Configure Windows activation key in ISO or not

G

George81

New Member
Hi,

My situation is the following.
- I received a box with windows on it (not activated)
- I created / logged in with a microsoft account
- Activated windows with a proper activation key (this somehow couples the license key to my MS account)
- I reinstalled windows with a NTLite image where, as per the suggestion of a youtuber I used a 'default' windows activation key when building my image
- I connect the default created user to the previously created windows account.
- To my surprise windows tells me ‘Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your microsoft account'
- but when I look in the registry I see the generic key being registred at
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\BackupProductKeyDefault
- I tried to change the product key to my 'proper' key I used before, but windows tells me 'the product key you entered didn't work (0xc004f050).

Could it be that all is ok and windows looking at the key 'attached to my account' and not at the registry value?
I have to ship this box to a customer, so I wouldnt want the activation to break after X days.

Also: do you think it is a good idea to supply a default activation key in the ISO? I'm no longer sure about that.

Here is where I got my default keys: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/th...ric-product-keys-to-install-windows-11.38964/
 
Generic keys are placeholders for installation, they don't activate any Windows. They're intended to skip over the nag screen in Unattended mode, if you're using the same ISO to install on multiple PC's.

A product activation key is unique, and after activation on W10/11 systems is normally converted to a digital license. MS activation servers will remember this PC's hardware ID (signature), so if you reinstall it on the same PC again, it won't ask you to re-enter the key.

When the default user is a MS Account, the activated license will track against the user's identity. This makes it easier to migrate the license to another PC in the future.

Do you really need to include the generic key in the image? Here's an open secret: you don't.

Running Window Setup in interactive mode will allow you to skip entering one (I don't know my product key). Running in Unattended mode, if you didn't add any product key, it will still finish without nagging you. In short, don't bother. If you're doing the right thing, and already digitally activated the PC (and it's against the client's proper MS Account, and not your's), then it's good to go.
 
Thank you for your elaborate answer!
The youtube video said entering the placeholder key in the iso was to make sure it was going to install that exact version of windows (windows 11 pro in my case).
 
If you have a multi-edition ISO, providing the generic key is a shortcut to bypass the image selection screen. The key's presence automatically pre-selects the install edition.

That's fine if you're providing the same ISO for all your clients, but manually editing the Unattended settings on their behalf.

The faster way is simply edit the autounattend.xml, and insert the right generic key under:
Code: 
                        <UserData>
                                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
                                <ProductKey>
                                        <Key>VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T</Key>
                                </ProductKey>
                        </UserData>
 
In some cases you must enter the productkey to get windows activated. On my Asus vivobook laptop was orginal deliverd with Windows 11 Home. I updated this to Pro same day i buy the laptop. My Pro licens on this laptop have newer get actvated befor i have put in my licens key. So yes, in some cases it can be a good ide to put your key into the iso unentended section. PS: I not use microsft account.
 
Last edited:
Grindstein said:
In some cases you must enter the productkey to get windows activated. On my Asus vivobook laptop was orginal deliverd with Windows 11 Home. I updated this to Pro same day i buy the laptop. My Pro licens on this laptop have newer get actvated befor i have put in my licens key. So yes, in some cases it can be a good ide to put your key into the iso unentended section.
Click to expand...
For PC's that include OEM licenses in BIOS, Setup will default to installing the same edition as the OEM key. On a multi-edition ISO that has both Home and Pro images, then you will need the Pro key added in Unattended to prevent Setup from picking Home.

Your digital license is not visible to Setup, which can only see OEM licenses or what's in the Unattended file. Yes, in specific case where you upgraded editions, then you will always need to provide the other activation key.

Other users who build their own PC's, that don't include BIOS keys, won't have to perform this extra step.
 
garlin said:
For PC's that include OEM licenses in BIOS, Setup will default to installing the same edition as the OEM key. On a multi-edition ISO that has both Home and Pro images, then you will need the Pro key added in Unattended to prevent Setup from picking Home.

Your digital license is not visible to Setup, which can only see OEM licenses or what's in the Unattended file. Yes, in specific case where you upgraded editions, then you will always need to provide the other activation key.

Other users who build their own PC's, that don't include BIOS keys, won't have to perform this extra step.
Click to expand...
I know about that when user build its own computer. I have build my desktops computers since 2000.
 
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