Activation of Win 11 Pro keeps failing

gallicbear11 · Aug 13, 2023

Hi. Got this new laptop I am trying to activate. It has Win 11 Pro. It has a digital license, because Windows came pre-installed. After 3 resets, I still prompts me only for a LOCAL user account. Somehow I feel that is the problem. When I run the Activation troubleshooter it comes up with the error code 0xC004F213, which makes it sound as though my copy of Windows is not genuine. I bought this laptop from a reputable merchant, from Walmart. Is there a way out of this situation, other than returning the laptop? Thanks in advance for any help.

Try3 · Aug 13, 2023

gallicbear11 said:
Got this new laptop I am trying to activate. It has Win 11 Pro. It has a digital license

If it has a digital licence then it is already activated.
~~What does Settings, Updates, Activation say?~~
Sorry, thinking of Win10
What does Settings, System, Activation say?

gallicbear11 said:
After 3 resets, I still prompts me only for a LOCAL user account

Activation & your type of account [local/MSAccount-linked] are separate subjects.
I also use local accounts. It does not affect my activation.
What makes you think otherwise?
It is possible to deliberately record a computer activation online in an MSAccount. It can be useful for re-activating after a major hardware change. But it is not compulsory.

Denis

gallicbear11 · Aug 13, 2023

Thank you, Try3. The reason I think a local account doesn't work is because I have always read that licensing is connect with your Microsoft account. Settings Update does not show the option Activation. When I search for it in Settings, it says under Activation State, Windows reported that no product key was found on your device.

Try3 · Aug 14, 2023

gallicbear11 said:
I have always read that licensing is connect with your Microsoft account

That is incorrect. It can be but it does not have to be.

Sorry, of course,
Settings,
System,
Activation.

Your problem is unusual. I think you should give Walmart one chance to fix the problem then, if they fail, demand your money back.

It would not hurt to post a screenshot of

Settings,

System,

Activation

here in case anybody recognises the situation.

Denis

bobkn · Aug 14, 2023

3 resets?

Has Windows ever been activated on the laptop?

Was the laptop sold by Walmart, or one of the third-party vendors through their web site?

gallicbear11 · Aug 14, 2023

Thank you bobkn. Windows has never been activated. Activation has never worked. This laptop was sold by Walmart, ordered online.

bobkn · Aug 14, 2023

gallicbear11 said:
Thank you bobkn. Windows has never been activated. Activation has never worked. This laptop was sold by Walmart, ordered online.

I'd still place a small wager that the laptop wasn't sold by Walmart, but rather a third party. Walmart lists stuff by a large number of sellers, similar to Amazon Marketplace vendors (which are not Amazon). I've bought a few items from "Walmart" that way. So far, I've had few problems.

A new laptop should have taken you through the OOBE (out of box experience) to set up your account. I suspect that something isn't legitimate.

I believe that new laptops from the major makers usually come with a license key embedded in their BIOSes.

gallicbear11 · Aug 14, 2023

It says 'sold by Walmart', but the actual seller is KUU-Tech. The laptop is known as a Yepbook. There was nothing suspicious about it until I tried to validate it three times.
Someone suggested that I post a screenshot. Here it is.

Megahertz · Aug 14, 2023

I'm thinking that, maybe, someone, changed the key to a generic pro, it reboot and upgraded from home to pro but did not activate.
Was the laptop was sold as with Win 11 Pro?
Win 11 by default require a MS account. What did you do to bypass the MS account requirement?

For me it seems that someone has tweaked the computer.

I would send it back to Walmart or try to revert to home to see if it activates and if it does I would do a Factory Reset or even a clean install.

gallicbear11 · Aug 14, 2023

Thanks, Megahertz. Yes, it was sold as with Windows 11 Pro. But the laptop came directly from a warehouse in New Jersey, it didn't pass through anyone else.

Megahertz · Aug 14, 2023

gallicbear11 said:
Thanks, Megahertz. Yes, it was sold as with Windows 11 Pro. But the laptop came directly from a warehouse in New Jersey, it didn't pass through anyone else.

Win 11 by default require a MS account. What did you do to bypass the MS account requirement?
OEM computers normally has a MS sticker with Windows Pro (or Home). Does your has it?

gallicbear11 · Aug 14, 2023

Someone else on the forum said that having a MS account is not necessary. You're right, this puzzled me, too. Fact is, the three time this laptop had reinstalled after being reset, it never asked for an email address, only who will use this and asked for a password. I am very disappointed.

WAI · Aug 14, 2023

Why not just reinstall windows? That's what always do when I buy computers off the shelf or online

Megahertz · Aug 14, 2023

By default Win 11 require a MS account but there are (MS approved) workarounds to bypass the requirement.

Try a Clean install.
- If it ask you to choose the type (Home or Pro) don't proceed. Send it back to Walmart ASAP.
- If the computer has a key on BIOS it wont ask you to choose the type (Home or Pro) and will install win 11 and it will activate.

bobkn · Aug 14, 2023

gallicbear11 said:
It says 'sold by Walmart', but the actual seller is KUU-Tech. The laptop is known as a Yepbook. There was nothing suspicious about it until I tried to validate it three times.
Someone suggested that I post a screenshot. Here it is.

I checked Walmart. There are a number of Yepbooks for sale, listed as sold and shipped by KUU. Are you certain that the one you bought isn't one of those?

At a guess, you've bought a laptop that has Win11 installed without a license. In particular, no key embedded in the BIOS, as would be the case for Dell, HP, etc. That'd save the maker a few dollars by not paying for the Windows license. I believe that 11 can run without activation, with limitations (like no desktop customization).

It's possible to acquire working Windows licenses at a much lower price than Microsoft's. For example: Guru3D usually has a listing for cheap licenses. Supposedly a Windows 10 license will activate 11, so you could save a few dollars that way. I have no idea what the origin of these licenses is, but they have been reported to work, without being blacklisted.

Please let us know how you fare.

glasskuter · Aug 14, 2023

Something is reall fishy with that seller. If I saw the kind of reviews that seller has, I would run. Half 5 star and half one star would be a real red flag for me. I wouldn't ever buy some madeup name laptop by an unknown seller of unknown origin. I would contact Walmart to see if it can be returned for refund. If it can be returned, be sure to reset it again and choose remove everything option before you return it.
If it's the one with Intel Celeron n5095 cpu, that cpu is not even on Microsoft's compatibility list for 11.

zbook · Aug 14, 2023

0xC004F213 = The Software Licensing Service reported that no product key was found on the system.

Run:

https://github.com/Superfly-Inc/Windows-Diagnostic-Tool/releases/download/1.0.6101/Activation.Diagnostic.Tool.zip

https://github.com/Superfly-Inc/Windows-Diagnostic-Tool/releases/download/1.0.6101/LicensingDiag.ps1

https://github.com/Superfly-Inc/Windows-Diagnostic-Tool/releases/download/1.0.6101/Get-SlmgrError.ps1

Post share links into this thread using one drive, drop box, or google drive.

gallicbear11 · Aug 14, 2023

Thank you all for your replies. Walmart's description said Windows 11 Pro. Anyway, one of you suggested a clean install. I did that, and it is still the same. No key found. Cannot activate it. Another possibility is that maybe I was shipped a defective laptop. The hard disk was already split in two parts, in other words there were two drives. Strange... I will return it. THANK YOU ALL. You do not need to respond any more. Appreciate everyone's help. I have been dealing with PCs and Laptops for over 25 years and have never run into such an issue. But I had always bought from HP.

rockyanexp · Aug 14, 2023

Download AIDA64 (Portable).
Run.
Check for SLS Data under Motherboard/ACPI/MSDM (here you will find the OEM key)
Or post SS of same.

gallicbear11 · Aug 14, 2023

I will no longer try anything. I am boxing it up for return. Thank you all.

Activation of Win 11 Pro keeps failing

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