Windows 11 suddenly deactivated

glasskuter · Dec 21, 2023

kiwiaz said:
one is still a W7 machine

Depending on how that system is equipped, you may be wasting your time trying to upgrade it to 11 even using the incompatible hardware method. Just because one can force 11 onto a machine, doesn't mean one can get any acceptable performance from it. Some people here have done it on their older systems but most do not use very low specs as their daily driver. What is it's hardware.

kiwiaz · Dec 21, 2023

Oh I get that part. I have all new hardware for the second machine - AorusB650, DDR5, Ryzen 7. The hardware on the older one is already updated, but took 4 BIOS updates to get current and I think that may be part of the recent activation woes.

Elgato54 · Dec 21, 2023

Winuser said:
I hate waiting for a company to call me back. I hope MS is more dependable then some of the companies I've delt with. Their we will have someone call you back became don't hold your breath waiting.

Nope. The promised call never came.

Elgato54 · Dec 21, 2023

Is Stack Social legit? $25 for 11 and $29 for Office just seems wrong. Has anyone tried them? Are they just another URCDKEYS type site?

kiwiaz · Dec 22, 2023

The W11 key they provided activated my system without issue.

Elgato54 · Dec 22, 2023

On this forum there are other posts with similar problems with MSI Z690 boards including deactivated Windows after BIOS updates. Really amazing that you wait 24 to 48 hours for a Microsoft call back and it never comes. They are Microsoft, whatcha gonna do?

Elgato54 · Dec 22, 2023

Just tried an unused 10 Pro key. Will not activate.

Megahertz · Dec 23, 2023

Elgato54 said:
Just tried an unused 10 Pro key. Will not activate.

Try a generic key. Restart. Then use the Win 10 pro key

Generic Product Keys to Install or Upgrade Windows 11 Editions Tutorial

This tutorial will provide you with a list of RTM (retail) and KMS generic keys (default keys) for all editions of Windows 11. Generic keys (aka: "default keys") for Windows 11 from Microsoft will allow you to install or upgrade to a specific Windows 11 edition you want, but will not activate...

www.elevenforum.com

Elgato54 · Dec 23, 2023

I gave up on Microsoft actually fixing their problem or providing anything resembling technical support. Bought an 11 Pro license last night from Stack S. They sent a key immediately and it activated just fine. Who knows how long it will last? Makes me tempted to buy an Office key. MICROSOFT now owes me a Windows 11 Pro license but that will never happen.

kiwiaz · Dec 23, 2023

Elgato54 said:
I gave up on Microsoft actually fixing their problem or providing anything resembling technical support. Bought an 11 Pro license last night from Stack S.

Sometimes its just easier to ride the horse in the direction its going.
At least you got resolution.

Elgato54 · Dec 23, 2023

kiwiaz said:
Sometimes its just easier to ride the horse in the direction its going.
At least you got resolution.

Just because a company is massive and untouchable there is no excuse for incompetence and screwing your customers.

Elgato54 · Dec 25, 2023

glasskuter said:
I saw that. I can't attest to that particular offer, but I bought licenses for 2 MS Office for cheap on SS and never had a lick of problem activating it. Unless its expired, I think I saw an offer on SS for BOTH Windows Pro and MS Office for $50 and just Windows Pro for $30. If I had any machine not already running PRO I would be all over that offer.

When you buy Office keys from Stack, where do you download the software?
Thanks

glasskuter · Dec 25, 2023

Elgato54 said:
When you buy Office keys from Stack, where do you download the software?
Thanks

I can only speak for Office 2021 which is a click to run app. I received an email from Stack Social with a link to the account I created with SS. I go to that account, and sign in. In my SS account, there is a list of all my purchases with their license numbers. Purchases have to be redeemed within 30 days. There is also a redemption link which took me to MS where I signed in with my MS account, entered the license key, and MS downloaded Office to me.

Now regarding a Windows 11 Pro key for a clean install: Windows is not click to run so I can only surmise SS redemption link would provide one of the valid MS links where one could download the iso for a clean install of PRO. The provided product key would be entered during the windows install process. One can also download an iso for a clean install here. Download Official Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft Tutorial

In the case of one upgrading home to pro, that can be done manually or through the windows store. The provided product key is entered then.

Upgrade Windows Home to Windows Pro - Microsoft Support

Learn how to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro, including how to use a valid product key or the Microsoft Store.

support.microsoft.com

cereberus · Dec 25, 2023

Elgato54 said:
Just because a company is massive and untouchable there is no excuse for incompetence and screwing your customers.

From info you supplied, I see no particular evidence that MS are the "bad boys" here. Most of these issues arise as a result of using dodgy 3rd party keys.

Winuser · Dec 25, 2023

cereberus said:
From info you supplied, I see no particular evidence that MS are the "bad boys" here. Most of these issues arise as a result of using dodgy 3rd party keys.

I'm curious of why you think they used a dodgy 3rd party key. I'm not saying they didn't. I just don't see anything that proves it an illegal key and not just a problem with the MS activation server.

kiwiaz · Dec 25, 2023

I thought their point was they had a legal key from an earlier windows version and followed the (legal) upgrade path through other versions but then basically got thrown under the bus by Tech Support, presumably along with a legion of others.
The same thing happened to me. I had a legal licensed versions (back to Win3.1!) and eventually upgraded to Win 11, only to one day get "not activated" notices. I bought a license rather than spending my time jumping through all their hoops for little gain.
Its just the corporate railroad; you have no recourse and they have no consequence. You can stand in front of the train waving and shouting, or you can just buy another ticket and ride along.

Berton · Dec 25, 2023

What may have thrown a wrench into the works is the discontinuance of allowing Windows 7, 8, 8.1 to Upgrade to Win11. I've only done the Upgrade from Win10 but some of those were from Win7 so doubtful I would be able to do a clean re-install now.

Elgato54 · Dec 25, 2023

Most of us here are well aware of "dodgy" third party keys and know that they could deactivate at any time. However, if you will read the posts you will see nearly everyone is referencing actual retail Microsoft licenses. Microsoft decided to no longer allow 7 and 8 keys to activate Windows 11. That is their right and perfectly acceptable. However, in the process they deactivated thousands of licenses that had been legitimately activated before the new rule. The support tech confirmed this and said they were aware of the problem and that it would be fixed in one week. It was not. A second support ticket was opened and the tech promised that I would receive a call from a supervisor. The call never came. I have multiple retail boxes of just about every version of Windows as proof. YES, in this case it is a massive Microsoft failure.

kiwiaz · Dec 25, 2023

Now I'm back in the same loop. Swapped out my mobo and once again, W1 won't reactivate... :ffs:

badrobot · Dec 25, 2023

You can get a pro key for less than $10. But if they give you a free key, lucky.

kiwiaz said:
I bought a license rather than spending my time jumping through all their hoops for little gain.

That's the best approach you did there. If one can buy a thousand dollar worth of hardware, why not at least a $10 key or less that actually works?
Going through all the madness of fighting for a license key that you already know is questionable from the very beginning is not worth all the time and effort. Let it go and get another one (like you did). There are plenty of cheap keys out there. If they stopped working, get another one.