9/11/2019, 1:25:53 PM): We don't have the record of the product keys which are send with the systems. We install OEM version of the operating system which don't require the product key during installation process.

Lalit S (9/11/2019, 1:26:17 PM): The product key on windows systems isn't required as they are injected inside the chip on the motherboard from the factory & cannot be retreived.  For further information, please check:

 

http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN290004

Lalit S (9/11/2019, 1:27:11 PM): The windows can be updated to version 10 through the media creation tool in case the product key is registered with Microsoft. Please check the URL below:

 

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

Of coarse as I had told him that didn't work as it asked me for a product Key.

Then I was told this:

 

 

Lalit S (9/11/2019, 1:35:38 PM): To create and use the Dell Windows recovery image on your own, please visit:

 

http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/sln299044/how-to-create-and-use-the-dell-windows-recovery-image?lang=en

 

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/drivers/osiso/recoverytool

Although I had already tried, I did as he said and here is what I got when I entered the sevice tag number from one of the machines:

 

No OS Image for the Tag, though Images exist for the product.

 

Our school now has 20+ worthless computers that is what we were going to pass on to the coaching staff. This is not at all what Dell said when we ordered them. And obviously the tech was either untruthful or mistaken when he told me:

 

Lalit S (9/11/2019, 1:25:53 PM): We don't have the record of the product keys which are send with the systems. We install OEM version of the operating system which don't require the product key during installation process.

Lalit S (9/11/2019, 1:26:17 PM): The product key on windows systems isn't required as they are injected inside the chip on the motherboard from the factory & cannot be retreived.  For further information, please check: 

http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN290004.

I guess they forgot to inject that product key on these 20+ systems.

Anyone have any ideas before I have to tell them that Dell lied to us and these systems are all now trash?