The move to Windows 10 may seem complicated at first glance, but thanks to the upgrade features of the operating system, it is very easy to do. As is the case when installing the current version of the Windows operating system from scratch, in order to use the system's range of functions, it must be activated after installation. Even with a valid license key, problems can still occur during this process , such as error 0xc004f050. We will tell you what is behind this error and how you can solve it..
Error 0xc004f050, which can appear when activating Windows, can be due to different causes. That is why there are also different ways to solve the error. The most common sources of error are:
First of all, check that you have entered the product key correctly. Typographical errors are very common when it comes to long combinations of numbers and letters . Also, you have to keep in mind that each license key is only valid for one version of Windows 10 (for example, Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Professional).
Each product key can only be used for one active Windows installation; otherwise, activation is blocked and message 0xc004f050 is displayed. If you were already using a Microsoft account on the previously installed version of Windows and have registered the product key there , you can easily release it online and use it for the new installation of Windows to avoid this problem from the start..
If you have a local user account on the old version of Windows, you will first need to override the product key there and thus disable Windows. Only then will you be able to activate the new installation of Windows 10 with the same product key. To disable the version of Windows you no longer use, open the command prompt with administrator rights and enter the following:
slmgr /upk
It is not uncommon for error code 0xc004f050 to be the result of the Windows activation server being saturated. In these cases, it is recommended to wait a bit and try activation again later.
In case of major hardware changes , especially if the motherboard is changed, or if the computer is completely changed, it is necessary to reactivate the Windows license . In older versions of Windows, this action was very time consuming and almost always involved calling Microsoft technical support. In some cases, a new Windows license was even required..
In Windows 10, the license is not necessarily linked to the hardware , but can also be linked to the Microsoft account . In this way, a computer can be reactivated immediately after having changed its hardware .
You can find out if your Windows license is linked to the Microsoft account in the settings:? Update and security ? ->? Activation ?
If before the change you made a link with your Microsoft account, follow the steps below to carry out a successful reactivation without errors such as 0xc004f050:
If you use local user accounts, a full reactivation is also required after the hardware change.
As in previous versions of Windows, Windows 10 can also be activated over the phone if online activation is unsuccessful and causes error 0xc004f050. To do this, follow these step-by-step instructions: