Solved I reinstalled Windows 11 Pro from an iso file and it went perfectly, except...

Jerry Gerber · Apr 4, 2026

Jerry Gerber said:
I just saw your post. I glanced at it and thought this is not the solution I need. The retailer must have sold me an unauthorized copy of Windows, at least that is what Microsoft is telling me. Since I was given no product code or digital license, and there's no OEM code embedded into the motherboard's firmware, I can only assume that either the retailer simply forgot to give me the necessary documentation or something is up.

Ghot said:
Not if it's not a chain-store computer, no.
On chain-store computers like DELL or HP, etc., they code the product key in the BIOS.
You have yours listed as a miniPC... that may have the key in the BIOS.
There's a command you can run within Windows that will tell you what it is.
I don't remember what the command is.

@Jerry Gerber

Below is a pic of your motherboard. If there is no "module" plugged into the connector (in the RED box), your TPM is virtual and is in the CPU itself.

View attachment 167822

I only build AMD computers. I found the BIOS manual for your computer, but if there's a virtual TPM setting in there, I can't find it.

You can find the PRIME PROART TUF GAMING INTEL 800 Series BIOS Manual (which is also for your board (ASUS does that), at the link below...

PRIME H810M-E-CSM｜Motherboards｜ASUS USA

ASUS PRIME H810M-E-CSM unleashes Intel® Core™ Ultra power with PCIe 4.0, DDR5, and Aura Sync, perfect for AI applications and customization.

www.asus.com

AMD's TPM setting is much simpler...
Discreet TPM = a separate module
Firmware TPM is in the CPU.

View attachment 167823

Long story short... if you're NOT using a discreet TPM module, then you also have firmware TPM, and a BIOS update will look to Microsoft, like you changed the CPU. That would be a hardware change, and would break your activation.

In 2 or 3 years, ASUS and MS will probably get on the same page. :/

The Geekom computer is a different computer from the one I am having activation problems with. That one is custom built by a local computer shop. Thye are closed on Saturday and I'm hoping this will be resolve by Monday.

Ghot · Apr 4, 2026

Jerry Gerber said:
The Geekom computer is a different computer from the one I am having activation problems with. That one is custom built by a local computer shop. Thye are closed on Saturday and I'm hoping this will be resolve by Monday.

Well, then you might want to list your other computer in your specs.

zbook · Apr 4, 2026

The event viewer reports, dxdiag, msinfo32 (errors, warnings, etc.) may add some information.

They are easy to view in the V2 collected files.

JColt · Apr 4, 2026

jsg said:
That might be it. I remember upgrading, I think, the TPM a few weeks ago. But if that were the case, I doubt the Windows 11 Pro iso file would have allowed a repair install?

Is there any place in the BIOS I can see the Windows Product Code?

Thanks!
Jerry

The Command to Find the BIOS Key

Open the Start Menu, type cmd or PowerShell.

Right-click on the result and select Run as administrator.

Type or paste the following command and press Enter:

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Greybeard70 · Apr 4, 2026

I have purchased 11 Pro Keys from: Get cheap MS Win 11 Pro OEM KEY GLOBAL-Lifetime on sale at VIP-SCDKeyss|Instant Delivery and used SKGS for a 25% discount. $25.00 NOTE: These are OEM Keys and cannot be transferred to another computer. Used at least 3 times in the last 5 years with no issues. It is a HongKong web site and is advertised on several YouTube computer repair channels.

hsehestedt · Apr 4, 2026

JColt said:
Type or paste the following command and press Enter:

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Nope. That command will not work. WMIC has been deprecated and now removed. WMIC was no longer installed in fresh installs of 24H2 but in 25H2 Windows goes even further and actively removes WMIC.

pseymour · Apr 4, 2026

JColt said:
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Powershell:

(Get-CimInstance -ClassName 'SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey

Ghot · Apr 4, 2026

jsg said:
But if that were the case, I doubt the Windows 11 Pro iso file would have allowed a repair install?

After I flashed the BIOS, it took about a week for MS to decide to break my activation.

garlin · Apr 4, 2026

Ghot said:
After I flashed the BIOS, it took about a week for MS to decide to break my activation.

Some firmware updates can change the attributes used to determine your HW signature that's used for licensing. Windows thinks you've changed machines.

Ghot · Apr 4, 2026

garlin said:
Some firmware updates can change the attributes used to determine your HW signature that's used for licensing. Windows thinks you've changed machines.

Yep. That's what happened.

These are the 3 latest BIOS for my motherboard...

x509 · Apr 4, 2026

TairikuOkami said:
You can buy MS365 and get in touch with a real person to get a proper support, then cancel the subscription within 30 days.

Windows 11 Pro licenceI cost 50 cents, I would just buy another, time is money. I have sent you the key.

@TairikuOkami

50 cents!!! That doesn't even buy you a cup of coffee any longer. Which website?

garlin · Apr 4, 2026

Ghot said:
Yep. That's what happened.

lol. They owe you a StackSocial voucher for $12.

Jerry Gerber · Apr 4, 2026

I certainly don't want to make unfair accusations, but I am now wondering about the dealer who sold me 2 custom systems. As I mentioned earlier, I had to reinstall Windows 11 Pro from an official Microsoft iso file on one of the machines and installation went fine. But I cannot activate the computer.

The other machine, identical motherboard, CPU and RAM, is activated, but when I use the Activation Tool Zbook posted for me in this thread to check the Installed Key, it reads BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB. Though it says that validation status is "genuine" there is no OEM Key attached to this machine, I ran both

(Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey

and

(Get-CimInstance -Query "select * from SoftwareLicensingService").OA3xOriginalProductKey

And no product key shows up.

Another oddity is that both sales receipts do not list Windows Pro 11 as being included in the systems, yet both came with Windows 11 Pro installed and activated...

Hmmm???

JColt · Apr 5, 2026

hsehestedt said:
Nope. That command will not work. WMIC has been deprecated and now removed. WMIC was no longer installed in fresh installs of 24H2 but in 25H2 Windows goes even further and actively removes WMIC.

Hmm, works on my system 25H2. I have been out of the game for a couple years so must be missing something.

hsehestedt · Apr 5, 2026

JColt said:
Hmm, works on my system 25H2. I have been out of the game for a couple years so must be missing something.

Odd. I know that WMIC is unavailable on new installs of 24H2 and newer but the information that I had also says that 25H2 actively removes it. Maybe that portion is not correct. I have no way of verifying that because every one of my machines had 25H2 installed fresh (no upgrades).

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into that in more detail.

garlin · Apr 5, 2026

hsehestedt said:
Odd. I know that WMIC is unavailable on new installs of 24H2 and newer but the information that I had also says that 25H2 actively removes it. Maybe that portion is not correct. I have no way of verifying that because every one of my machines had 25H2 installed fresh (no upgrades).

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into that in more detail.

WMIC is enabled by default, as an Optional Feature in all W11 install images.

A clean install of 25H2 will result in WMIC being disabled, right after OOBE has finished. There is a hidden task to deliberately remove WMIC, to make it harder for you to use it. You will have to manually enable it.

For in-place upgrades to 25H2, Windows will leave your WMIC untouched.

26H2 is an Enablement Package update to 24H2/25H2, so WMIC won't disappear until 27H2 (which will be a new Windows).

JColt · Apr 5, 2026

hsehestedt said:
Odd. I know that WMIC is unavailable on new installs of 24H2 and newer but the information that I had also says that 25H2 actively removes it. Maybe that portion is not correct. I have no way of verifying that because every one of my machines had 25H2 installed fresh (no upgrades).

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into that in more detail.

You can fix this by enabling it in Settings > System > Optional features > Add an optional feature (search for "WMIC" and install). I however did not install that (Just Checked) but it gave me my number no problem. Might be something to play with.

pseymour · Apr 5, 2026

The point of deprecation is to start moving on to other techniques that will continue to work, not wait until the thing disappears and go, “muh command don’t work no more!”

JColt · Apr 5, 2026

pseymour said:
The point of deprecation is to start moving on to other techniques that will continue to work, not wait until the thing disappears and go, “muh command don’t work no more!”

Yes that is true but life gets in the way sometimes. I did not enable on my pc but it worked for what ever reason.

garlin · Apr 5, 2026

If you upgraded to 25H2 from any previous W11 release, WMIC isn't disabled. It's only after a clean install of 25H2.

Solved I reinstalled Windows 11 Pro from an iso file and it went perfectly, except...

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