Windows 10: Clean Install Activation issues (Error code: 0xC004C003) Fixed

To everyone doing a clean Windows 10 install and been getting an Error Code 0xC004C003 for several days with out activation.


I have tried several times to activate my Windows 10. I had several systems that I upgraded Windows via Windows update etc. Upgrading I was able to activate with no problems every single time. After I upgraded and activated I did a clean install from a USB created with Media Creation Tool from MS. No matter what I did the clean install wouldnt activate and would give an Error Code 0xC004C003. I made sure that my Windows 10 upgrade was activated first. I logged into an MS account once I installed Windows 10 thinking that would help. Nothing worked but I kept trying. Heres what I did that now has since worked on the two systems was getting the Error Code 0xC004C003 for days.


1. First, I removed all Windows 10 listings from my "Devices" on my Microsoft account. Each computer with Windows 10 gets listed there. They get added back once you login again.


2. Next I started from scratch. I reinstalled Windows 8.1 clean. Now this time something different I did that I hadnt done before was I logged into my MS account on Windows 8. I historically had been using "local accounts".
I also made sure the install was activated by going to the "CMD" prompt and typing "slmgr.vbs /ato".


3. Once started logging into Windows using my MS account and was certain Windows 8 was activated then I started the upgrade process. I used Windows update on one computer and Media Creation Tool on the other computer to do a Windows 10 Upgrade. Again once Windows 10 was installed I made sure it was activated by going to the "CMD" prompt and typing "slmgr.vbs /ato". I also then made sure that I was logging into Windows 10 with my MS account. For giggles I restarted the computer a few times to make sure it synced with the activation servers etc. I even did a few quick updates for the hell of it.
(You can login to your MS account and now see your computer listed under devices.)


4. Next is when I finally did a clean install of Windows 10. Again I used a USB from the Media Creation Tool.
During the install I made sure to login to my MS account. Viola it was automatically activated instantly.




Thoughts: I have two theories about this. The two things I did different were as follows. Again as I pointed out I historically was using local accounts so while on Windows 8 perhaps logging into Windows 8 via an MS account logs the Hardware and the licensing information on the account. It does not show under devices like Windows 10 installs but it could however be logged behind the scenes. As I type this out I wonder then what that means for Windows 7 users. Perhaps those upgrades arnt the ones experiencing the issues. I dont know as I havent done a Windows 7 to 10 clean install.
My next different action was using the "slmgr.vbs /ato" command both when I installed Windows 8 and when I did the upgrade to Windows 10. Either way I did this exact process twice (very time consuming lol) and it worked on two computers that I did upgrades and then clean installs before but wouldnt activate even after 12 days.


Im sure someone somewhere will find this usefull so I knew I had to post it.


Thanks!

:)

 

0xC004C003 - SOLVED

Please refer and contribute to the following thread if your activation issue still persists ...

Error Code 0xc004c003 - Clean Install after Upgrade - Let's Unite

 

windows 10 activation error: 0xC004C003

Please refer and contribute to the following thread if your activation issue still persists ...

Error Code 0xc004c003 - Clean Install after Upgrade - Let's Unite

 

Hi DeeX,
Was your "clean install" on the same disk drive or a replacement? In my case I upgraded from Windows 7 to 10 and activated without problem. Next I installed Windows 10 on a new drive (after not being able to install Win7 using a recovery USB.) It seems that the drive change resulted in the blocked activation. If I put the old drive back in, it shows as not activated. Technically, my issue is moving Windows 10 from one drive to another.

Thanks!

 

I'll try as much of this as I can but I upgraded from Windows 7 Pro.

1) Done - there were only two listed, one was an old install on the same computer. I'm currently backing up my files before I do the rest that the MS account manager is suggesting. I've lost count of how often I've had to reinstall all my programs on this computer due to the 10 upgrade.

2) This has been tried by me three times. Clean install of 7, then upgrade to 10 and still the same problem. My memory says that there is no MS account to log into in 7. Is that correct? I never did the prompt because I was working off official MS suggestions. Is that even a thing in 7?

2)

 

Two days later and it didn't work, not even for a few seconds. Maybe Windows 10 was released to drive us all insane?

 

Windows 10 is Skynet!

 

Windows Product Key Information

Product Name: Windows 10 Home

Product ID: 00326-10000-00000-AA622

Installed Key: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-8HVX7

OEM Key: Windows 7 OEM marker present in firmware


what doesnt make sense is that it shows Win7 before the clean install when running ShowKeyPlus.

 

That is just showing the spot that was reserved in bios for a Windows 7 product key by the computer manufacturer, but the didn't actually implement keys in bios until Windows 8.

 

Im having the same error upgrading from Win7x64.
I do have a new HD where I did my USB from the the old HD still running the upgraded version. Did not try using MS account, but that's a good idea and hope it works.
One thing I don't understand is where you see DEVICES in your ms account? How to remove them.

Thanks for all illustrative ideas posted.

Al

 

The user's Microsoft account has nothing to do with activation. Activation is a100% separate process from anything in the user's Microsoft account.