How to fix windows activation error 0xc004f074?

How-to-fix-windows-activation-error

What is the error code 0xc004f074?

This is a windows activation error code, indicating that the license attached to your copy of Windows may have expired. The time limit was not enough for you to complete the required steps.

This may be because you did not activate windows in 30 days after purchase, or when you upgraded from an older version of windows or you probably used the key on another device?

Note that you can only use a Windows key on one device.

You can resolve this problem by starting an installation of windows with a valid license key, then activating it. If that is not possible, you will have to try the below steps to manually Activate Windows or use your 30-day grace period while waiting for a computer technician to activate your existing copy of windows.

Why does it happen?

Activation is required when your windows installation has been replaced by another one or reinstalled on top of the old one (in case any system files are corrupt). It is also needed whenever there are changes to certain components like BIOS, Hard disk controller, etc.

Before you begin please take note that this process should only be performed by advanced users. Incorrect modifications or improper edits to your registry can cause serious problems and may require the reinstallation of Windows.

It is best to create a backup of any files you modify before editing them, just in case. That way it will be much easier if anything goes wrong to restore them.

Figuring out the error code can reveal additional information about what is causing it. This may help you find a quick fix on your own, without needing Windows reinstalled.

How do I fix this problem?

Easy method

You can follow these steps to solve this problem.

  1. Start the computer with the windows installation disc inserted.
  2. Select your language preferences and click next.
  3. Click Repair your computer in the lower-left corner, after system recovery options are displayed.
  4. Now select ‘Command Prompt’ from the available recovery methods.
  5. Type slmgr -rearm this will run a command that restarts activation three times, giving you 120 days to activate windows successfully Write down the correct product key for windows 7 or 8 (windows 10 doesn’t require one) Windows should now successfully start after restarting

This is an easy way to fix windows activation error 0xc004f074.

If that didn’t work, you can always try the below steps:

Advanced Method

Firstly, try restarting your computer and then checking if you can turn on Windows normally. Sometimes this will work for you, but often the error comes back again and again after you have restarted your computer.

This should enable you to use the command prompt from the Start-Up Repair screen. Command Prompt is a third-party tool that can be used to fix windows activation error 0xc004f074 easily via manual registry fixing!

To open the command prompt follow the steps below: Press Windows Key + R, type “cmd” in the dialogue box, and press Enter.

Type following commands in command prompt one by one after each other pressing enter key after each line. If you don’t know how to use any of these commands then simply copy-paste them into the command prompt window after pressing enter key at the end of every line (in the order they are given below). reg delete HKLM\System\WPA /f net stop cryptSvc /yes

net stop bits /yes

net stop wscsv

c /yes

net stop WinHttpAutoProxySvc /yes

netsh int ipv4 reset reset.txt netsh winsock reset catalog netsh firewall set service type=fileandprint mode=disable

net start cryptSvc

net start bits

net start wscsvc

net start WinHttpAutoProxySvc

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”windows management instrumentation (wmi)” new enable=yes After command completed you will get message ‘success’ Reboot your PC and try to activate Windows again!

Use the slmgr.vbs command

  1. Left-click on the Desktop icon on the Start menu of your Windows 10 PC.
  2. When you first opened the desktop, you should have left-clicked on the start button and then on the icon Command Prompt. However, be sure to use the one with administrative rights. You can run a command prompt with administrative rights by right-clicking on the Command Prompt icon and selecting Run as administrator.
  3. To begin, in the Command Prompt window, type the following command slmgr.vbs –ipk XXXXX- XXXXX – XXXXX – XXXXX – XXXXX. Replace the X characters in the code with your product key number. The product key must also have 25 digits.
  4. Press the Enter button.
  5. Make sure you’re in the administrator account and type the following into a command prompt window command: slmgr.vbs –ato.
  6. Press the Enter button
  7. If the computer restarts and you’re still getting the same error, your device may have to be fixed by our experts.

Use the Slui 3 command

  1. To launch Slui, you must go on your start screen and hold down both the Windows key and the R key.
  2. A Run window should appear, and you should input Slui 3 in it.
  3. The keyboard’s Enter button should be pressed.
  4. Put in the product key for your operating system in the box that appears. Left-click or tap on the Activate button after doing so.
  5. Restart your Windows 10 device to see whether this problem persists.

Run SFC scan

  1. As in the first method, start the Command Prompt window with administrator permissions.
  2. Left-click on the yes button if prompted by a window.
  3. Enter the following command into the Command Prompt window: sfc /scannow
  4. Allow for the SFC scan to complete and then reboot your computer when it’s finished.
  5. Check for any new warnings after running this utility.

Run the Update and Activation Troubleshooters.

This error code generally appears shortly after you install the most recent updates on your PC, so running the Update Troubleshooter may also help you resolve it.

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshooter > Windows Update and run the troubleshooter.

There is also an Activation Troubleshooter that might resolve the problem. Head to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshooter > Activation and run it.

The troubleshooters may take some time to find a fix for the error 0xc004f074 issue, but if they do you should be able to use Windows normally again after your PC reboots.

If you are still getting the error code after trying all of these steps, you can try entering the command slmgr /rearm into Command Prompt as another possible solution- however, this will only work three times, so it’s best to save this fix until last resort. Then try reinstalling Windows with your installation disc. This should fix this activation error.

Tip: As always, make sure to back up important files before attempting any fixes on your computer.

Author:
I am a computer engineer holding a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, complemented by a Master's in Business Administration from University of Strathclyde, Scotland. I currently work as a Senior IT Consultant in Melbourne, Australia. With over 15 years of...