Creators Update may break your activation

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by genenioo, Apr 20, 2017.

  1. genenioo

    genenioo MDL Addicted

    Oct 9, 2007
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    It happened to me. I happened to check my activation status (right click on 'This PC') and instead of the usual 'Windows is activated' it said that I should log on to the internet (of course I already was) to activate my copy of Windows, implying that I was not activated. So then I went into Settings and clicked on activation it gave me an error that the Windows activation servers could not be reached (tried this several times for a substantial period of time). I then proceeded to hit the activation troubleshooting icon, and after a minute I got a message saying that my system was licensed with a digital hardware license for Windows 10 Pro and that I should install Windows 10 Pro, apparently to make use of such license (I at the time had and still have Windows 10 Pro on the system).

    Having no other apparent choice I took to the phone and eventually got a knowledgeable person who proceeded to try everything I had tried by remote access, of course to no avail. Long story short--I was told that this is a known issue and that it happens sometimes but not always when upgrading to the Creators Update and that my system was one of those that experienced the issue. After I gave them my original Windows 7 key from which I had upgraded to th1, th2, rs1 and now the Creators Update they wound up giving me a new Windows 10 Pro key with the advice that it would replace my 7 key and that that 7 key would no longer be valid. So now I am activated with the new key they gave me instead of the digital license--ok, I suppose, in my book (pretty sure that upgrading to 10 from 7 for free deactivates your old 7 key anyway). So don't forget to check your activation status if you've upgraded to the Creators Update or after you've upgraded should you plan to do so. Should you encounter this problem I am advised that the best phone number to call (at least in the U.S.) is (800) 642-7676.

    Update: Please list your results with the update. In other words, are you still activated?
     
  2. abbodi1406

    abbodi1406 MDL KB0000001

    Feb 19, 2011
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    No issue here, several clean installs on real machine, and an upgrade in VM
     
  3. Lodge

    Lodge MDL Novice

    May 31, 2016
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    No issues with creators update here.
    Prior to installing the creators update, I had "refreshed" my PC via the settings application. After that, I installed the creators update without any activation issues.
     
  4. taviruni

    taviruni MDL Senior Member

    May 8, 2010
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    I had same behaviour on x64 Pro, but as I removed some Apps I thought it was the reason.

    Did you make any change?

    alacran
     
  5. genenioo

    genenioo MDL Addicted

    Oct 9, 2007
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    No, no changes. Why would Windows activation be related to apps?
     
  6. kaljukass

    kaljukass MDL Guru

    Nov 26, 2012
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    Why to scare people, if it is completely unreasonable.
     
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  7. genenioo

    genenioo MDL Addicted

    Oct 9, 2007
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    Not trying to scare anyone. Just relaying what happened to me. From responses so far it looks like my experience is an exception to the norm--let's hope so.
     
  8. RJARRRPCGP

    RJARRRPCGP MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    #8 RJARRRPCGP, Apr 20, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2017
    For all I know, Microsoft may have F-ed up permissions and caused the activation-related stuff to fail with "Access is denied.". I once saw a similar kind of BS, apparently starting with XP x64, where there's an error in the event log on a fresh install waiting for everybody, saying that permission wasn't granted for a component.

    Seen a similar kind of thing before with a Windows build update. How absurd!


    I suspect that, because it looks like a query failure...(Microsoft! What did you just do?)
    (The last bit, where it refuses to believe you have an activated Pro)

    ---------
    Additionally, it does remind me of an issue I had with Windows 7 a good while ago, where Windows 7 would randomly
    display "This copy of Windows is not genuine." on the bottom right and if you reboot, it likely then will go on like nothing happened.
     
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  9. MonarchX

    MonarchX MDL Expert

    May 5, 2007
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    Mine broke, but I tweaked the crap out of the OS, so I don't think it counts...
     
  10. Myrrh

    Myrrh MDL Expert

    Nov 26, 2008
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    Happened to me once out of dozens. slmgr -ato fixed it.
     
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  11. endbase

    endbase MDL Guru

    Aug 12, 2012
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    Not happend to me on upgrade and clean install but today it's gonna break my new motherboard will arrive hehe :)
     
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  12. herpherp

    herpherp Guest

    how to avoid the update?
     
  13. RJARRRPCGP

    RJARRRPCGP MDL Senior Member

    Feb 24, 2010
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    I normally would suspect a malware. But, I'm suspicious that the update was rushed...
     
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  14. PhaseDoubt

    PhaseDoubt MDL Expert

    Dec 24, 2011
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    Between April 12 and April 15, I upgraded seven Windows 10 installations to the Creators Update, two of which are ours. Five hardware computers went fine, one VM upgrade was fine and one VM lost its activation. The Windows 10 VM which was activated with The Microsoft Tool Kit retained its activation; the Windows 10 VM which was an earlier digital entitlement upgrade form Windows 7 lost its activation. The owner of the one with lost activation had me delete it entirely since he never used it anyway he claimed and it was just taking up space. That meant I had no chance to try and fix the lost activation. All upgrades were from the anniversary edition of Windows 10.

    And yes, all that retained their activation initially are still activated.
     
  15. Flipp3r

    Flipp3r MDL Expert

    Feb 11, 2009
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    I have some systems with Win8.1 Pro OEM-DM keys in them. I always install using the Manufacturers Pro default key with OA3.
    Windows normally automatically reads my key & activates as OEM_DM Channel. All editions of Win 8.1 through to around Win10 14393.321 behaved in this way.

    Since that build (approx) Windows no longer reads & accepts that key - I need to copy & paste the key in. The systems do then activate but change to Retail with Digital Entitlement.

    You can see this happen when I install 14393.321, the system has read my key & lists my key with slmgr /dli. If I then install a new CU, it reverts to the Retail key...
     
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  16. zen45

    zen45 MDL Addicted

    Feb 25, 2010
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    nope no problems so far but I see defenders back and a few other app's I didn't want arrrggg
     
  17. lobo11

    lobo11 TOMAHAWK CHOP

    Feb 16, 2012
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    WUMT in Sig
     
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