Activation broken on new W510

toby
toby Member Posts: 14 New User

I decided to wipe out my system and test my restore media I created using the ACER utility.  Now after the restore (which appeared to go fine) the system is asking for activation and tells me that my key is not valid.  I don't see a key anywhere.

 

I know a bit about activation, when I try to activate manually via an elevated command line, I get the following:

 

Activating Windows(R), Core edition
(625cc89b-693d-45c4-9967-123877fc41e4) ...
Error: 0xC004C003 The activation server determined the specified product key is blocked

 

slmgr /dlv shows the partial key appears to be what should be used for SLIC 3.0 activation, retail core key.  But it's not activating.

Best Answer

  • toby
    toby Member Posts: 14 New User
    Answer ✓

    Ok, I fixed my problem.

     

    I neglected to recall and state the fact that inbetween trying the recovery, I actually installed a fresh install of Windows 8 Enterprise.  This formatted the C: partition and started fresh with Windows 8 Enterprise.  I never did activate the Windows 8 Enterprise copy.

     

    Well I did not format the drive again prior to trying the recovery.  When I ran the recovery, and did a 'Reset PC', little did I know but the one thing a 'Reset PC' attemps to keep is your activation state.  Evreything I read about 'Reset PC' said it should be erasing everything.  Well, it doesn't.

     

    I found this out by doing a 'Reset PC' on a different PC and noticed after the fresh reset, the activation date still showed an earlier date.  It did not have to reactivate after the 'Reset PC'.

     

    So what happened is, the 'Reset PC' kept the activation from my Windows 8 Enterprise install, which was not going to work with a Windows 8 Core install from the recovery media.

     

    So what I did was I booted yet again from my Windows 8 Enterprise media, hit SHIFT-F10 and went into diskpart and completely formatted the C: drive.  After that I just powered down, removed my Windows 8 Enterprise USB drive, and started it up.  The Acer started in an automatic recovery mode, probably because there was nothing on C: to boot from at all.  After finishing another 'Reset PC', everything is activated again.

     

    BTW, these sites had some info regarding this:

     

    http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/4677/t/19473500.aspx

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj126997.aspx

     

    I really wanted to keep this tablet, and now think I will be keeping it.  To me it's a lot nicer than the 500t I have also.

     

Answers

  • toby
    toby Member Posts: 14 New User

    Called Acer support, they said because the key is blocked I need to call Microsoft.  The other option is to return it for warranty repair.  On my less than a week old tablet?   No thanks.

     

    Called Microsoft, they said it's OEM and I need to call Acer.  My other option is to open a case with Microsoft for $99.  Really? I can buy a copy of Windows 8 for that.

     

    I really like the tablet, better than the Samsung 500t that I also have, but unfortunately because of this poor technical support and the runaround, I'm going to have to return it.

     

    Has anyone else out there with a W510 tried to do a recovery to see if your machine is still activated?  I've done it on a Surface, worked fine.  Haven't tried it on my 500t yet but I will shortly.  In theory you should be able to use the recovery option and it should activate fine all on it's own.

     

    I have plenty of Enterprise licenses I can use from my work, that's not the problem.  The problem is this tablet is not working the way it should.  This will hurt any sort of resale value.  Or even if I want to give it away to a family member, they would now need to purchase Windows that should be included with the machine.

     

  • toby
    toby Member Posts: 14 New User
    Answer ✓

    Ok, I fixed my problem.

     

    I neglected to recall and state the fact that inbetween trying the recovery, I actually installed a fresh install of Windows 8 Enterprise.  This formatted the C: partition and started fresh with Windows 8 Enterprise.  I never did activate the Windows 8 Enterprise copy.

     

    Well I did not format the drive again prior to trying the recovery.  When I ran the recovery, and did a 'Reset PC', little did I know but the one thing a 'Reset PC' attemps to keep is your activation state.  Evreything I read about 'Reset PC' said it should be erasing everything.  Well, it doesn't.

     

    I found this out by doing a 'Reset PC' on a different PC and noticed after the fresh reset, the activation date still showed an earlier date.  It did not have to reactivate after the 'Reset PC'.

     

    So what happened is, the 'Reset PC' kept the activation from my Windows 8 Enterprise install, which was not going to work with a Windows 8 Core install from the recovery media.

     

    So what I did was I booted yet again from my Windows 8 Enterprise media, hit SHIFT-F10 and went into diskpart and completely formatted the C: drive.  After that I just powered down, removed my Windows 8 Enterprise USB drive, and started it up.  The Acer started in an automatic recovery mode, probably because there was nothing on C: to boot from at all.  After finishing another 'Reset PC', everything is activated again.

     

    BTW, these sites had some info regarding this:

     

    http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/4677/t/19473500.aspx

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj126997.aspx

     

    I really wanted to keep this tablet, and now think I will be keeping it.  To me it's a lot nicer than the 500t I have also.

     

  • cmw700
    cmw700 Member Posts: 3 New User

    Hi - would you mind letting me know how you managed to do a fresh install of Windows 8 Enterprise? I've tried a number of ways to get Windows 8 Pro to boot from USB and DVD without luck.

     

    Also, any reason you went back to the Acer recovery rather than sticking with a fresh install?

     

    Thanks

  • cmw700
    cmw700 Member Posts: 3 New User

    Worked it out. You can start a install of Windows 8 directly from DVD/USB within Windows 8, no need to boot up from disc. I was trying to use a x64 version which was giving me problems but now realise the Atom processor is 32 bit only.

     

    Will post my experiences with a fresh install of Windows 8 Pro once complete.

     

     

     

     

  • toby
    toby Member Posts: 14 New User

    I went back to the Acer stock version because of the Acer apps.  I can't download any Acer specific apps (Such as the Crystal Eye Camera software) from the Windows Store with the normal install.  I don't know what they change yet to allow downloading of acer specific apps or how the store detects that you're using an Acer and shows you Acer apps, but with a fresh load it would not show me the software.  And from reading, it's nearly impossible to side load the apps into your own installation.

     

  • cmw700
    cmw700 Member Posts: 3 New User

    Ok fair enough. I hadnt played around much with the Acer apps so dont know what I am missing.

     

    Clean install went ok, except I have two unidentified devices in device manager than despite several attempts, I cant find the right drivers for (I've tried all the drivers on the drivers and app CD) and from Intel directly.

     

    Other than that, seems to be working fine, still all the same problems that people are reporting elsewhere on the forum (sound, flaky trackpad), so dont do a clean install to try and fix those issues.

     

    18.2GB used space including apps and Office 2013, so might be something that those with the 32GB version want to consider.

     

     

  • toby
    toby Member Posts: 14 New User

    Run windows update a few times.  There is a windows update that will put those drivers out there.  They are related to the ATOM chip itself.

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