Windows 10: Win 10 Activation failed (Error code: 0xC004C003)

Not exactly, when choosing to keep nothing it leaves two partitions on the drive from Windows 7 that are useless, making the total 4 partions because Win 10 makes its own recovery/reserved partition. Sure I could have just repartitioned the drive after the update, but I like starting from a clean slate.

 

Yes, I forgot to mention all the key requests I had to skip.

 

Thanks, 1 more question did you changed the Computer Name?, that will displayed somehow in the MSA.

 

That has nothing to do with the OS state though. If there's a recovery partition, it's because the OEM set it up, not Windows 7.

 

I did not change the computer name until after I verified the clean install was activated.

 

I'm not so sure it was a recovery partition, it was just some partition left over that windows 7 had created just like windows 10 creates when you install it.

 

thanks

the upgrade create a 450 MB partition (OEM) its for the rollback I guess.

 

I need to roll back to win7 to start again - but I do not have a Go Back To Windows 7 option in Update & Security/Recovery(!). I do have Windows.old etc that I can see via Explorer. Is there another way I can roll back to win7?

 

There's a rollback opton via the advanced options when booting the iso. 'Go back to previous build' - see if that works.

 

I have no option to go back to win 7 via the usb stick either.

 

To everyone reading this, even if you haven't tried any other methods of activating, if you've clean installed and it's not activating this might be the quickest way to get you going. I'd been trying for weeks to get my clean install to activate. Tried everything under the sun to no avail. Windows 8 with MS account activated with all updates, Windows 10 in-place upgrade with MS account and all updates - activated, clean install Windows 10 with MS account - error. To save yourself a ton of time and frustration follow these instructions:


1. Go to https://partner.support.services.mic...ntact/chat/30/ (not sure if that's the totally right link but that's the last URL I was at to get my fix). You'll need to login with your Microsoft Account.
2. That will take you to an Online Chat with a 'Microsoft Answer Tech'.I did this on Saturday afternoon. I eventually got connected to 'Jagannatha V',
3. I told him I was unable to activate a Clean install of Windows 10, how I'd done it on 3 other notebook successfully so I know my process works, etc. He asked for my Windows 8 key (mine was integrated into the BIOS so I had to use a program to get it. I used Method 1 from here: https://itsolutionsblog.net/3-ways-t...8-product-key/)
4. After he 'validated it' he asked for PoP. I told him it was preinstalled on my notebook but I could give him PoP of the notebook. Not sure why he needed it but he asked for it and I gave him the Sales Order # of my notebook (MSI purchased through Xotic PC if anyone's interested).
5. After that he asked for, and I gave him, remote access to my notebook.
6. He connected in provided me a new Windows 10 key, put it in a Notepad document (which I later saved) and activated it. No fuss, no muss.


I lost probably 20+ hours of my life trying to get this thing to activate and it took that guy 30 minutes to get me going (maybe an hour all in with the wait time to talk to someone). I don't see any restrictions or 'catches' with this method. I gave the guy truthful answers and it didn't cost me anything other than my time. If this saves even 1 person from the hell I went through to get to this point at least it was worth it. Good Luck!

 

yeaaa they basically just told me tough shit buy a new key

 

I know that when I called the first person said that you can't clean install, the 2nd person told me the 'wait 24-48 hours'. That was a couple weeks ago. I did the chat a few days ago and this was the result. I'm still cruising, activated with a clean install.

As long as you were running a legit Windows beforehand there is no way they can tell you that.

 

I was given a new key through telephone support as on my 3rd clean install of activated 10 Pro (initially upgraded from Windows 7) I got this 0xC004C003 error (the first two activated fine as they should).

You do have to keep phoning though until you get someone who understands the problem - some of their techs are worse than others.

In my case I was given a Windows 10 Pro key and didn't have to give my Windows 7 key or PID and although the tech did ask to sign on remotely he seemed to forget about it and just told me the key over the phone which worked fine.

This is useful as my 7 key was retail and the 10 key I was given is (according to the tech) not transferrable so I can still upgrade on another PC (if I get one that doesn't have windows already) within the next year.

 

I just spent the last 24 hours trying to figure this out as well. Tried to reinstall Windows 3 times, but same result. I think the problem is when reinstalling, windows picks up the wrong key. It isnt reading the embedded OEM key in the motherboard.




Instead it picks up a generic key which looks like this:


XXXXX-8hvx7





After searching different message boards i noticed this "8hvx7" is the same product key showing when people are sending snapshots of their screen. So if you see this on your activation screen you just have to type in the real Activation Key of your laptop/computer.





So I googled how to find out what your OEM product key is and there are a few programs available which can extract the information from the motherboard. I'm pretty cautious when it comes to downloading random programs but i was desperate so i tried "Windows OEM Product Key Tool".




As long as you can find a way to get the full 25 digit key and enter it manually into the activation screen, it should be fine.