Legitimate Installs of Windows 10 Being Deactivated But Microsoft Has No Fix For It
Windows 10 Professional users have been frustrated lately by some type of bug that suddenly, for no reason, just deactivates your operating system. Even if you’re running a properly licensed installation of Windows 10, it could be deactivated. Reports of these issues are coming in from the US, UK, Korea and Japan so far.
Microsoft acknowledges there’s a problem, but there’s no fix yet.
Microsoft has said that they know there’s a problem in this area, but they have not been able to determine the cause or develop a patch for it. They simply say that “some unspecified issue with the Windows Authentication servers is causing the problem.”
The Tech Giant has promised that they will create some type of resolution to this issue within a few days. Though most Windows 10 Pro licenses seem to be valid, Microsoft has discovered a few instances where a Windows 10 Home license key is being used with a Windows 10 Pro installation. In this case, the product is recognizing this and then deactivating the operating system until the user can buy the proper license.
Try This Solution!
- Go to the Settings app
- Click Update & Security
- Click Activation (left side of the window)
- Click Troubleshoot
- Click Close, when prompted
For our clients, we have found this method to work quickly on every computer that has had this issue.
Update for November 9, 2018:
Microsoft has issued the following statement:
“A limited number of customers experienced an activation issue that our engineers have now addressed. Affected customers will see the resolution over the next 24 hours as the solution is applied automatically. In the meantime, they can continue to use Windows 10 Pro as usual.”
Other Issues Reported By Users
Some reports from Reddit users say that when they try to open Windows 10 Pro, they’re getting a puzzling notification that their product needs to be activated. On closer inspection, these users have discovered that their Windows 10 Pro was downgraded to Window 10 Home, thus triggering the notification. There’s no explanation thus far about why the software was downgraded.
In other instances, users are reporting that when they try to upgrade their operating system from Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, their operating system will suddenly deactivate itself. Some users have posted various fixes online. You will need the 25-character Key to your Windows 10 operating system to proceed:
- Open your Settings app on Windows 10.
- Click on Update and Recovery.
- In the side navigation bar on the left, click on Activation.
- Click on Enter a Product Key and enter your Product Key in the Popup box.
- Proceed as usual with the installation.
Hold Off On Installing The Latest Version of Windows 10
In other Microsoft news, some users have reported that when they go to install the latest version of Windows 10, some files are being randomly deleted. Again, Microsoft has said they’re investigating this issue and hope to have a resolution within a few business days. In the meantime, they’re recommending that users hold off on installing the latest version of the Windows 10 operating system.
Back Up Your Data Before Installing a New Operating System
IT Professionals remind everyone that it’s a good idea to back up all your data before installing new software of any kind. Things can go wrong but if you have your files backed up, they can simply be reinstalled regardless of what has happened. Some users have reported permanently losing important documents after trying to install the latest version of Windows 10. So the best solution is to simply wait until Microsoft has addressed these issues and announced that it’s safe to download the newest version of Windows 10.
Contact Us
If you’re concerned about any of these problems, please contact Parkway Technology Solutions. We stay on top of all bugs, patches, and issues with Microsoft products. We can also help with backing up your data safely so that you won’t lose a thing even if you do experience a malfunction of the Windows operating system.
Parkway Tech serves the Winston-Salem area with a full suite of managed IT services for law firms.
In the meantime, it’s important for you and your employees to stay up-to-date on technology. We’ve provided some articles on our Law Blog that you should find interesting. Here are a few to get you started:
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Can Your Legal IT Services Firm Keep Law & Order With Your Practice’s Technology?
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