Unable to activate Windows after BIOS update

Question

Unable to activate Windows after BIOS update

Dan Marriott 20

After Flashing my BIOS Windows 11 asked for activation and was unable to do so. Reinstallation of the OS did not help and Windows will not activate, giving me the error code 0xC004F213.

The device no longer appears in my Microsoft account.

I see from searching the internet that this is happening to other people as well.

I have run the troublshooter, it did not help

I've pressed I recently changed hardware and it also didn't work or sometimes says windows servers aren't available at the moment.

I don't appear to have the option to phone to activate.

What else can I do to fix this?

Thanks, Dan

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

0 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

DaveM121 941.3K Independent Advisor

This problem is widely reported, it seems BIOS update changes the HWID and that caused the activation servers to think it is a different PC.

1

Where did you get your Windows licence was that pre-installed on the PC or did you purchase a full retail Windows licence from Microsoft or from a 3rd party retailer, and if so, do you have the product key?

Or is your Windows licence based on a previous Windows 7 or 8 licence?

2

Click your Start Button, type cmd then right click Command Prompt and choose 'Run as Administrator'

Run or paste this command and hit Enter:

slmgr.vbs /dlv

Please post a screenshot of the resulting dialog

Dan Marriott 20 Reputation points

2025-09-04T15:53:16.5433333+00:00

Thanks Dave, the license originally was a windows 8 Retail license that I upgraded

through to Windows 11

Thanks!
DaveM121 941.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-04T15:57:42.92+00:00

Thank you for that information, that is causing the problems, Microsoft changed the licencing rules over a year ago, they blocked previous Windows 7 and 8 product keys from activating Windows 10 and 11 on new hardware, and the BIOS update has caused their licencing server to think you have changed your hardware.

The only option, because this forum is just a user to user forum is to contact Microsoft Support directly and explain to them that a BIOS update caused Windows to deactivate, they are the only ones that can resolve this, their support is hard to contact, try this method, open the Get Help app in Windows, then repeatedly ask the bot in that app to 'Speak to an agent', you may eventually get a link to speak to their support via live chat support.
Dan Marriott 20 Reputation points

2025-09-04T16:00:20.1433333+00:00

Ok thanks Dave I'll give that a go.

Cheers!

Dan