MS Activation Hell (& HP Repair Nightmare)

Select the target partition


click setup


The defaults are fine. Just click OK

I've created a second partition, but I'm afraid the rest is over my head. I understand your goal; however, I don't know how to get there from here. I'm downloading an ISO of 1809 Home; will that work? Do I also need the media creation tool? I'm a bit at sea here right now.

An iso is fine that is all you need.. Just follow the screenshots

Thank you. A couple of maybe dumb questions:

1) For "Select location of the Boot drive", should I select my C: drive?

2) My ISO is in C:/Downloads, but when I select it in "Select location of installation files" what appears there is "E:\sources\install.wim". E:/ is my external CD drive (which isn't even connected), but from your screenshots that's OK?

1) For "Select location of the Boot drive", should I select my C: drive?

It should automatically select the current system partition ( or esp partition for efi systems).

You shouldnt need to do anything in that box.

2) My ISO is in C:/Downloads, but when I select it in "Select location of installation files" what appears there is "E:\sources\install.wim". E:/ is my external CD drive (which isn't even connected), but from your screenshots that's OK?

Yes, it is supposed to be like that. It has mounted your iso file to a virtual drive lettered E

OK, thanks again. The new 1809 install did indeed activate "with a digital license". Progress! So what do you folks suggest next?

And should I remove this new install before proceeding, or can I leave it in place for now?

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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)

I was so tired last night that I forgot to run these. I'll do it tonight.

You can leave it in place for now.

It suggests there is something blocking your other installation from contacting ms activation online. More than that, it pretty much confirms it.

SIW2 said:

You can leave it in place for now.

It suggests there is something blocking your other installation from contacting ms activation online. More than that, it pretty much confirms it.

Yep. And since I have never been determined to block MS from my system, I'm no longer much use. Maybe look in firewall rules? Maybe look at services that Sledgehammer has....well hammered. Any, it is neither HP nor Microsoft's fault now.

I'll uninstall Sledgehammer then and see what happens.

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Well, at the risk of celebrating prematurely -- it's activated! Removing Sledgehammer seems to have done it. I've rebooted and restarted the laptop several times now, and all looks good.

I never would've suspected the cause, but your detective work nailed it. You guys are amazing. Thank you all so much!