Windows Enterprise Activation Troubleshooting

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This topic describes how to deploy Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 licenses with Windows 10 Enterprise Subscription Activation or Windows 10 Enterprise E3 in CSP and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD).

Windows Enterprise Activation Troubleshooting 2017

Note

Feb 03, 2017  KMS-related activation errors happen because you're using a version of Windows that's intended for business use. KMS activation is good for only 30 days and must contact an authorized server on a corporate network to re-activate. Windows Enterprise: Activation Troubleshooting Important Notes Completing these steps outlined above WILL Activate your Microsoft Product for the time period as required in the Software License Agreement between LSU & Microsoft.

  • Windows 10 Enterprise Subscription Activation (EA or MPSA) requires Windows 10 Pro, version 1703 or later.
  • Windows 10 Enterprise E3 in CSP requires Windows 10 Pro, version 1607 or later.
  • Automatic, non-KMS activation requires Windows 10, version 1803 or later, on a device with a firmware-embedded activation key.

Firmware-embedded activation key

To determine if the computer has a firmware-embedded activation key, type the following command at an elevated Windows PowerShell prompt

If the device has a firmware-embedded activation key, it will be displayed in the output. If the output is blank, the device does not have a firmware embedded activation key. Most OEM-provided devices designed to run Windows 8 or later will have a firmware-embedded key.

Enabling Subscription Activation with an existing EA

If you are an EA customer with an existing Office 365 tenant, use the following steps to enable Windows 10 Subscription licenses on your existing tenant:

  1. Work with your reseller to place an order for one $0 SKU per user. There are two SKUs available, depending on their current Windows Enterprise SA license:
  2. AAA-51069 - Win10UsrOLSActv Alng MonthlySub Addon E3
  3. AAA-51068 - Win10UsrOLSActv Alng MonthlySub Addon E5
  4. After placing an order, the OLS admin on the agreement will receive a service activation email, indicating their subscription licenses have been provisioned on the tenant.
  5. The admin can now assign subscription licenses to users.

Use the following process if you need to update contact information and retrigger activation in order to resend the activation email:

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center.
  2. Click on Subscriptions.
  3. Click on Online Services Agreement List.
  4. Enter your agreement number, and then click Search.
  5. Click the Service Name.
  6. In the Subscription Contact section, click the name listed under Last Name.
  7. Update the contact information, then click Update Contact Details. This will trigger a new email.

Also in this article:

  • Explore the upgrade experience: How to upgrade devices using the deployed licenses.
  • Troubleshoot the user experience: Examples of some license activation issues that can be encountered, and how to resolve them.

Active Directory synchronization with Azure AD

You probably have on-premises Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domains. Users will use their domain-based credentials to sign in to the AD DS domain. Before you start deploying Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 licenses to users, you need to synchronize the identities in the on-premises ADDS domain with Azure AD.

You might ask why you need to synchronize these identities. The answer is so that users will have a single identity that they can use to access their on-premises apps and cloud services that use Azure AD (such as Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5). This means that users can use their existing credentials to sign in to Azure AD and access the cloud services that you provide and manage for them.

Figure 1 illustrates the integration between the on-premises AD DS domain with Azure AD. Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect (Azure AD Connect) is responsible for synchronization of identities between the on-premises AD DS domain and Azure AD. Azure AD Connect is a service that you can install on-premises or in a virtual machine in Azure.

Figure 1. On-premises AD DS integrated with Azure AD

For more information about integrating on-premises AD DS domains with Azure AD, see the following resources:

Note

If you are implementing Azure AD, and you already have an on-premises domain, you don't need to integrate with Azure AD, since your main authentication method is your internal AD. If you want to manage all your infrastructure in the cloud, you can safely configure your domain controller remotely to integrate your computers with Azure AD, but you won't be able to apply fine controls using GPO. Azure AD is best suited for the global administration of devices when you don't have any on-premises servers.

Preparing for deployment: reviewing requirements

Devices must be running Windows 10 Pro, version 1703, and be Azure Active Directory joined, or hybrid domain joined with Azure AD Connect. Customers who are federated with Azure Active Directory are also eligible. For more information, see Review requirements on devices, later in this topic.

Assigning licenses to users

Upon acquisition of Windows 10 subscription has been completed (Windows 10 Business, E3 or E5), customers will receive an email that will provide guidance on how to use Windows as an online service:

The following methods are available to assign licenses:

  1. When you have the required Azure AD subscription, group-based licensing is the preferred method to assign Enterprise E3 or E5 licenses to users.

  2. You can sign in to portal.office.com and manually assign licenses:

  3. You can assign licenses by uploading a spreadsheet.

  4. A per-user PowerShell scripted method of assigning licenses is available.

  5. Organizations can use synchronized AD groups to automatically assign licenses.

Explore the upgrade experience

Now that your subscription has been established and Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 licenses have been assigned to users, the users are ready to upgrade their devices running Windows 10 Pro, (version 1703 or later) to Windows 10 Enterprise. What will the users experience? How will they upgrade their devices?

Step 1: Join Windows 10 Pro devices to Azure AD

Users can join a Windows 10 Pro device to Azure AD the first time they start the device (during setup), or they can join a device that they already use running Windows 10 Pro, version 1703.

To join a device to Azure AD the first time the device is started

  1. During the initial setup, on the Who owns this PC? page, select My organization, and then click Next, as illustrated in Figure 2.

    Figure 2. The “Who owns this PC?” page in initial Windows 10 setup

  2. On the Choose how you’ll connect page, select Join Azure AD, and then click Next, as illustrated in Figure 3.

    Figure 3. The “Choose how you’ll connect” page in initial Windows 10 setup

  3. On the Let’s get you signed in page, enter the Azure AD credentials, and then click Sign in, as illustrated in Figure 4.

    Figure 4. The “Let’s get you signed in” page in initial Windows 10 setup

Now the device is Azure AD joined to the company’s subscription.

To join a device to Azure AD when the device already has Windows 10 Pro, version 1703 installed and set up

Important

Make sure that the user you're signing in with is not a BUILTIN/Administrator. That user cannot use the + Connect button to join a work or school account.

  1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school, as illustrated in Figure 5.

    Figure 5. Connect to work or school configuration in Settings

  2. In Set up a work or school account, click Join this device to Azure Active Directory, as illustrated in Figure 6.

    Figure 6. Set up a work or school account

  3. On the Let’s get you signed in page, enter the Azure AD credentials, and then click Sign in, as illustrated in Figure 7.

    Figure 7. The “Let’s get you signed in” dialog box

Now the device is Azure AD joined to the company’s subscription.

Step 2: Pro edition activation

Important

If your device is running Windows 10, version 1803 or later, this step is not needed. From Windows 10, version 1803, the device will automatically activate Windows 10 Enterprise using the firmware-embedded activation key.If the device is running Windows 10, version 1703 or 1709, then Windows 10 Pro must be successfully activated in Settings > Update & Security > Activation, as illustrated in Figure 7a.

Figure 7a - Windows 10 Pro activation in Settings

Windows 10 Pro activation is required before Enterprise E3 or E5 can be enabled (Windows 10, versions 1703 and 1709 only).

Windows Enterprise Activation Troubleshooting

Step 3: Sign in using Azure AD account

Once the device is joined to your Azure AD subscription, the user will sign in by using his or her Azure AD account, as illustrated in Figure 8. The Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 license associated with the user will enable Windows 10 Enterprise edition capabilities on the device.

Figure 8. Sign in by using Azure AD account

Step 4: Verify that Enterprise edition is enabled

You can verify the Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 subscription in Settings > Update & Security > Activation, as illustrated in Figure 9.

Figure 9 - Windows 10 Enterprise subscription in Settings

If there are any problems with the Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 license or the activation of the license, the Activation panel will display the appropriate error message or status. You can use this information to help you diagnose the licensing and activation process.

Note

If you use slmgr /dli or /dlv commands to retrieve the activation information for the Windows 10 E3 or E5 license, the license information displayed will be the following:Name: Windows(R), Professional editionDescription: Windows(R) Operating System, RETAIL channelPartial Product Key: 3V66T

Virtual Desktop Access (VDA)

Subscriptions to Windows 10 Enterprise are also available for virtualized clients. Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 are available for Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) in Windows Azure or in another qualified multitenant hoster.

Virtual machines (VMs) must be configured to enable Windows 10 Enterprise subscriptions for VDA. Active Directory-joined and Azure Active Directory-joined clients are supported. See Enable VDA for Enterprise Subscription Activation.

Troubleshoot the user experience

In some instances, users may experience problems with the Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 subscription. The most common problems that users may experience are as follows:

  • The existing Windows 10 Pro, version 1703 or 1709 operating system is not activated. This problem does not apply to Windows 10, version 1803 or later.

  • The Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 subscription has lapsed or has been removed.

Use the following figures to help you troubleshoot when users experience these common problems:

  • Figure 9 (above) illustrates a device in a healthy state, where Windows 10 Pro is activated and the Windows 10 Enterprise subscription is active.

  • Figure 10 (below) illustrates a device on which Windows 10 Pro is not activated, but the Windows 10 Enterprise subscription is active.

  • Figure 11 (below) illustrates a device on which Windows 10 Pro is activated, but the Windows 10 Enterprise subscription is lapsed or removed.

  • Figure 12 (below) illustrates a device on which Windows 10 Pro license is not activated and the Windows 10 Enterprise subscription is lapsed or removed.

Figure 10 - Windows 10 Pro, version 1703 edition not activated in SettingsFigure 11 - Windows 10 Enterprise subscription lapsed or removed in SettingsFigure 12 - Windows 10 Pro, version 1703 edition not activated and Windows 10 Enterprise subscription lapsed or removed in Settings

Review requirements on devices

Devices must be running Windows 10 Pro, version 1703, and be Azure Active Directory joined, or hybrid domain joined with Azure AD Connect. Customers who are federated with Azure Active Directory are also eligible. You can use the following procedures to review whether a particular device meets requirements.

To determine if a device is Azure Active Directory joined:

  1. Open a command prompt and type dsregcmd /status.

  2. Review the output under Device State. If the AzureAdJoined status is YES, the device is Azure Active Directory joined.

To determine the version of Windows 10:

  • At a command prompt, type:winver

    A popup window will display the Windows 10 version number and detailed OS build information.

    If a device is running a previous version of Windows 10 Pro (for example, version 1511), it will not be upgraded to Windows 10 Enterprise when a user signs in, even if the user has been assigned a subscription in the CSP portal.

Technical Level : Basic
Summary

This article provides information and resources for troubleshooting Product Activation in Windows 10.


Details

If you are running Windows 10 Anniversary Update and you are experiencing activation problems, please check out the following article for tips how to resolve them.

For information about Finding Your Windows 10 Product key, see:

How to Find your Windows 10 Product Key - groovyPost

Warning: There are 'Tech Support Scams' pretending to be Windows 10 Activation Technologies. Please be vigilant. Learn more in the following article:

If you are running the Windows 10 July Public Build 10240 (1507), please review the following article for troubleshooting information:

Please review the latest Wiki Article about using your Windows 7, Windows 8.0 or Windows 8.1 product key to Install and Activate using the Windows 10 November Update (1511) build 10586. See link to article above which discusses issues activating the initial July build 10240.

Top reasons Windows 10 fails activate:

  • Not connected to the Internet
  • Antivirus or Firewall utilities might be blocking product activation
  • Your computer is behind a proxy server, disabling the proxy temporarily or using chat support can resolve this
  • Your computer did not upgrade from a genuine version.
  • The wrong edition is installed.
  • Your computer is running a Volume License Client requiring access to a Key Management Server (KMS) to activate. This can usually be performed by logging onto your company's domain or VPN.

Update:

After upgrading to Windows 10, you cannot use your Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key.

Click Do this Later.

Verify if you have the latest Windows 10 build installed.

Enterprise Activation Blackberry

If you do, then all you need to do is change the product key using your Windows 7 or 8 product key:

Click Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change the product key then enter the new product key then click Next to Activate

If you don't have the November Update or later version installed, download it then perform a repair upgrade:

then

also review

Windows 8.0, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 came preinstalled on my computer, how do I find the product key?

InWindows 8.0, Windows 8.1

Press Windows key + X

Click Command Prompt (admin)

In Windows 10:

Press Windows key + X

Click Windows PowerShell (admin)

Enter the following command:

wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Hit Enter

The product key will be revealed, copy the product key then enter it

Click Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change the product key then enter the new product key then click Next to Activate

If you are unable to activate Windows 10 after all the above and you are certain you have the correct edition installed, then please attempt chat support:

or

Use the following link to directly reach a live agent who can assist you:

also use Show Key Plus to find your product key - see instructions:

Windows 7 came preinstalled on my computer, how do I find the product key?

The product key is usually located on the COA sticker attached to the bottom of your laptop or in the battery compartment. In some rare cases it can also be found in the memory compartment. For tower systems, look at the top or the side of the system unit. It looks like the following:

If the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) sticker is damaged or letters or not legible, you will have to consider the following options:

  • Use a digital camera to capture a picture of the COA then enlarge it on your computer.
  • If the COA sticker is damaged, then you would need to use the recovery partition to reinstall Windows 7, this will exempt the need to use the product key to activate your Windows 7 installation.
  • If your recovery partition is not available or damaged, you should contact the manufacturer of your computer and request a recovery disc set you can use to reinstall Windows 7. They might charge a small shipping and handling fee. This will exempt the need to use the product key also.
  • If none of the above options work or is not available, then its best you purchase a new Windows 10 license:

I bought a retail box copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 or Windows 8.1; where do I find the product key?

For Windows 7, the product key can be located on a pamphlet in inside the Windows 7 box.

For Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, the product key can found on a small business size card inside the Windows 8 box.

I was running a premium business edition of Windows 7 such as Professional or Ultimate or Windows 8/8.1 Pro but the Media Creation Tool installed Windows 10 Home instead of Pro

If you performed a clean install using the Media Creation Tool it installs the specific edition based on the OEM Marker in the BIOS. So if the computer originally came preinstalled with Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium or Windows 8/8.1 Core/Single Language Windows 10 Home will be installed.

Workaround:

Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro using the following default product key:

VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

Review instructions how to perform an Easy Upgrade using the default key:

After upgrading, proceed to enter the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate or Windows 8 Pro product key.

Click Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change the product key then enter the new product key then click Next to Activate

I had Windows 8.1 with Bing installed then used the Media Creation Tool to upgrade to Windows 10 Home but it is not activating.

Computers or devices running Windows 8/8.1 Single Language (SL) or Windows 8.1 with Bing should use the Microsoft TechBench website to download Windows 10 SL and use that to upgrade their computer. Your best course of action is to first try Rolling Back to Windows 8.1 with Bing then perform the upgrade properly.

Learn more: How to download official Windows 10 ISO files

When I upgrade a preinstalled (OEM) or retail version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 license to Windows 10, does that license remain OEM or become a retail license?

If you upgrade from a OEM or retail version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to the free Windows 10 upgrade this summer, the license is consumed into it. Because the free upgrade is derived from the base qualifying license, Windows 10 will carry that licensing too.

If you upgrade from a retail version, it carries the rights of a retail version.

If you upgrade from a OEM version, it carries the rights of a OEM version.

Full version (Retail):

- Includes transfer rights to another computer.

- Doesn't require a previous qualifying version of Windows.

Windows Enterprise Activation Troubleshooting 2017

- Expensive

Upgrade version (Retail):

- Includes transfer rights to another computer.

- require a previous qualifying version of Windows.

- Expensive, but cheaper than full version

OEM :

OEM versions of Windows are identical to Full License Retail versions except for the following:

- OEM versions do not offer any free Microsoft direct support from Microsoft support personnel

- OEM licenses are tied to the very first computer you install and activate it on

- OEM versions allow all hardware upgrades except for an upgrade to a different model motherboard

- OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system

What happens if I change my motherboard?

As it pertains to the OEM license this will invalidate the Windows 10 upgrade license because it will no longer have a previous base qualifying license which is required for the free upgrade. You will then have to purchase a full retail Windows 10 license. If the base qualifying license (Windows 7 or Windows 8.1) was a full retail version, then yes, you can transfer it.

From the Windows 10 end user license agreement:

b. Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you. You may also transfer the software to a device owned by someone else if (i) you are the first licensed user of the software and (ii) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. You may use the backup copy we allow you to make or the media that the software came on to transfer the software. Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between devices.

Learn more about transferring your Windows 10 license:

Windows 10 Activation reports your license will soon expire.

This can happen for a number of reasons:

  • You copied a Windows 10 Pro off the Internet (usually a volume license - organization - key) and changed on a Windows 10 Home installation. Windows 10 Pro is not free. If this is what you did, you will need to reinstall the previous edition or version you were running. You inadvertently installed the wrong edition.
    • The copy of Windows 10 you download and upgrade from will correspond with the edition of Windows you have installed, if it does not, this is why you might be experiencing problems activating:
  • Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Windows 8.0 Core, Windows 8.1 Core will install Windows 10 Home
  • Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.0 Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro will install Windows 10 Pro

To find out if you have the right edition installed:

Click Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation > Edition.

If the edition of Windows 10 installed does not correspond with the edition of Windows 7 or Windows 8 you were previously running, then you need to reinstall the right edition.

Use the appropriate product key for the edition of Windows 10 you have installed.

If Windows 7 or Windows 8 came preinstalled, use that that product key to update the product key values.

or use one of the following product keys:

1) Enter the Windows 10 Home/Pro default key. (see list below)


Windows 10 Home: YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
Windows 10 Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

Warning: please ensure you use the right product key for the right edition.

Click Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change the product key then enter the new product key then click Next to Activate

Users who mistakenly entered a Volume License Key (VLK) and now want to activate using a consumer product key or license. They may encounter and activation error of 0x8007007B or 0xC004f210 or the product key enter error of 0xC004F050 or 0xC004E016.

You may try the workaround mentioned below and see if it helps.

*Important* - Do not follow these steps if:


- The device is in Deferred mode, meaning that the Activation page in Settings says to connect to the internet in order to activate.
- The device is intended to be used on a corporate network with a KMS server (not necessarily domain joined)
- The user is trying to enter a Windows 7/8/8.1 MAK key that is the same edition as the currently installed OS and seeing SL_E_EDITION_MISMATCHED (0xC004F210). The correct fix is for the user to install the published GVLK for the edition (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj612867.aspx) and then try to install the Windows 7/8/8.1 MAK key again.

Workaround:
If you confirmed they have attempted to apply a VLK to Consumer software, they are essentially changing their licensing. They need to get their system off the VL path and back on the Consumer correct path. This is the current workaround:

Blackberry Enterprise Server

1) Enter the Windows 10 Home/Pro default key. (see list below)


Win 10 Home: YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
Win 10 Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Win 10 Home N: 4CPRK-NM3K3-X6XXQ-RXX86-WXCHW
Win 10 Home Single Language: BT79Q-G7N6G-PGBYW-4YWX6-6F4BT
Win 10 Home Country Specific: 7B6NC-V3438-TRQG7-8TCCX-H6DDY
Win 10 Professional N: 2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-Y2C8J-PKCKT

Troubleshoot Windows Activation


2) Check for the new error returned - they should now receive error 7001


Windows Enterprise Activation Codes

3) Use their Windows 7 or 8 product key to complete the activation (Note: If they do not have a Win 7/8 key or we are not able to extract using CMD, they will need to purchase a 7/8 Key or a 10 license).

Credit: Ramesh.Kumar

Thank you,

Andre