Windows 7 Home Premium activation issue.

riskyfrisky · 7 Nov 2013 at 12:11

I have a retail version of Windows 7 Home Premium, completely legit, but it has started giving me activation issues.

The specific error it is giving me is Code 0xC004C008 'The activation server determined that the specified product key cannot be used'.

Now, granted, it has been installed on a laptop and another desktop machine, but I have never experienced activation issues with retail copies of Windows, no matter how many times I have installed them on different machines. I tried both the 32bit and 64bit discs just-in-case I tried the wrong disc but they both gave me the same error.

If I use the automated activation wizard a try, will this actually solve the issue permanently? If the key is giving me issues now, what will happen if I have to re-install in the future - will I have to go through the same process again?

Help!

shadow_boxer · 7 Nov 2013 at 12:20

I would try the automated telephone activation. Whenever I've had issues activating online that seemed to solve it.

riskyfrisky · 7 Nov 2013 at 12:22

shadow_boxer said:
I would try the automated telephone activation. Whenever I've had issues activating online that seemed to solve it.

Yeah it looks like it's my only choice; I'm just not used to having issues activating retail copies of 7, it's usually the OEM versions that require it.

riskyfrisky · 7 Nov 2013 at 13:00

I rang the freephone number and went through the usual process and it has worked so it's all good. They do ask you to confirm how many machines the Windows copy is installed on though, which they never used to do. Hopefully I won't have any issues now.