We can’t activate windows on this device because you don’t have a valid digital license or product key.
Ok so I’ve been running windows 10 ever since it was released, I got the free upgrade from Windows 7 which was a genuine version of windows 7.
So I’ve been running it no problem, yesterday I went and added a new motherboard, cpu and ram to my computer, still using the same hard drive. But this time when I booted up I got a watermark saying «Activate Windows Go to settings to activate windows» — So I went to settings to activate it, in the activate part it says Edition — Windows 10 Pro. Activation — Windows is not activated — We can’t activate windows on this device because you don’t have a valid digital license or product key.Go to the store to buy genuine Windows. Error code: 0x803F7001
I’m not sure why it has done this, been running Windows 10 for what, 2 years now and no problems.
See if this fix helps you:
I also suggest you to run Activation troubleshooter.
Hope this helps, Good luck 🙂
Microsoft MVP (Windows IT Pro), since 2014 · Windows Insider MVP · Windows Help (www.kapilarya.com)
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When I upgrade a preinstalled (OEM) or retail version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 license to Windows 10, does that license remain OEM or become a retail license?
If you upgrade from a OEM or retail version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to the free Windows 10 upgrade this summer, the license is consumed into it. Because the free upgrade is derived from the base qualifying license, Windows 10 will carry that licensing too.
If you upgrade from a retail version, it carries the rights of a retail version.
If you upgrade from a OEM version, it carries the rights of a OEM version.
Full version (Retail):
— Includes transfer rights to another computer.
— Doesn’t require a previous qualifying version of Windows.
Upgrade version (Retail):
— Includes transfer rights to another computer.
— require a previous qualifying version of Windows.
— Expensive, but cheaper than full version
OEM :
OEM versions of Windows are identical to Full License Retail versions except for the following:
— OEM versions do not offer any free Microsoft direct support from Microsoft support personnel
— OEM licenses are tied to the very first computer you install and activate it on
— OEM versions allow all hardware upgrades except for an upgrade to a different model motherboard
— OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system
What happens if I change my motherboard?
As it pertains to the OEM license this will invalidate the Windows 10 upgrade license because it will no longer have a previous base qualifying license which is required for the free upgrade. You will then have to purchase a full retail Windows 10 license. If the base qualifying license (Windows 7 or Windows 8.1) was a full retail version, then yes, you can transfer it.
From the Windows 10 end user license agreement:
b. Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you. You may also transfer the software to a device owned by someone else if (i) you are the first licensed user of the software and (ii) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. You may use the backup copy we allow you to make or the media that the software came on to transfer the software. Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between devices.
Fix We can’t activate Windows on this device as we can’t connect to your organizations server
September 4, 2019 By Ananya Kanjilal
Other than issues with Windows store, one of the most common problem with Windows systems is with activation and licensing. Since piracy of the software is very common, Microsoft has made strict policies with the software it provides. Some of them prevent the installation until every security parameter is confirmed.
A known error with Windows activation is:
We can’t activate Windows on this device as we can’t connect to your organization’s activation server. Make sure that you’re connected to your organization’s network and try again. If you continue having problems with activation, contact your organization’s support person. Error code 0x8007007B.
Windows provides licenses to companies who purchase the rights in bulk for multiple computers. This concept is called volume licensing. While it has its own benefits, the condition is that the system needs to be connected to the company’s network once in 180 days. This is to prevent the misuse of the licensing terms, particularly preventing unauthorised distribution of the licensed operating system to non-company individuals.
However, employees who need to travel for work or work from remote locations might face the issue as well, since they might not be able to connect to the company’s network despite being genuine users.
Dealing with the situation
Step 1] Check if the system actually belongs to the organization
1] Search for Command Prompt on Windows search and right-click the icon. Select Run as administrator.
2] Type the following command and press Enter:
3] If the value of the Product Key Channel says GVLK, the product was activated through Volume licensing.
Step 2] Are you still a part of the organization?
If the product was purchased through Volume licensing and you are not a part of the organization, you would have to buy a new license and/or a new copy of Windows 10. This is despite the fact that your license might not have expired yet, however, since the license came with a condition that does not exist now.
Step 3] Was the error a mistake?
If you faced this error despite being connected to your organization’s network, simply click on the Troubleshoot button to fix the problem. Restart the system once the troubleshooter does its job.
Step 4] Contact one of Microsoft’s Volume licensing activation centers
Most probably, you would be facing this issue when you are at a remote location or at such a location that you cannot access your organization’s network. This is especially true when you are in a different city/country. In such a situation, you could contact one of Microsoft’s Volume licensing center and get your license activated. Here’s the list of Microsoft’s Volume licensing centers .
We cant activate windows on this device
Windows Activation errors are one of most common error users face post upgrade, or even switching to a new Windows 10 PC. This is of course problem from Windows Activation server which either fails to validate or recognize the license tied to the digital account. In today’s post, we are looking at the activation error in an organization. The exact error message says “We can’t activate Windows on this device as we can’t connect to your organization’s server“.
This error message further details into:
We can’t activate Windows on this device as we can’t connect to your organization’s activation server. Make sure that you’re connected to your organization’s network and try again. If you continue having problems with activation, contact your organization’s support person. Error code 0x8007007B.
We can’t activate Windows on this device as we can’t connect to your organization’s server
In organizations, multiple computers are activated through KMS licensing (Key Management Server). Computers activated through this process do not get a permanent activation. Instead, they need to stay connected with the organization at least once in 7 months or 180 days. Usually seen in Pro and Enterprise version which are deployed in bulk at least in thousands or hundreds of computers. Imagine somebody using a Personal computer at the office, and after he leaves the organization, he will have an activated Windows Key. The above method makes sure this doesn’t happen. Another possible reason for this error message is in case somebody used an organization key. Later the PC went through an upgrade or downgrade to a version which is not appropriate for that copy of Windows.
How to fix this message:
1: If you are aware that this PC belongs to an organization, you need to connect to the network and activate it. To check if this actually belonged to an organization, run this in an elevated command prompt:
Check if the Product Key Channel says GVLK – In this case, your system activated via volume licensing.
2: If you have left the organization, its time you buy another copy of Windows, and change the license key. However, make sure the key is for the same version of Windows. If it’s different, you will have to format your PC.
4: If you think its merely because of hardware change, you can use the Activation Troubleshooter to see if it can fix the issue for you.
Many a time, people get their hands on these keys and activate Windows. It works for a while but starts showing these errors after a few days and gets the owner into a problem. If somebody is trying to sell you a key, posing that it’s genuine, you can try the command mentioned above to check if this key was from an organization.