"Activate Windows" does not stick

Windows 10 Professional (x64) Version 1903 (build 18362.476)

After updating a week ago, a number of settings were changed for me. Among these, I had and "Activate Windows" message at the lower right corner of the screen.

The Settings windows tells me "Windows is not activated". So I activate it through the "Change the Product Key" link. The Activation message becomes "Windows is activated with a digital license".

All is well for a day or so, but the "Activate Windows" reappears after then - or may be after a few reboots.

Notes:

- yes, the license key is genuine.
- I usually log in with a local account so I tried activating Windows both with the local account and when connected through the Microsoft Account [thinking that maybe being connected would help MS validate the link between my name, my computer, my email address and myself].
- After the activation I returned to log in only with my local account (I have used my computer like that for a year without "activation" problems)

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Gilbert

ghxyzzy said:

Windows 10 Professional (x64) Version 1903 (build 18362.476)

After updating a week ago, a number of settings were changed for me. Among these, I had and "Activate Windows" message at the lower right corner of the screen.

The Settings windows tells me "Windows is not activated". So I activate it through the "Change the Product Key" link. The Activation message becomes "Windows is activated with a digital license".

All is well for a day or so, but the "Activate Windows" reappears after then - or may be after a few reboots.

Notes:

- yes, the license key is genuine.
- I usually log in with a local account so I tried activating Windows both with the local account and when connected through the Microsoft Account [thinking that maybe being connected would help MS validate the link between my name, my computer, my email address and myself].
- After the activation I returned to log in only with my local account (I have used my computer like that for a year without "activation" problems)

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Gilbert

Since you have a digital license, you may have installed a Windows version that is not suited for it. For example, Windows 10 Core Single Language would not work if your digital license is a Home one. Try to get a Home or Pro ISO. In the worst case, you may have to perform a clean install with it.

GreenTea said:

Since you have a digital license, you may have installed a Windows version that is not suited for it. For example, Windows 10 Core Single Language would not work if your digital license is a Home one. Try to get a Home or Pro ISO. In the worst case, you may have to perform a clean install with it.

Well, Windows Update has installed whatever for me... So I assume it is correct. Moreover, in that case, would the activation succeed (as "Windows is activated with a digital license" would let think?)

Gilbert

ghxyzzy said:

Well, Windows Update has installed whatever for me... So I assume it is correct. Moreover, in that case, would the activation succeed (as "Windows is activated with a digital license" would let think?)

Gilbert

I had a similar problem couple years ago on windows 10 pro. I logged into my account online at Microsoft, and at that site was a chat link to get help from MS. So i did, she was able to login remotely to my PC, did some work on it, very impressive to see the mouse moving and her typing in stuff, and solved it permanently. I was very impressed.

I had to install some program to enable remote connections,but they helped me through all that.
She did not need my product key or anything, she mentioned something about the key in the bios.
She ran some special program which to this day I would like to know what it was. It extracted the key and it was framed in a golden looking window. Then she changed the product key, copy and pasted it in and it has stayed activated, she said it was permanent, I would have no more trouble with it, and she was right.
I have 4 windows 10 pc's.

Superfly said:

Well it's been losing activation daily since 7th Nov at least - there's nothing in the report to point to a cause unfortunately.

Date corresponds to a windows update (v 1903) at 16:08 or so

In the meantime have you done the standard repair methods viz. sfc's scannow and dism's restorehealth commands to determine if there are corruptions?

I am not knowledgeable enough to spontaneously run these.

sfc /scnanow did found errors - it looks that a OneDrive file in start menu was corrupted. I am not sure whether it is secure (re: keys or else) to post the log file here. I will run DISM in various modes now.

How are you re-activating? ... By runnning slmgr -ato or entering your key (ending in VMH26) into the Change Product key dialog under Settings-activation?

The latter. Now that I know about slmgr, I will give it a try after DIMS. FYI, the PC was delivered with a Family license that I upgrade later on. For some reasons I was given a temp Pro key that lasted for 6 months before being invalidated and replaced with the VMH26. I will let you know the results of DIMS etc.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth does not find any issue.

Even though the "Activate Windows" is still showing:

slmgr /xpr says that "Windows, Professional edition: The machine is permanently activated"
slmgr /dli says "[Name: Windows(R), Professional edition, Description /.../ RETAIL channel [...]VMH2 License Status: Licensed.

slmgr /dlv gives a lot of detail. Last line though says: "Trusted time: 14/11/2019 23:39:51"

both slmgr /ato and /ipk <key> are very happy.

If it does not stick, I will call MS support (and will let you know)

Gilbert