Windows 10 Activation

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DoctorFianchetto

Member
Hello,

I am having trouble activating the Windows 10 installation on my new PC. On my previous computer I have a digital license originally obtained from a Windows 7 upgrade. On my new PC I have signed into the same Microsoft Account and I am unable to activate.

When I enter the activation screen I see the message: Windows reported that the hardware of your device has changed. Error code: 0xC004F211.

I entered Troubleshoot, and then clicked "I recently changed hardware on this device":

1611250858121.png


As far as I can tell I am signed into my Microsoft Account on this device. I can see the new PC on my Microsoft account page https://account.microsoft.com/devices. I have also removed my old PC from my devices page as I thought that might have worked in deactivating the license.

I've tried looking at the Microsoft help pages and they essentially say it should either "just work" or the Troubleshoot step I tried above should fix it. No success.

Do I need to do anything special to deactivate my old PC and transfer the digital license to the new hardware?

Any help would be much appreciated,

Chris
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
DoctorFianchetto said:
Hello,

I am having trouble activating the Windows 10 installation on my new PC. On my previous computer I have a digital license originally obtained from a Windows 7 upgrade. On my new PC I have signed into the same Microsoft Account and I am unable to activate.

When I enter the activation screen I see the message: Windows reported that the hardware of your device has changed. Error code: 0xC004F211.

I entered Troubleshoot, and then clicked "I recently changed hardware on this device":

View attachment 21533

As far as I can tell I am signed into my Microsoft Account on this device. I can see the new PC on my Microsoft account page https://account.microsoft.com/devices. I have also removed my old PC from my devices page as I thought that might have worked in deactivating the license.

I've tried looking at the Microsoft help pages and they essentially say it should either "just work" or the Troubleshoot step I tried above should fix it. No success.

Do I need to do anything special to deactivate my old PC and transfer the digital license to the new hardware?

Any help would be much appreciated,

Chris
Click to expand...
Is the old PC on at all anymore?
 
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DoctorFianchetto

Member
Makes sense - how would I go about fully decomissioning it? Seems to be more to the process than just turning my old machine off. Would I have to remove Windows completely?
 
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DoctorFianchetto

Member
OK. My new computer is off.

On my old PC I have done the following:
  • Checked my license using the command slmgr /dli - it says RETAIL.
  • Signed in with my Microsoft Account via the Activation page in Windows Settings.
Both devices appear in my Microsoft Account Devices:

1611343986930.png


DoctorFianchetto is the new PC, Chris-PC is the old PC.

I removed DoctorFianchetto from the list. Turned off old PC. Turned on new PC. Changed name of new PC to Chris-PC to match the old one. Restarted. On the Settings homepage it says I am signed into my Microsoft account - the same one as the old PC.

I go to Troubleshoot, and click I recently changed hardware on this device:

1611344848753.png


Clicking the See other devices... link turns up the following, which is new to me:

1611344900996.png


So the problem is that I have Windows 10 Professional on my old PC, while Windows 10 Home has been installed on my new PC.

Would it follow that the solution is to install Windows 10 Professional on my new PC? Not sure if that would work and I wouldn't want to try if it's not going to work.

Thanks,

Chris
 
Bhuna50

Bhuna50

Author Level
I think you will have to as you only have a Win10Pro licence not a Win10Home.

Either that or your Win 10 home licence said it was not up to date - so can you run updates first or is it stopping that because its not licenced?
 
Wuffles

Wuffles

Active member
Try this

helpdeskgeek.com

How To Transfer a Windows 10 License To a New Computer

Upgrading your computer is exciting. There's nothing better than unwrapping the box and taking a big gulp of that new computer smell. Setting up your new computer is the next thing, and transferring your Windows 10 license to your new computer is a vital part of it. So, here's how you transfer a...
helpdeskgeek.com helpdeskgeek.com

I nearly bought a new key until I found this ..... doh!
 
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DoctorFianchetto

Member
Installed Windows 10 Professional from bootable USB. Followed the steps in the guide @SpyderTracks posted. Windows 10 officially activated. Yay!

Seems obvious now, but I had long forgotten (or never known at all) that my old PC had Professional and not Home. In any case looks like I had to remove the test Windows anyway.

Thanks for the guidance everybody! :)
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
DoctorFianchetto said:
Installed Windows 10 Professional from bootable USB. Followed the steps in the guide @SpyderTracks posted. Windows 10 officially activated. Yay!

Seems obvious now, but I had long forgotten (or never known at all) that my old PC had Professional and not Home. In any case looks like I had to remove the test Windows anyway.

Thanks for the guidance everybody! :)
Click to expand...
Excellent, well done!
 
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