Can't active a new VM Windows 10 Pro with a valid Product Key

To activate a new Windows 10 Pro virtual machine (VM) with a valid product key after deleting the previous VM, you can follow these steps:

1. Ensure the Product Key is Valid: Confirm that the product key you are using is still valid and has not been used on another VM or device that would prevent its reuse.
2. Activate Windows: You can activate Windows on the new VM using the product key by running the following command in an elevated command prompt:

      slmgr /ipk <your-product-key>
   

   Replace <your-product-key> with your actual product key.
3. Trigger Activation: After entering the product key, you might need to trigger the activation manually by running:

      slmgr /ato
   

If you encounter any issues during activation, ensure that the VM has internet access, as it may need to connect to Microsoft’s activation servers.

If the activation fails, you may need to check if the product key is tied to the previous VM and if it can be reused. If the key was a Volume License Multiple Activation Key, ensure that it is still available for use.

References:

• Activate Windows
• Error 0xC004FD01 or 0xC004FD02 when you activate an Azure Windows virtual machine
• Windows activation - duplicate Client Machine ID
• Windows Virtual Machine activation no longer works in Azure
• Troubleshoot Azure Windows virtual machine activation problems

Hi Claude,

I get how this can feel like a roadblock when you just want to get the VM running. The reason your key isn’t working is that Windows activation links the product key to the hardware ID of the first VM you created. When that VM was deleted, the license stayed tied to that old virtual hardware, so the new VM looks like a completely different machine. If your key is OEM, it’s locked to the original setup and can’t be reused. If it’s a retail key, you can try activating by phone or through your Microsoft account, just make sure to remove the old VM from your account first. For next time, instead of deleting the VM, you can reset Windows inside it or export the VM to keep the license intact.

Do you know if your key is OEM or retail? And do you have the old VM still listed under your Microsoft account? If you want, I can walk you through the steps for phone activation and unlinking the old device.

Regards,

Rez

That’s great progress! Removing the old VM from your account was the right move. If your key is retail, you should now be able to activate the new VM using the same product key. If activation still doesn’t go through, try running slui 4 to start phone activation—it usually works when online activation fails. If it still doesn’t activate, that’s a strong sign the key is OEM and locked to the original VM. Want me to give you the quick steps for phone activation just in case?