I recently bought a Windows 7 Professional PC off of Facebook Marketplace to supplement a retro setup I'm slowly piecing together. I've got a Dell CRT monitor, some Harman Kardon desktop speakers, period-appropriate peripherals, the whole shebang. This is all to say, I WILL NOT BE UPGRADING THIS PC TO A NEWER VERSION OF WINDOWS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Windows 7 is here to stay. Forever. Do not attempt to convince me to upgrade, I would sooner sacrifice my firstborn child to any nameless deity.
This PC, before it was connected to the internet, worked perfectly fine. Windows functioned properly as a legitimate copy. However, today when I connected to the internet and manually updated the security certificates, Windows suddenly began prompting me for an activation code, saying the installed copy is illegitimate.
I have since checked using the command prompt and Produkey that the copy is legit, and I've noted my activation key. Unfortunately, every time I boot the computer, I am prompted for it. Shortly after inputting the code, I'm told activation can't be completed, and provided the error code [0x80072F8F], and prompted to attempt another activation method. The only one of which viable is the phone option.
This is where I'm stuck. The phone stays connected for MAYBE fifteen seconds before failing, hanging up, or otherwise leaving me with a legitimate, but inactivated copy of Windows. I'm at a loss. I'm desperate to keep Windows 7 on this PC in it's full function. If anyone would consider helping me I'd be supremely grateful.
