Activate Windows 10 without a product key available.

Hi Roy. I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 year Windows MVP, and Volunteer Guardian Moderator here to help you.

That message normally means that someone has activated Windows with a Volume License Key meant only for business or organizations that activate a large number of PC's, which need to check in with the organization's server regularly to reactivate.

Sometimes this is done by shops reinstalling Windows, unnecessarily because the PC either came with a Windows Product Key embedded in the BIOS/UEFI firmware, or it was already activated by free Upgrade or a retail Product Key, and would have reactivated after a reinstall had they given it the chance and not interrupted this by installing the illegal key.

If you know Windows was originally activated legitimately by one of these methods then to fix the problem what I would do is go offline to remove the Volume License key and then restore the Generic Product Key that is used to activate with the Digital License issued by Upgrade or Factory install, the factory key embedded in the UEFI/BIOS firmware chip, or the retail key you used. Then we'll see if it activates:

1) Go offline by opening Action center at the right end of Task Bar, then clicking on Airplane mode to turn off internet.

2) Next type CMD in Start Search, right click to Run as Administrator, then right click to copy and paste this command in and press Enter: slmgr -upk

3) Restart PC and then insert Generic Product Key for your licensed version from here: http://winaero.com/blog/generic-key-to-install-...

This sets everything back to default so that if there is a Digital License issued during a proper Upgrade it should reactivate within a few days. If not we will need to try something else:

If it doesn't activate after going online and you originally had factory installed Windows, read the Product Key embedded in the UEFI firmware chip at the factory by running ProducKey: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/produkey-x64.zip, copy and paste the OEM-BIOS key (only) into Settings> Update & Security > Activation.

If you were sold a Volume license product key or the PC came from seller activated with one, then It is piracy when someone resells Windows with no way to legally activate it. You can report this to Microsoft here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/cfr/r.... In the past when victims cooperated with an investigation they would sometimes give them a free copy as thanks.

You can also contact the seller and let him/her know you are taking these actions and that they need to make the activation good. Many will comply rather than risk investigation or prosecution.

For further assistance restoring the original legal activation you can contact Microsoft Support phone or chat options here: https://partner.support.services.microsoft.com/...

I hope having all possible options helps.

Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.


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MY WINDOW IS NOT ACTIVATE SHOW ERROR 0xC004F074

Hi. Thanks for this very detailed reply.

I will follow it up and get back to you soon. 

Thanks.

Roy