Loss of Windows 7 Activation

DavidC2222 · 13 Jan 2012

I work for a small U.S.-based company building and offering, among other things, a Windows 7 based computer - with the addition of our proprietary software - for sale in the commercial market. Each unit is loaded with Windows Ultimate 7 which is activated before shipment. We also load & activate Windows Home & Student Office Suite and MS Security Essentials, updated immediately before shipment. Nearly all units have performed flawlessly in the last 12 months. Two exceptions have exhibited a single common element: both revealed problems with the Windows 7 activation after months of trouble-free use.

Messages will suddenly appear on the screen telling the user that their activation period has expired, or raising the question of running a valid, "Genuine" version of Windows 7. The product keys (specifically, Windows Ultimate Embedded 7) are purchased through the same licensed Microsoft Distributor for all machines. The bare-bones spec. for the units are as follows: 64G Flash Card; SBC board w/a 1.6GHz Intel Processor; 2G RAM.

Could an occurrence with the Flash Card - momentary or otherwise - trigger a loss of the original activation for the O/S? Each product key is specific to one card and one board at the time of manufacture.

Without listing a glut of any other details I will submit this in its current form and attempt to provide additional information as needed. Thanks.

NoelDP · 13 Jan 2012

To properly analyse and solve problems with Activation and Validation, we need to see a full copy of the report produced by the MGADiag tool (download and save to desktop - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012 )
Once saved, run the tool.
Click on the Continue button, which will produce the report.
To copy the report to your response, click on the Copy button in the tool (ignore any error messages at this point), and then paste (using either r-click/Paste, or Ctrl+V ) into your response.
- **in your own thread**, please
Please also state the Version and Edition of Windows quoted on your COA sticker (if you have one) on the case of your machine, but do NOT quote the Key on the sticker!
How to Tell - Home

DavidC2222 · 13 Jan 2012

Thank you for the response, Noel.

This particular unit - one of the two referenced above - was built and burned-in between July 11 and July 12; the initial Win7 activation took place on either of those dates.

Version & Edition: Windows7 Ult EMB x32/x64 (OEM Software)

The complete report follows:

Code:

 
Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):
-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->
 
Validation Code: 0
Cached Online Validation Code: N/A, hr = 0xc004f012
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-RGWCV-PDYF8-MWW7Q
Windows Product Key Hash: RbGLwyJdNyhhGBfBc5km6fJB+j4=
Windows Product ID: 00426-OEM-9101604-02911
Windows Product ID Type: 3
Windows License Type: OEM System Builder
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010100.1.0.001
ID: {FEF0393C-6638-46F2-A9E7-3BB54D5312A4}(1)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows 7 Ultimate
Architecture: 0x00000000
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_gdr.110408-1631
TTS Error: 
Validation Diagnostic: 
Resolution Status: N/A
 
Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
 
Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
 
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
 
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 025D1FF3-364-80041010_025D1FF3-229-80041010_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-517-80040154_025D1FF3-237-80040154_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-244-80070002_025D1FF3-258-3
 
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
 
File Scan Data-->
 
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{FEF0393C-6638-46F2-A9E7-3BB54D5312A4}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0027.0</Version><OS>6.1.7601.2.00010100.1.0.001</OS><Architecture>x32</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-MWW7Q</PKey><PID>00426-OEM-9101604-02911</PID><PIDType>3</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-2927308597-3915855652-1933359109</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>QUANMAX</Manufacturer><Model>KEEX-2030</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>American Megatrends Inc.</Manufacturer><Version>1.61</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="4"/><Date>20100804000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>13190400018400F4</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Eastern Standard Time(GMT-05:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM/><GANotification/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/><Applications/></Office></Software></GenuineResults> 
 
Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002
 
Licensing Data-->
Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514
 
Name: Windows(R) 7, Ultimate edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows(R) 7, OEM_COA_NSLP channel
Activation ID: cfb3e52c-d707-4861-af51-11b27ee6169c
Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f
Extended PID: 00426-00182-016-002911-02-1033-7601.0000-3622011
Installation ID: 019613843406264982023445422703289386105962138803316490
Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88338
Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88339
Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88341
Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88340
Partial Product Key: MWW7Q
License Status: Licensed
Remaining Windows rearm count: 1
Trusted time: 1/11/2012 11:04:13 AM
 
Windows Activation Technologies-->
HrOffline: 0x00000000
HrOnline: 0xC004C532
HealthStatus: 0x0000000000000000
Event Time Stamp: 12:28:2011 13:33
ActiveX: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
Admin Service: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
HealthStatus Bitmask Output:
 
 
HWID Data-->
HWID Hash Current: NgAAAAAABAABAAQAAAABAAAAAgABAAEAJJScH5wdNlLqTkjkUrG6ZKphPlvOcKpxzUkS9HIZ
 
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
N/A
 
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
BIOS valid for OA 2.0: yes, but no SLIC table
Windows marker version: N/A
OEMID and OEMTableID Consistent: N/A
BIOS Information: 
ACPI Table Name OEMID Value OEMTableID Value
APIC 080410 APIC1402
FACP 080410 FACP1402
MCFG 080410 OEMMCFG 
OEMB 080410 OEMB1402
ASF! LEGEND I865PASF
SSDT PmRef CpuPm

NoelDP · 13 Jan 2012

There appears to be nothing wrong with the activation on this machine - but it has been through a number of rearms for some reason.
It has not been through a successful validation procedure, either - please do a manual validation at
www.microsoft.com/genuine/validate
and let us know exactly what happens.
(It unsuccessfully attempted to validate on 28th Dec - does this give any clues?)

DavidC2222 · 13 Jan 2012

Validation completed without any issues: thank you.

1. This machine was returned during the last week of December and after a series of problems we were able to properly boot-up. Once this was completed the message appeared re: activation and this may have been performed on the 28th. However, as you note, no manual attempt was made at the 'validation' process at that time. As stated, this has now been successfully performed via the link you provided.

2. If a machine has an image burned to it more than once - with no change to the hardware - and if the same, unique Windows 7 key is entered but only activated on the final successful image transfer, would that cause the type of issues we are presently seeing?

3. If a machine has an image burned to it more than once - again, with no change to the hardware - and if the same, unique Windows 7 key is entered and activated more than once including, of course, after the final successful image transfer, will this cause the type of problems we are presently seeing?

If the answer to either 2 or 3 is yes then we must obviously introduce the Windows validation step into our procedure post-activation.

NoelDP · 14 Jan 2012

Validation is not a requirement of Windows, unless you want to install IE9 or MSE (or one or two other minor things)
The 0xC004C532 error in the report simply indicated that the activation grace period had expired - i.e. that the machine had not been activated. The fact that the machine has been rearmed at least twice would imply that the initial install was carried out around September?

Activation must be carried out on any machine - and in imaged situations like this, that means that it has to be forced at the time the new Key is entered.

Generally, activation of any Retail Key on the same hardware will proceed through Internet activation the first 5 times it happens on the same hardware - but will require telephone activation thereafter. If the hardware changes significantly, then telephone activation will be required after the change (I'm not sure whether this resets the counter or not).

FWIW, MS keeps a log of ALL activation attempts for any Key (or at least the last 100 attempts), whether successful or not.

You should note that you are in technical break of your system builder license terms if you are shipping the system 'ready to run', as the requirement is that the end-user accept the terms of the EULA during the setup.
You should be using the OPK to create the image you desire, and put that image onto the disk - that will then take care of activation.

DavidC2222 · 16 Jan 2012

Just getting back to you after a weekend away. :) Excellent information: thank you again.

As mentioned, the machine image and subsequent testing goes back to July 11-July 12. Having previously viewed the Windows "Application" and "System" logs on this unit there are definitive indications of a series of issues stemming from September 29.

As configured we include IE8 and we are including the current version of MS Security Essentials with these machines; the latter is updated at the time of shipment to the customer. Let me dig a little deeper into some of the other details you bring up before I raise any additional queries. You have certainly providing valuable assistance up to this point and I don't want to pose any more questions until we can arrive at some conclusions based on your information.

NoelDP · 16 Jan 2012

Can I suggest at this point that you may be better to post with details of *exactly* how you prepare a system for shipment, to the MS ITPRO forums, where experts can assist in all manner of wonderful ways.
These forums are primarily for end-user support, rather than OEM support - the MS ITPro forums are designed for all manner of queries WRT WIndows installation.

Look here for more detail.....
Windows 7 Installation, Setup, and Deployment Forum