Get ready to purchase a new Windows Activation key


I haven't upgrade my MS Office since 2013 - there's nothing in the newer versions that makes we want to spend the $$, so when I bought this PC I installed Office 2013 on, entered and activated with the original key. About 6 weeks ago, it stopped working saying the activation had expired and online activation failed.
After much research I eventually found an MS website with an 800# to call.
Thru the VRU, I was able to enter the 32-digit (?) code that Office provided me and in return MS gave me an equivalent code to enter.
SLOW, but doing this, I was finally able to activate Office.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win11 Pro 25H2 Latest GA buildIntel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900KF 3.20 GHzG.Skill DDR5-5600 / PC5-44800 DDR5 SDRAM UDIMMGIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti WINDFORCE OC 12G...
OS
Win11 Pro 25H2 Latest GA build
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Powerspec
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900KF 3.20 GHz
Motherboard
MSI PRO Z690-A WIFI (latest BIOS)
Memory
G.Skill DDR5-5600 / PC5-44800 DDR5 SDRAM UDIMM
Graphics Card(s)
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti WINDFORCE OC 12G (GV-N407TWF3OC-12GD)
Sound Card
OnBoard
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell - various (3)
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
SSD/HDD/NVME
PSU
850 Watt 80+ Gold Modular
Case
PowerSpec/Lian Li ATX 205 Mesh
Cooling
Coolermaster MASTERLIQUID ML240L V2 RGB
Keyboard
Logi MX Keys S
Mouse
MX Master 3S
Internet Speed
600 mbps
Browser
various (Opera, Vivaldi, Edge, Brave, Chrome)
Antivirus
anitmalwarebytes; superantispyware; defender
Other Info
Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.36.0
KevTech said:
Did you try what I posted at #16?
If self does not have permissions activation will fail.
Click to expand...
Yes - I did check that and all permissions were already there.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win11 ProAMD Ryzen 5 5500U16 GBRadeon 2100
OS
Win11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
BeeLink SER Mini
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
Motherboard
BeeLink SER
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Radeon 2100
Sound Card
none
Monitor(s) Displays
Primary: Phillips 4K; Secondary: LG 4K
Screen Resolution
Both 3860 x 2160
Hard Drives
C: NVme 500 GB Windows only
D: 128 GB NVme User data + Windows Temp via Junction Link
PSU
External
Case
Mini
Cooling
Internal fan
Keyboard
Logitech Wireless Lighted
Mouse
Kensington ExpertMouse wireless trackball
Internet Speed
500/500
Browser
Brave
Antivirus
Windows Defender
I have not had difficulties reactivating, even with keys carried over from older versions of Windows. I have a couple old machines that had Win 7 on them and I can install Win 11 and activate no issue at all. I wonder if that is because I always use a "hybrid" account which means that the key is associated with my Microsoft account.

So that leads me to an idea...

If you are not already signed into a Microsoft account, try doing so temporarily with the installation that is successfully activating. You should see that the activation status specifically indicates that it is linked to your Microsoft account.

Now, switch to your other installation. Log on with your Microsoft account (again, only needed temporarily). See if you can then activate.

One more thing: In order for activation to work properly, your time must be reasonably accurate. Don't recall exact time variance allowed, but I would suggest that you verify these:

1) Make sure that your timezone is correct.
2) Set time within 5 minutes of correct time AFTER verifying the timezone first.


Image1.jpg

image2.jpg
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-14650HX32 GBNo GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    OS
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic
    CPU
    Intel i7-14650HX
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Varies as machine will often be moved to locations with different monitors
    Screen Resolution
    Varies
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    120W Power Brick
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-1255U16 GBIntel Iris Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Birk said:
I got a error message 0x80070005.
Click to expand...
That error code, IIRC, means the generic Win32 error, "Access is denied.". It's not because you're banned, it's a bug. The error usually occurs when you upgrade editions. Just reboot, if you see that error code.

IIRC, I got that error, when I upgraded my daily-driver from Home to Pro, LOL.

After I rebooted Windows, it was OK.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2Ryzen 9 5900X64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVKASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    ASRock B550 PG Velocita (UEFI-BIOS 3.90)
    Memory
    64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVK
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware AW3423DWF OLED ultrawide
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1 TB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    eVGA Supernova 750 G3
    Case
    Corsair 275R
    Internet Speed
    VTel FTTH 1 Gb down and 1 Gb up

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2Ryzen 7 5800X3D32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5800X3D
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming (UEFI-BIOS version 3636)
    Memory
    32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)
    Graphics card(s)
    Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro 512 GB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    Corsair RM850x
    Case
    Fractal Focus G
I just run ShowKeyPlus a free download. Works great displays product key, installed key and if there the OEM key.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 25H2Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6600 CPU @ 3.30GHz16 GBIntel 530 On Board
OS
Windows 11 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Self Built
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6600 CPU @ 3.30GHz
Motherboard
Gigabyte B150
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel 530 On Board
Sound Card
Realtek On Board
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung
Hard Drives
Samsung 850 SSD
PSU
be quite Straight Power 11
Case
be quite Pure Base 600
Keyboard
MS USB
Mouse
Logitech Wireless
Internet Speed
550 m/b/s
Browser
Edge
Antivirus
Windows Security
Birk said:
2. I'm getting suspicious about the possibility of a totally different problem: when I try to enter the product key from my laptop I get the same error message:
View attachment 112934
This has been happening for the last 2 days, so I'm wondering if the problem has something to do with contacting the MS servers that deal with activation. I did geet an activation code that is supposed to work - but it ends up with the above error. This makes me think even if I do pay the ransom and buy one from the MS store I'll still get the same error.
Click to expand...
That error code means something else is interfering with Windows on the PC, or a permissions problem with Windows on the PC. Windows can fail to release handles, possibly the worst offender, is Windows Explorer, and thus cause that error code to be thrown by Windows.

Never, ever got that error for activation being banned by the activation server. It's actually more likely to be caused by a third-party AV, than being banned by Microsoft.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2Ryzen 9 5900X64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVKASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    ASRock B550 PG Velocita (UEFI-BIOS 3.90)
    Memory
    64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVK
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware AW3423DWF OLED ultrawide
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1 TB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    eVGA Supernova 750 G3
    Case
    Corsair 275R
    Internet Speed
    VTel FTTH 1 Gb down and 1 Gb up

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2Ryzen 7 5800X3D32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5800X3D
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming (UEFI-BIOS version 3636)
    Memory
    32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)
    Graphics card(s)
    Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro 512 GB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    Corsair RM850x
    Case
    Fractal Focus G
How did you get to the stage of having a MS person contact you? What was the process starting with system/activation?? Thanks for any assistance.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11I513600k32 gbGigabyte 4090
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Gigabyte
CPU
I513600k
Motherboard
Gigabyte Aorus Elite AX Z790
Memory
32 gb
Graphics Card(s)
Gigabyte 4090
Monitor(s) Displays
Sceptre 35" ultrwide 3460 x 1449
Screen Resolution
3460 x 1449
Garrett said:
I just run ShowKeyPlus a free download. Works great displays product key, installed key and if there the OEM key.
Click to expand...

If your licence is a digital one, then it won't tell you. I ran it on mine and it tells me I'm on Windows 10 Home, and the licence key is that of the generic key for that. My licence started life as a Windows 7 retail licence purchased in 2009 and converted to digital many years ago when I first upgraded to W10.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Home 24H2 RPIntel I3-1010016 GBNvidia GT 1030
    OS
    Windows 11 Home 24H2 RP
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self-build
    CPU
    Intel I3-10100
    Motherboard
    MSI H410M-PRO
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GT 1030
    Sound Card
    Motherboard default
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 27 inch
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung EVO 970 NVMe SSD 256 Gb
    Samsung QVO 870 SATA SSD 2 Tb
    PSU
    ATX 450W
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless
    Internet Speed
    930 Mb down / 120 Mb up
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Microsoft Office 2021 Plus

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeIntel i3-810016 GbNvidia GT 720
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self-build
    CPU
    Intel i3-8100
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z370 D3
    Memory
    16 Gb
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia GT 720
    Sound Card
    Motherboard default
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 27-inch
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 NVMe SSD 256 Gb
    Seagate 2 Tb HDD
    PSU
    ATX 450W
    Keyboard
    Microsoft
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless
    Internet Speed
    930 Mb down / 120 Mb up
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I had this problem 2 weeks ago after I switched to a new system; home-built new case, new MB, new SSD, clean install of 24H2. After reboot, I went to Settings>System>Activation>Change Product Key and re-entered my old key. Activation took maybe 5 seconds. Luck or . . .
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

W11 Proi7-12700128GB DDR4NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti, 4GB discrete memory
OS
W11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Gigabyte
CPU
i7-12700
Motherboard
B760M G P WIFI DDR4
Memory
128GB DDR4
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti, 4GB discrete memory
Sound Card
Realtek HD switching output between each monitor, a soundbar, headphones, earphones
Monitor(s) Displays
2 Vizio 40" D-series LED Smart TV in Monitor-Mode
Screen Resolution
1080p 1920 x 1080
Hard Drives
Internal: Bootdrive WD_Black SN850X Gen4 NVMe 1TB SSD; secondary WD_Black SN770 NVMe SSD GAME DRIVE 2 TB PCI Gen 4 x4
External: 2 Seagate 6TB Backup Hubs, 2 Seagate 6TB Expansion Drives
NAS: WD EX2 Ultra 16TB Cloud Server, with WD 8TB HD attached
PSU
ATX - RM750e-Modular
Case
CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Case
Cooling
Laminar CPU Cooler plus two CORSAIR 120mm AirGuide fans, utilizing anti-vortex vanes
Keyboard
Logitech K740 Illuminated Keyboard
Mouse
LogiTech M720 Triathlon Multi-3-Device BT & Wireless
Internet Speed
1 Gbps
My problem arose when I updated my MB BIOS and added 32gb of additional ram. Does this mean my digital license died when I changed some minor hardware? Isn't it part of my MS account as administrator? And now the system doesn't recognize the new "device". How can I add the new rig as a device on my account?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11I513600k32 gbGigabyte 4090
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Gigabyte
CPU
I513600k
Motherboard
Gigabyte Aorus Elite AX Z790
Memory
32 gb
Graphics Card(s)
Gigabyte 4090
Monitor(s) Displays
Sceptre 35" ultrwide 3460 x 1449
Screen Resolution
3460 x 1449
James Callan said:
My problem arose when I updated my MB BIOS and added 32gb of additional ram.
Click to expand...
I think you need to go into your Microsoft account and delete devices, then add your PC.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2Ryzen 9 5900X64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVKASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    ASRock B550 PG Velocita (UEFI-BIOS 3.90)
    Memory
    64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVK
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware AW3423DWF OLED ultrawide
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1 TB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    eVGA Supernova 750 G3
    Case
    Corsair 275R
    Internet Speed
    VTel FTTH 1 Gb down and 1 Gb up

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2Ryzen 7 5800X3D32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5800X3D
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming (UEFI-BIOS version 3636)
    Memory
    32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)
    Graphics card(s)
    Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro 512 GB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    Corsair RM850x
    Case
    Fractal Focus G
Gonna be upgrading my Boot M.2 in the future, and adding 2nd M.2

Purchased a Windows 11 Pro upgrade via MS Store a while back

So is my Windows still OEM build of Windows 11 Home or Retail Windows 11 Pro lol basically now

I hope when i do the drive upgrade i have no issues myself with Activation

Guess i'll find out for sure when its time to do the upgrade and clean install of Windows 11 Pro
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894AMD Ryzen 7700X32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600MhzRadeon 7800XT
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PreBuilt
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B650 VC WIfi Rev 1.0
    Memory
    32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon 7800XT
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus VG245H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1TB Boot NVMe
    Samsung 990 Pro 2TB Game NVMe



    External
    Western Digital Elements 500GB
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Blue
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Red
    Toshiba 2TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 8TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 1TB Portable USB 3 External Drive
    Western Digital My Book 8TB (Primary Backup drive)
    Western Digital Black 4TB In External Enclosure
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus GX 750 Watt Power Supply
    Case
    Lian Li Lan Cool 216 ARGB Airflow
    Cooling
    2 160MM Front, 1 140MM Rear Exhaust
    Keyboard
    Logitech G513
    Mouse
    Logitech G502 X
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100Mb/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge Chromium and Bing Search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    UEFI, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, Macrium Reflect X

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894Ryzen 7 7735HS16GB DDR 5AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF A16 Advantage Edition FA617NT.A16.R7700
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 7735HS
    Motherboard
    OEM Asus Motherboard
    Memory
    16GB DDR 5
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16inch FHD 165hz
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe Boot Drive
    Samsung 990 Evo Plus 1TB Game NVMe
    PSU
    Laptop PSU
    Case
    Laptop Case
    Cooling
    OEM Cooling
    Keyboard
    OEM Laptop Keyboard
    Mouse
    Touchpad & G502 Hero
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100 Download/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge with Bing search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender & Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Macrium Reflect X
If you purchased an upgrade to Pro and activated it on that machine, then you now have a retail Pro license for that machine. Just bear in mind that if you plan to do a clean install, you should add an ei.cfg to the \sources folder to make Windows setup ask you which edition to install, otherwise it will look at your BIOS, see the OEM Home license, and automatically install the Home edition.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-14650HX32 GBNo GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    OS
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic
    CPU
    Intel i7-14650HX
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Varies as machine will often be moved to locations with different monitors
    Screen Resolution
    Varies
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    120W Power Brick
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-1255U16 GBIntel Iris Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
hsehestedt said:
If you purchased an upgrade to Pro and activated it on that machine, then you now have a retail Pro license for that machine. Just bear in mind that if you plan to do a clean install, you should add an ei.cfg to the \sources folder to make Windows setup ask you which edition to install, otherwise it will look at your BIOS, see the OEM Home license, and automatically install the Home edition.
Click to expand...
Yes i did add an ei.cfg file to my sources folder on the USB Flash drive when i updated it a few days ago here, might update the flash drive again before i do the clean install possibly around Christmas
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894AMD Ryzen 7700X32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600MhzRadeon 7800XT
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PreBuilt
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B650 VC WIfi Rev 1.0
    Memory
    32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon 7800XT
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus VG245H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1TB Boot NVMe
    Samsung 990 Pro 2TB Game NVMe



    External
    Western Digital Elements 500GB
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Blue
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Red
    Toshiba 2TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 8TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 1TB Portable USB 3 External Drive
    Western Digital My Book 8TB (Primary Backup drive)
    Western Digital Black 4TB In External Enclosure
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus GX 750 Watt Power Supply
    Case
    Lian Li Lan Cool 216 ARGB Airflow
    Cooling
    2 160MM Front, 1 140MM Rear Exhaust
    Keyboard
    Logitech G513
    Mouse
    Logitech G502 X
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100Mb/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge Chromium and Bing Search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    UEFI, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, Macrium Reflect X

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894Ryzen 7 7735HS16GB DDR 5AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF A16 Advantage Edition FA617NT.A16.R7700
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 7735HS
    Motherboard
    OEM Asus Motherboard
    Memory
    16GB DDR 5
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16inch FHD 165hz
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe Boot Drive
    Samsung 990 Evo Plus 1TB Game NVMe
    PSU
    Laptop PSU
    Case
    Laptop Case
    Cooling
    OEM Cooling
    Keyboard
    OEM Laptop Keyboard
    Mouse
    Touchpad & G502 Hero
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100 Download/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge with Bing search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender & Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Macrium Reflect X
bikemanI7 said:
Yes i did add an ei.cfg file to my sources folder on the USB Flash drive when i updated it a few days ago here, might update the flash drive again before i do the clean install possibly around Christmas
Click to expand...
Sounds like you are all set then, and good job preparing so far in advance.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-14650HX32 GBNo GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    OS
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic
    CPU
    Intel i7-14650HX
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Varies as machine will often be moved to locations with different monitors
    Screen Resolution
    Varies
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    120W Power Brick
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-1255U16 GBIntel Iris Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
bikemanI7 said:
Purchased a Windows 11 Pro upgrade via MS Store a while back

Guess i'll find out for sure when its time to do the upgrade and clean install of Windows 11 Pro
Click to expand...
There's a known bug where upgrading the edition results in the "Access is denied." error message. Just reboot, after receiving that error message, which is error code 0x80070005. It's known to happen when upgrading the edition within an existing Home installation.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2Ryzen 9 5900X64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVKASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    ASRock B550 PG Velocita (UEFI-BIOS 3.90)
    Memory
    64 GB G.Skill RipJaws V F4-3200C16D-64GVK
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASRock Steel Legend Arc B580 12 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware AW3423DWF OLED ultrawide
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1 TB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    eVGA Supernova 750 G3
    Case
    Corsair 275R
    Internet Speed
    VTel FTTH 1 Gb down and 1 Gb up

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2Ryzen 7 5800X3D32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Home x64 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5800X3D
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming (UEFI-BIOS version 3636)
    Memory
    32 GB (2x16 GB G.Skill TridentZ Neo)
    Graphics card(s)
    Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro 512 GB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    Corsair RM850x
    Case
    Fractal Focus G
RJARRRPCGP said:
There's a known bug where upgrading the edition results in the "Access is denied." error message. Just reboot, after receiving that error message, which is error code 0x80070005. It's known to happen when upgrading the edition within an existing Home installation.
Click to expand...
The upgrade from the store went smoothly, first clean install went sorta smooth back in July except did detect my WIndows 10 Home OEM Key, but got that fixed at the time.

Next clean install for myself will be when i upgrade the current M.2 Boot drive, then add 2nd M.2 *at least 2TB* for the Games in the 2nd M.2 slot on my motherboard. Then may keep Current 1TB Samsung 860 Evo Sata SSD for extra storage internally.

Already bought SSD Kit off Amazon just in case OEM didn't include M.2 screw or standoff for second slot

So think im as set as im gonna be at this point
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894AMD Ryzen 7700X32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600MhzRadeon 7800XT
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PreBuilt
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B650 VC WIfi Rev 1.0
    Memory
    32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon 7800XT
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus VG245H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1TB Boot NVMe
    Samsung 990 Pro 2TB Game NVMe



    External
    Western Digital Elements 500GB
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Blue
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Red
    Toshiba 2TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 8TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 1TB Portable USB 3 External Drive
    Western Digital My Book 8TB (Primary Backup drive)
    Western Digital Black 4TB In External Enclosure
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus GX 750 Watt Power Supply
    Case
    Lian Li Lan Cool 216 ARGB Airflow
    Cooling
    2 160MM Front, 1 140MM Rear Exhaust
    Keyboard
    Logitech G513
    Mouse
    Logitech G502 X
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100Mb/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge Chromium and Bing Search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    UEFI, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, Macrium Reflect X

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894Ryzen 7 7735HS16GB DDR 5AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8894
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF A16 Advantage Edition FA617NT.A16.R7700
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 7735HS
    Motherboard
    OEM Asus Motherboard
    Memory
    16GB DDR 5
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16inch FHD 165hz
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe Boot Drive
    Samsung 990 Evo Plus 1TB Game NVMe
    PSU
    Laptop PSU
    Case
    Laptop Case
    Cooling
    OEM Cooling
    Keyboard
    OEM Laptop Keyboard
    Mouse
    Touchpad & G502 Hero
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100 Download/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge with Bing search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender & Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Macrium Reflect X
So spend a lousy 20 bux and get a decent key. Just get one from a reliable source. There are many. Some license keys are limited to the hardware you use. Other keys will last for years and are transferable. Just shop wisely. You needn't purchase a key from Microsnot but if you don't you risk the refusal of free help. Trust me. You don't want their free help. You'll get more support here than you ever will from MS.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

WIN 11, WIN 10, WIN 8.1, WIN 7 U, WIN 7 PRO, ...Intel i7 6900K and i9-7960X / AMD 3800X (8 core)128 GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM (B DIE)NVIDIA 1070 and RTX 3070
OS
WIN 11, WIN 10, WIN 8.1, WIN 7 U, WIN 7 PRO, WIN 7 HOME (32 Bit), LINUX MINT
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
DIY, ASUS, and DELL
CPU
Intel i7 6900K and i9-7960X / AMD 3800X (8 core)
Motherboard
ASUS X99E-WS USB 3.1 and ASUS X299 SAGE
Memory
128 GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM (B DIE)
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA 1070 and RTX 3070
Sound Card
Crystal Sound (onboard)
Monitor(s) Displays
single Samsung 30" 4K and 8" aux monitor
Screen Resolution
4K and something equally attrocious. I'll be working on this.
Hard Drives
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W

Ports X, Y, and Z are reserved for USB access and removable drives.

Drive types consist of the following: Various mechanical hard drives bearing the brand names, Seagate, Toshiba, and Western Digital. Various NVMe drives bearing the brand names Kingston, Intel, Silicon Power, Crucial, Western Digital, and Team Group. Various SATA SSDs bearing various different brand names.

RAID arrays included:

LSI RAID 10 (WD Velociraptors) 1115.72 GB
LSI RAID 10 (WD SSDS) 463.80 GB

INTEL RAID 0 (KINGSTON HYPER X) System 447.14 GB
INTEL RAID 1 TOSHIBA ENTERPRIZE class Data 2794.52 GB
INTEL RAID 1 SEAGATE HYBRID 931.51 GB
PSU
SEVERAL. I prefer my Corsair Platinum HX1000i but I also like EVGA power supplies
Case
ThermalTake Level 10 GT (among others)
Cooling
Noctua is my favorite and I use it in my main. I also own various other coolers.
Keyboard
all kinds.
Mouse
all kinds
Internet Speed
360 mbps - 1 gbps (depending)
Browser
FIREFOX
Antivirus
KASPERSKY (no apologies)
Other Info
Gave Dell touch screen with Windows 11 to daughter and got me an OTVOC. Being a PC builder I own many desktop PCs as well. I am a father of five providing PCs, laptops, and tablets for all my family, most of which I have modified, rebuilt, or simply built from scratch. I do not own a cell phone, never have, never will.
Groupon had a good deal and I tried one of theirs for $13 on my little mini-PC that I'm using as a video display controller. The key worked just fine and was a a retail Win 11 Pro key. It activated with no problem and has worked fine ever since. Stack Social is also selling a key in the same price range.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two Other systems

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8973Intel Core i5 1450064GB DDR4GeForce RTX 4060
    OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8973
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060
    Sound Card
    Chipset Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8894Intel Core i5 1440032GB DDR5Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8894
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • Nimo N171 17" Laptop, (Intel i3-1215U, 16GB RAM, 2TB NVMe, Win11 Pro)
    Acemagic Vista Mini PC V1 (Intel N150, 16GB RAM, 1TB NVMe, Win11 Pro)
    HP ENVY h8-1540t, (24GB RAM, 2TB SSD, 2TB HDD, Win11 Pro)
gunrunnerjohn said:
Groupon had a good deal and I tried one of theirs for $13 on my little mini-PC that I'm using as a video display controller. The key worked just fine and was a a retail Win 11 Pro key. It activated with no problem and has worked fine ever since. Stack Social is also selling a key in the same price range.
Click to expand...
When I tried to go to the website of the company with the Groupon offer, I got a warning from BitDefender that going to this site could expose my system to "bad stuff."

At this price, I would want to buy say 2-3 keys just for the future., assuming that you do the entire transaction through Groupon. Any idea of just how long you have to use the key? I bought a key from StackSocial a few months ago, and the instructions said to use the key wiithin 30 days.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 2H25AMD 9900X64 GBAMD 9070 XT
OS
Windows 11 2H25
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
DIY
CPU
AMD 9900X
Motherboard
MSI X870E Carbon
Memory
64 GB
Graphics Card(s)
AMD 9070 XT
Sound Card
built-in
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell 24"
Hard Drives
Sabrent 1 TB NVMe, 4 x SSD (need to check models), 4 x 3.5" HDD, 8-16 TB, all WD
PSU
Seasonic 850
Case
Fractal Design North XL (which I likw)
Cooling
Corsair AIO for CPU, fans for case
Keyboard
Das Keyboard 4
Mouse
Corsair M65 (white)
Internet Speed
1 TB download
Browser
Firefox
Antivirus
Bitdefender
Other Info
Also have Lenovo T14S laptop (me) and Lenovo Slim 71 (wife)
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Support Threads

Latest Tutorials

Back
Top Bottom