Windows 11 Activation Issue - Windows Update Did Auto Upgrade from Win10 to Win11 but no Activation

I am having an issue with activating Windows 11. Last year built a computer for software development & light video editing. CPU is an i9 13900KF with 128GB RAM. I bought the parts from Newegg along with an Windows 10 Home OEM license. I installed Win10 with a local account. Computer ran fine, Win10 activated no issues. One day last September Windows Update had updated it to Win11 without asking me - it just did it. I really didn't want Win11 on it but since it had done it I continued with it. When I tried to activate Win11 Windows says "Unable to activate Windows " error (0x803fa067). I haven't been using it as it's not activated.

I used Magic Jelly Bean to check the product key and it is a completely different key from my OEM Win10 key. I tried to activate again by changing the key back to my Win10 key but I get the same error.

Since Microsoft Update did the upgrade, why won't it activate? This computer is not my daily driver but I am considering using for my DAW in my studio.

Did you also buy the license on Newegg?
Some licenses are sold to many people. It activate but afterwords MS finds out the violation and removes the Digital license for that key.
On the upgrade, it try's to activate using the digital license and fails.

You can try a little trick
1. Disconnect from the internet
2. Go to Settings>System>About>Product and activation>Change product key and insert the Win 11 Home generic key:
YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
3. Reboot
4. Reconnect to the internet

If it doesn't activate:
1. Disconnect from the internet
2. Go to Settings>System>About>Product and activation>Change product key and insert the Win 11 OEM key you bought.
3. Reboot
4. Reconnect to the internet

If it doesn't activate consider buying another license key

Megahertz,​

Thank you for your help!
1. I double checked and I misspoke. I did not buy this license from Newegg (my other ones were). I got it off eBay.

2. I tried everything you suggested - no luck.

3. I called Microsoft and after an hour we sorted it out. The license was counterfeit. It is a license key for Windows 7. And yes, the packaging looked legit.

I ordered a Win 11 Home key from StackSocial.

I sent the eBay seller a message telling him that I want a refund. We will see what he does but I expect nothing.

Close this one.

aoresteen said:

Megahertz,​

Thank you for your help!
1. I double checked and I misspoke. I did not buy this license from Newegg (my other ones were). I got it off eBay.

2. I tried everything you suggested - no luck.

3. I called Microsoft and after an hour we sorted it out. The license was counterfeit. It is a license key for Windows 7. And yes, the packaging looked legit.

I ordered a Win 11 Home key from StackSocial.

I sent the eBay seller a message telling him that I want a refund. We will see what he does but I expect nothing.

Close this one.

Click to expand...

You could file a dispute on eBay.

If the seller does repeated business on eBay, they may be eager to avoid one of those. (I had a personal experience, a few years ago. I bought some software that turned out to be pirated. It was quite professionally packaged.)

bobkn said:

You could file a dispute on eBay.

If the seller does repeated business on eBay, they may be eager to avoid one of those. (I had a personal experience, a few years ago. I bought some software that turned out to be pirated. It was quite professionally packaged.)

Click to expand...

That's my plan. I'll give him 5 business days to respond, If no reply, I'll take it up with eBay.

The Win 11 Home key from StackSocial installed and activated with no issues. Now it's running just fine.

aoresteen said:

That's my plan. I'll give him 5 business days to respond, If no reply, I'll take it up with eBay.

The Win 11 Home key from StackSocial installed and activated with no issues. Now it's running just fine.

Click to expand...

As Win 11 Home key had same price than the pro, why you didn't buy the pro?