Activation issue with new SSD installation on Windows 11

zbook · Oct 18, 2023

I've not yet found the Microsoft link but these links comment on product key (previously used) and digital license.

Depending on how you got your copy of Windows 10 or Windows 11, you'll need either a 25-character product key or a digital license to activate it.

Find your Windows product key - Microsoft Support

Learn how to find a Windows product key for activation, and when you'll use a digital license instead.

support.microsoft.com

Activate Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to activate Windows using a product key or digital license, check your activation status, and link your Microsoft account.

support.microsoft.com

Find Product Key in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to find and view your product key in Windows 10 and Windows 11. A Windows product key is a 25-character code used to activate Windows. It looks like this: PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX Depending on how you got your copy of Windows 10 or Windows 11...

www.elevenforum.com

naianirb · Oct 18, 2023

hsehestedt said:
@naianirb, first, welcome to ElevenForum!

Yeah, that kind of behavior from Microsoft would really pi$$ me off. Here is probably how I would handle it:

1) Put the original drive back in since you thankfully have not wiped it yet.

2) Demonstrate to Microsoft that Windows is showing up as activated. A screen sharing session would serve well for this purpose.

3) Swap the old drive for the new one and demonstrate the problem.

At that point, you have PROVED that you have Windows activated on that system and I would ABSOLUTELY INSIST that they resolve the issue for you, even if that means granting you a new license key. At that point you have 100% proved to them that Windows is licensed on that system.

Aside from that, have you been following this thread closely to check all the stuff we have been over here so far? Go through the list of items such as verification that you have installed the same edition of Windows (Home, Pro, etc.). Make sure that you are using a RETAIL image of Windows to do your clean install. Try changing the license key (on your clean install) to the generic key for the edition you are using.

Windows 11 Home Single Language: 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH
Windows 11 Home: X9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99
Windows 11 Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

Try activating again. If still no joy, run the activation troubleshooter.

One more point to make here: You expressed a doubt about whether a Windows 10 license key would work. You might be interested to know that Windows 10 and 11 license keys are 100% identical. There is no difference. So, a Windows 10 license key can be used to install Windows 11, and a Windows 11 license key can be used to install Windows 10. In other words, these license keys do not in any way differentiate between Windows 10 and 11. So, on that point at least, Microsoft provided correct information to you.

Let us know where things stand once you have tried those things.

Good luck!

Thank you for the welcome! This has been so far the place I've found with the most sensible answers about this issue.

The guy will call me back today at 10am as he wanted me to find the original product key. I haven't found the box, but after googling it, I found a way to get it through regedit (the cmd prompt tip didn't work, just returned blank). Can anyone confirm the key that shows there is valid? Just in case there's any catch.. I tried using it, but it didn't work as it said it was a digital license.

If I don't figure this out by the time the guy calls, I'll get a case for the SSD. Right now, I need to open the computer and remove the graphics card to access the M2 slot, so I can't even clone the old SSD.

About the version, yes, I'm using the same version, Windows 11 Pro. About it being retail, I'm not sure because I'm installing it from an USB stick that I created with the official MS tool. Do you think it'd be better to burn a DVD? I don't remember if I've ever seen a way to choose the image like this, so maybe this is a dumb question..

I'll try a clean install with the generic key right now. I'll report back.

naianirb · Oct 18, 2023

Man, am I pissed.. The guy had the audacity of saying the key I found on regedit was pirated. This is ridiculous. He gave me a lenghty explanation on digital rights and how the activation works and all. I understand the technicalities, but to me this is a huge project flaw. The activation is connected to an account and considers unique ids for each piece of hardware you have when you first use your product key. If along the way you need to upgrade whatever part you have (especially storage), then you're stuck with your old part because even you let them know you changed your hardware through their own troubleshooting tool that offers you this possibility, it doesn't change anything because since you've never logged in with that new part, they didn't register this new part.

On the other hand, if this is really how it works, and if cloning the previous SSD to the new one gets the system activated on the new SSD, it might actually work if a clean install is ever needed. I'll get a case for the SSD today, clone the old one into the new one, and see if it works. If it does, I'll wipe the new one again and try a clean install. I'll report on my findings.

I have so much work stuff to do, I have a release scheduled for 2 weeks from now that I'm supposed to be working on, but I just can't properly focus on it until I figure this out. And if Macs weren't so freaking expensive here in Brazil, I swear I'd have changed by now just because of this situation.

BamaInArk · Oct 18, 2023

Something else to consider with License Keys is they basically come in 3 flavors.....Retail, OEM and VOL(volume). Retail keys are not limited to hardware configurations. OEM keys are the ones locked to specific hardware configs. VOL license keys are meant for large corporations installing on multiple systems and I'm not sure whether they are closer to OEM or Retail when it comes to reinstalling.
On the ways to dig up the Retail Key being used some will tell you the type of license being used. I forget which ones work to tell you that as I'd have to look it up again myself. But changing a drive itself should not be a reason for the MS license servers to reject a clean install. Motherboard...YES!

kelper · Oct 18, 2023

Maybe you could purchase a cable to connect an SSD to a USB port, enabling an MS Tech to access both drives simultaneously?

naianirb · Oct 18, 2023

BamaInArk said:
Something else to consider with License Keys is they basically come in 3 flavors.....Retail, OEM and VOL(volume). Retail keys are not limited to hardware configurations. OEM keys are the ones locked to specific hardware configs. VOL license keys are meant for large corporations installing on multiple systems and I'm not sure whether they are closer to OEM or Retail when it comes to reinstalling.
On the ways to dig up the Retail Key being used some will tell you the type of license being used. I forget which ones work to tell you that as I'd have to look it up again myself. But changing a drive itself should not be a reason for the MS license servers to reject a clean install. Motherboard...YES!

That's what I told the guy. I can't be stuck forever until my computer dies with a part, especially storage, because MS doesn't properly treat hardware changes. It also doesn't make sense that I need to stick with a physical copy of my W10 DVD and license, even when MS themselves says it's a digital license linked to our MS account, especially after we upgrade to W11. The license is linked but only kind of? It's clearly not an unusual occurrence, as there are many many links around the web talking about this issue. So, to me, at this point it just looks like a huge project flaw, or an intended flaw they think will make us buy licenses (but only faffs us off in the end and makes us not want to use their product).

Collected1 · Oct 18, 2023

Me again! As an experiment I restored my old activated SSD to the new SSD and dropped the active license with slmgr /upk to see if it would allow re-activation via "Troubleshooting" and sure enough, it immediately did. I tried this a few times just to confirm it wasn't a one off and rebooted a couple of times too.

I then performed a fresh install on the same new SSD... and I'm back to not being able to activate again.

So my rough conclusion: MS is blocking new activations on my new SSD but is happy to allow re-activations on the same drive. I'm guessing there must be a difference between the two scenarios at the MS side of the conversation?

BamaInArk · Oct 18, 2023

@naianirb @Collected1 I made a suggestion earlier but am still not sure how having ones License key tied to your MS account vs not might affect reinstallations. I have multiple systems I tinker with here...both Win10 and Win11. Some are tied to my MS account while some are not. In other words I can go to my MS account and only see some of the systems identified on my account. And honestly I'm not sure why some are and some aren't. Not something I've spent much time tracking down.

But in any case try a clean install without entering your MS account info to see if that makes a difference. This becomes even more critical with newer versions of the Win11 installer as it will not let you proceed past the internet connection point without having internet access...unless you bypass this setting and create a local user account only.

Both of you seeing the same issue may be opening up a can of worms depending on the actual cause. Old Win7 keys, OEM keys, etc?

Collected1 · Oct 18, 2023

Funny you should ask @BamaInArk - I performed a clean install on both SSD's without my MS account details earlier this evening to see what happened. This is actually how I normally install Windows generally since the Windows 10 days of needing to intercept all the garbage it would throw at you. The result was the same sadly. The "Old SSD" activated immediately without me needing to enter any MS credentials at all and behaved as expected when I forced the license to be dropped and then troubleshooted it. The "New SSD" hit the same issues I've been having in this thread. It just doesn't want to cooperate on a fresh install. Thanks for the suggestion however!

naianirb · Oct 18, 2023

@BamaInArk I've had the same results as @Collected1 when doing a clean install without internet access/MS account. It didn't change anything and I still can't activate my new SSD.

I'm still waiting on the SSD case which is supposed to arrive anytime now, but I won't have the time to test it today anymore unfortunately. Tomorrow I'll run tests on cloning the old SSD and also reinstalling after being able to activate the new SSD with the cloned system.

hsehestedt · Oct 18, 2023

@naianirb, just wondering, which edition of Windows do you have (Home, Pro, etc.)?

Scott · Oct 18, 2023

BamaInArk said:
On the ways to dig up the Retail Key being used some will tell you the type of license being used. I forget which ones work to tell you that as I'd have to look it up again myself.

There are others, but this is the one I know

Code:

slmgr /dli

Bree · Oct 18, 2023

hsehestedt said:
Try changing the license key (on your clean install) to the generic key for the edition you are using.

Windows 11 Home Single Language: 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH
Windows 11 Home: X9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99
Windows 11 Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

Those keys for Home and Home Single Language are NOT the correct ones, those are the KMS keys. Pro is correct.

From: Generic Product Keys to Install or Upgrade Windows 11 Editions Tutorial

hsehestedt · Oct 19, 2023

Bree said:
Those keys for Home and Home Single Language are NOT the correct ones, those are the KMS keys. Pro is correct.

View attachment 74693
From: Generic Product Keys to Install or Upgrade Windows 11 Editions Tutorial

Hey, thanks Bree. I have had those keys in my personal notes and never realized I had the wrong keys for the Home edition. I guess that shows how often I use the Home edition (never!). I'm really glad you caught that you eagle-eyed observer!

hsehestedt · Oct 19, 2023

@Bree, I get to pass the buck on this one

. I copied those keys directly from @Kari in his tutorial located here (step 3.9):

Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10

How to create install media for completely automated unattended install of Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

That tutorial is from October of 2017 and you appear to be the first person to have ever caught this!

I've PMed Kari on TenForums to let him know that you caught this

.

naianirb · Oct 19, 2023

hsehestedt said:
@naianirb, just wondering, which edition of Windows do you have (Home, Pro, etc.)?

I have Pro. Although right now it feels like a beginner edition

No success in cloning the current SSD. @Collected1 what app did you use to clone your SSD? I was using this Macrium Reflect Home but I can't get it to work.

Collected1 · Oct 21, 2023

Same app. I used the backup Windows option top left… it’s second in the list there I believe. Saved the backup file to an SSD then fired up the same app on my bad drive, selected restore, locate the file and accept all the defaults. It boots into a cut down version of Windows and does the rest. I’m away from my PC this weekend otherwise I’d include some screenshots!

naianirb · Oct 28, 2023

I'm back. After several days where I didn't have time to work on this issue, I finally arranged some time today. It finally works and I have an activated Windows 11 Pro on my desktop. I had to dig up my Linux laptop to be able to look for tutorials because first it wasn't working, then it just worked. Still, I'm super annoyed because it was such a pain that wasn't supposed to happen. I'll keep the image I generated backed up just in case I happen to need it again.

Thanks everyone, I'd be going insane if it wasn't for you people helping me out. I'll remain here in case someone needs further help

Collected1 · Oct 29, 2023

Yes I went with the image solution too. I've got it saved on a spare drive and will need to just call upon it whenever I want to reinstall. If it ever stops working or it gets too annoying I'll just buy a license from the MS store. Frustratingly I never did get a call back from them. Thanks everyone who tried to assist.

RJARRRPCGP · Nov 16, 2023

Collected1 said:
hsehestedt & NavyLCDR: See below. I've attached two sets of screenshots from the SSDs after a full clean reinstall. Let me know if anything jumps out at you as being a cause for concern. I can't spot anything personally but perhaps someone else can. Thank you again for the responses.

This looks related to my June, 2022 SNAFU, when I changed the SSD, IIRC. It was the upgrade to the Western Digital Black SN850 1 TB.

Activation issue with new SSD installation on Windows 11

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