MS Activation Hell (& HP Repair Nightmare)

zbook said:

Consider installing these hardware diagnostic software / firmware: (link in the earlier post)

HP UEFI hardware diagnostics version 8.3.0.0
HP Windows diagnostics version 1.7.0.0

Then in most circumstances you can perform hardware testing.

I just did. Not sure how to proceed with them though.

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Zbook: I installed those diagnostics. Not sure how to proceed with them though.

Bree: I'll report back when I've run my backup again. It will take a while.

Thanks everyone!

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I keep trying to add new replies, but they always get added as updates to my last existing post. I'm confused...

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Bree said:

Did the MS tech clean install Pro, or upgrade your restored Home to Pro? Either way it can't activate without there being an existing digital license for Pro.

He upgraded my Home to Pro remotely.

Plan to run the diagnostics overnight.

Power on the HP computer and repetitively click F2 or F10 > open the UEFI hardware diagnostics > click extensive > click loop until error > the next day if it has made two or more loops click esc > run any component tests as needed > allow logs to be saved in the computer as needed.

To make images of the UEFI hardware diagnostic tests and results > take pictures with a camera or smartphone camera
To make images of the Windows hardware diagnostics > use the snipping tool

Once you have run the UEFI hardware diagnostics and they pass you can then run the Windows diagnostics while using Windows.
(The Windows diagnostics performs some different tests)

zbook said:

Plan to run the diagnostics overnight.

Power on the HP computer and repetitively click F2 or F10 > open the UEFI hardware diagnostics > click extensive > click loop until error > the next day if it has made two or more loops click esc > run any component tests as needed > allow logs to be saved in the computer as needed.

To make images of the UEFI hardware diagnostic tests and results > take pictures with a camera or smartphone camera
To make images of the Windows hardware diagnostics > use the snipping tool

Once you have run the UEFI hardware diagnostics and they pass you can then run the Windows diagnostics while using Windows.
(The Windows diagnostics performs some different tests)

That just does not seem to relevant to activating Windows 10, IMHO.

Bree said:

First you need to undo any changes MS made, so restore your image of W10 Home again. Check its installed key with ShowKeyPlus. If the installed key is NOT shown with an asterisk and the 'Default key' note then it would be the key from the old motherboard's firmware. You can confirm this by saving the installed key in ShowKeyPlus, then checking that key in ShowKey's 'Check Edition' page. (the Core edition means it's Home).

Attachment 349082

Change the installed key to the generic key for W10 Home and it should then be able to activate:
YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7

OK, I'm back on Win10 Home now after restoring the backup. It still won't activate. The installed key per ShowKeyPlus is now the same one you listed above (...8HVX7), but it too has the asterisk and "* Default key - requires a Digital License for activation". The result for Check Edition in ShowKeyPlus is "Win 10 RTM Core Retail".

Something I didn't mention originally but maybe should now is that HP has changed the motherboard four times in three years (believe it or not). Might that be a further issue with the keys?

Could sledgehammer being used to prevent Windows Updates also be interfering with Microsoft Activation Servers?

The upper one is from the command prompt, and the lower is from command prompt (admin)

I'm wondering if Sledgehammer is causing the lower error window. The lower error window indicates a problem with the activation process in Windows rather than no digital license, or invalid product key.

This statement:

BigMac said:

When I finally got it back in working order (and out of warranty) it was updated to 20H2 and activated. However, when I ran my disk backup to restore everything (reverting back to 1803 with all my data), Windows was no longer activated.

indicates that there is digital license for the current motherboard waiting to be retrieved on Microsoft Activation Servers, and I'm willing to bet a nickel - no, make that a quarter - that Sledgehammer is interfering with the digital license retrieval process.