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

Cbarnhorst · Oct 3, 2015

It amazes me the things people complain about that they are getting for free.
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Yeah, a customer buys a $350 laptop and thinks he paid a lot of money for his Windows. Most users don't realize how little the royalty OEMs pay per copy of Windows shipped.

allmaxprotein · Oct 13, 2015

3 days ago i changed my mobo (maybe this can help others who had same windows activated problem because of hardware changes) ...and then after that my windows got error code 0xC004C003 (that windows didn't active) so, after read so many comment with the same problem.. i finally got it activated.. first i downloaded NEOSMART to get my mobo 25 product key digits code... after that, change the new activation 25 codes with new codes from neosmart and it worked!

Noodleman · Oct 13, 2015

I too was having a problem with this, I wanted a nice clean install of win10 rather than the upgraded win7->win10 option.

I did the upgrade succesfully from win7 pro to win10 pro. win 10 reported that it was activated and everything was good. I used the win 10 tools to create USB install media and then did a fresh install on the same machine. At no point would it activate. I tried all of the tricks mentioned here and decided to contact Microsoft support. The chat logs are below.

in summary, they have essentially said that you need to purchase a new key for a clean install as your older win7/8 keys will only be valid for upgrades.

Hi, thanks for visiting Answer Desk! I'm Alyssa B..
12:52 pm
How may I help you?
12:53 pm
good afternoon. I am facing a problem with a windows 10 upgrade/install. I upgraded a win7 pro x64 install using an OEM license to windows 10, after which windows license status was activated. I then performed a clean install of windows 10 (to clear any clutter from the install), but it will not accept my OEM key and activate.
12:54 pm
I am sorry for the inconvenience that this might have caused you.
12:55 pm
Do you still have the Product Key for Windows 7?
12:55 pm
I do.
12:56 pm
if I provide my win7 key in win10 it gives me error code 0xc004f050.
12:56 pm
Are you using the same PC?
12:56 pm
Let me check for the error.
12:57 pm
Yes. The clean install was performed on the same machine that I previously upgraded
12:57 pm
would you like the license key?
12:57 pm
I see, I would advise you to use the Windows Update on upgrading to Windows 10 to not get any error, because when you did clean install you will encounter issues on Activating Windows 10.
12:58 pm
Yes please
12:58 pm
the license key is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
12:59 pm
Thank[ you
12:59 pm
I was under the impression that once you had performed a valid upgrade, the key could be used to validate a clean install of win 10 on the same computer. is this incorrect?
1:00 pm
Because, if you want to upgrade to Windows 10 just follow the right path on upgrading to Windows 10.
1:02 pm
Like using the Windows Update on upgrading
1:02 pm
what are my options with regards to activating the clean install of windows 10 on the same computer?
1:04 pm
Using Windows updates and install all the available updates
1:04 pm
the windows 10 install is fully up to date
1:05 pm
Just Install all updates and upgrade to Windows 10
1:06 pm
it's already on windows 10...
1:06 pm
I see, To be able to assist you more effectively with your Windows concern, I will do a Remote Session on your computer which will allow me to access and gain full control of your PC, but this is only temporary and I won't touch any of your personal files that are not needed to resolve your issue. Is that okay with you?
1:07 pm
I am not chatting to you from the computer having the issue, I have no objections to you connecting to the computer I am trying to validate.
1:08 pm
O I see, if you are on the PC, try to revert back to your previous OS and install first all the updates and upgrade to Windows 10.
1:10 pm
so.. it isn't possible to activate a clean copy of windows 10 if you've performed an upgrade from an earlier OS?
1:13 pm
If you are dealing to do a clean install it will required a key which is key for Windows 10 and you really need to purchase a full version of windows 10, that's why other customer follow the right process on how to upgrade to windows 10 to get it free and activated.
1:13 pm
ok, so if I ever needed to reinstall in the future I must always install win7 first, then upgrade it?
1:14 pm
How? -- by installing the previous OS make sure it is activated, then install all the windows updates, then after you fully installed all the updates it will notify you to upgrade to windows 10.
1:15 pm
so, just to confirm. there is no way to do a clean install of windows 10 and validate it, even if it is on the same computer that was upgraded previously? it must always be upgraded from an earlier operating system? is that correct?
1:17 pm
There's a way for you to do a clean install but the thing is you need a valid Product Key for Windows 10
1:18 pm
and that requires purchasing a new win10 license, rather than using my previous windows 7 license?
1:19 pm
Yes, correct.
1:19 pm
ok. thank you for clarifying.
1:20 pm
You're welcome
1:20 pm
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re-installing a clean win 7 so i can upgrade..... yay fun! *sarc

NavyLCDR · Oct 13, 2015

I too was having a problem with this, I wanted a nice clean install of win10 rather than the upgraded win7->win10 option.

I did the upgrade succesfully from win7 pro to win10 pro. win 10 reported that it was activated and everything was good. I used the win 10 tools to create USB install media and then did a fresh install on the same machine. At no point would it activate. I tried all of the tricks mentioned here and decided to contact Microsoft support. The chat logs are below.

in summary, they have essentially said that you need to purchase a new key for a clean install as your older win7/8 keys will only be valid for upgrades.

re-installing a clean win 7 so i can upgrade..... yay fun! *sarc
Click to expand...

And the person you talked to on the phone was wrong. Talk to someone else.

Microsoft has published on their websites that clean installs are supposed to activate after upgrades and most of us on this forum have done it more than once.

Cbarnhorst · Oct 13, 2015

And the person you talked to on the phone was wrong. Talk to someone else.

Microsoft has published on their websites that clean installs are supposed to activate after upgrades and most of us on this forum have done it more than once.
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I sure have.

Zenex · Nov 10, 2015

Turns out, only way to fresh install and get activated is following 2 simple rules we all probably messed up:
1) Upgrade from 7/8.1 to 10 and reach the desktop, making 100% sure windows is activated before fresh installing
2) Skip everytime Windows 10 asks for a product key during installation. The key everyone finds with keyfinders is actually just a generic key, everyone's copy gives the same values, and it's worth jack to Microsoft. Entering that during installation guarantees you'll never get activated.

You never actually have to click an activate button. If you clean install and click the skip button everytime it asks for a product key during your installation, Windows should recognize your PC if you have upgraded at least once, and will autoactivate.

If you skip the product key entry during the clean install and are still not activated when you finally reach the desktop, you may have actually go back to 7/8.1 and upgrade again, as your upgrade may have never been verified and properly activated. Though you successfully clean installed once before you said, so I don't have a clue why you still aren't activated automatically.

If you're given an error code and information, copy/paste or type it our for us word for word, others might have the same thing.
"Key Blocked" usually shows up if you tried to enter a product key during the installation (as I once did), as non-retail Windows 10 users like us don't use a product key from the disc packaging. If you try to manually type a product key in, Windows 10 will never try and auto-activate. It will always ask for a retail product key unless you reinstall and never give it a code in the installation steps.
Windows 10 for free users authenticates on its own by recognizing your hardware. Unless you swapped out your motherboard between your last successful clean install and now, you should have no issues. Windows ties itself to your mobo and possibly CPU, as that's what it considers a valid computer. Using a different mobo/cpu after your first successful upgrade from 7/8.1 to 10 will require you to either buy windows 10 or upgrade a different 7/8.1 copy that never has been upgraded before on the new hardware so it registers your copy to your current configuration.

Don't waste time with Microsoft support, half of those on support have no clue. I've called twice. One told me wait 24/48 hours (actiavation servers weren't my issue). Another told me I'd have to upgrade again. They were partly right, but not once did they give me the heads up that I wasn't supposed to enter any product keys.
That's what these forums are for.
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And how royally screwed would I be if I bought my computer with Windows 8 already installed and have already tried a clean install?

NavyLCDR · Nov 10, 2015

And how royally screwed would I be if I bought my computer with Windows 8 already installed and have already tried a clean install?
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Go back to Windows 8 and do an upgrade.

batlhilz · Nov 11, 2015

i did fresh install on win7pro (OA) - i couldnt update ANYTHING from windows update, just gave me the same error after every boot. now i updated easily to win10pro - however the cdkey isnt valid - might be cause i prolly never activated win7 due to that update error?

my key is "getting blocked" for some reason as it states but dunno how to go further. cba to install 4th time in 2 days these :S getting pretty much pissed off due to this. is there "activate via phone" in windows 10? cant seem to find it

Cbarnhorst · Nov 11, 2015

And the person you talked to on the phone was wrong. Talk to someone else.

Microsoft has published on their websites that clean installs are supposed to activate after upgrades and most of us on this forum have done it more than once.
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Waaaay more than once. Also with legacy productk keys.

JW0914 · Apr 5, 2018

I too was having a problem with this, I wanted a nice clean install of win10 rather than the upgraded win7->win10 option.

I did the upgrade succesfully from win7 pro to win10 pro. win 10 reported that it was activated and everything was good. I used the win 10 tools to create USB install media and then did a fresh install on the same machine. At no point would it activate. I tried all of the tricks mentioned here and decided to contact Microsoft support. The chat logs are below.

in summary, they have essentially said that you need to purchase a new key for a clean install as your older win7/8 keys will only be valid for upgrades.

re-installing a clean win 7 so i can upgrade..... yay fun! *sarc
Click to expand...

You can clean install Windows 10, of which has been explained repeatedly since July in numerous journalistic articles and forum threads, not to mention the Windows 10 website, since Windows 10 was RTM. Windows 10 activation is completely different than every other previous iteration of Windows, as it relies on the hardware ID of your device, allowing the device to be permanently activated.

To perform a clean install of Windows 10, you must first upgrade to Windows 10 from an already activated Windows 7/8/8.1 device. Once upgraded, verify under Settings - Update & Security - Activation that your device is activated. Once it reads "Windows is Activated", you can perform a clean install.

And how royally screwed would I be if I bought my computer with Windows 8 already installed and have already tried a clean install?
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You wouldn't be screwed at all...

Why are users not using Google and reading journalistic articles instead of forums in regards to this specific issue?

i did fresh install on win7pro (OA) - i couldnt update ANYTHING from windows update, just gave me the same error after every boot. now i updated easily to win10pro - however the cdkey isnt valid - might be cause i prolly never activated win7 due to that update error?

my key is "getting blocked" for some reason as it states but dunno how to go further. cba to install 4th time in 2 days these :S getting pretty much pissed off due to this. is there "activate via phone" in windows 10? cant seem to find it
Click to expand...

No, you cannot activate Windows 10 over the phone as there are no activation keys or product keys for users taking the free upgrade. All Windows 10 users who've taken the free upgrade are using a generic Windows 10 product key, as Windows 10 does not rely on Product Activation Keys for activation and instead rely on the hardware ID of your motherboard.

All users with the free upgrade who are using Windows 10 home will have the same Product Key TX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99

All users with the free upgrade who are using Windows 10 Home Single Language will have the same Product Key 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH

All users with the free upgrade who are using Windows 10 Pro will have the same Product Key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

For Windows 7/8/8.1 Phone Activation, open an admin command prompt and type: Code: slui 4[/quote] Google is a great tool if one uses it...

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