Blog / Oops! – Microsoft Bug Disables License Key and Downgrades Windows 10
I can’t begin to imagine how massive some of the Microsoft Server Farms are. They must have acres and acres of servers humming away to handle all of the demands for Services and Data Storage. Windows, Office 365, Azure Cloud Hosting, Exchange Online; it must be a colossal undertaking. I’ve had a glimpse of something similar when I’ve toured much smaller facilities for Lenovo (servers) and Brocade (switches), but this must be many orders-of-magnitude greater in size and scope.
Damin, one of our Techs, forwarded a web article to me on a recent bug in the Windows Activation Service. This is the system responsible for validating the (many) millions of Windows licenses around the globe. Periodically, each Windows computer will “call home” to check to see if the License Key for the software is still valid. This often happens when a round of Windows updates are applied to a computer. It’s Microsoft’s way to ensure they get paid for the license.
It seems the bug is causing some Windows 10 PRO Licenses to be downgraded to Windows 10 Home version – and deactivated at the same time. Up pops a message that “we can’t activate Windows on this device because you don’t have a valid license or product key .” Of course, this is on a machine that DOES have a valid Windows 10 PRO license – and has for several months.
When Users click on the Troubleshoot option, the computer returns a message that a version of Windows 10 Home has been found, and it invites you to make an online purchase to activate the license. GRRRR!
The main difference between Windows 10 PRO and Home, is the ability to connect a PRO computer to a corporate Domain Network. Domains allow Network Administrators to manage User accounts and set permissions for file access, printing, Internet connections, and a host of other functions. If the computer won’t connect to the domain, the User is denied access to these – and other – critical functions; you might as well turn the computer off. PRO Home Users will also be missing other functions. This is a serious problem.
Microsoft admit to the problem; though not well known (yet.) The problem is in the configuration/operation of their Activation Servers – wherever they’re located. According to Microsoft, it affects Japanese, Korean & American Users (Canada isn’t specifically mentioned.)
Their Engineers are working tirelessly to resolve this issue, and it is expected to be corrected within one or two business days.
I’d be the first to stamp my feet and bang!
If you have any questions about Crypto-Currency, you can always reach out to your TRINUS Account Manager for some stress-free IT.
Thanks Damin! Now then, if I had only kept my childhood collection of Baseball Cards, they’d be worth a fortune. Oh well…
Dave White
TRINUS
stress-free IT
dwhite@trinustech.com
trinustech.com
