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Windows not activating

Wilson Liew 0 Reputation points
2025-09-04T11:52:47.15+00:00

Hi All,

My company bought 10 Dell Inspiron devices that allow admin to manage on Intune. 

  1. the devices initially had Windows 11 home installed.
  2. admin reimaged using iso installer: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
  3. When installing admin chose Windows 11 pro
  4. All users who logged into those devices are provided a Windows 11 Enterprise licence. 
    • Microsoft 365 E3/E5
    • Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3/E5
  5. But few device failed to active the windows
  6. admin tried run slmgr /ato to active the windows but failed.
  7. for the device which windows failed to active, when run slmgr / dlv, kindly refer screenshot below.

Screenshot 2025-09-04 at 19.48.11

Please advise how to fix this issue.

Thanks and regards

Wilson

Windows for business | Windows 365 Enterprise
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  1. Harry Phan 11,015 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-09-04T13:05:01.13+00:00

    Dear Wilson Liew,

    Based on your description and the use of slmgr /ato, it appears that the affected devices may be attempting KMS-based activation, which is not applicable in this scenario. Microsoft 365 E3/E5 licenses activate Windows Enterprise via cloud-based Subscription Activation, not through KMS or product keys.

    Here are Recommended Steps to Resolve

    1. Ensure Azure AD Join Status On each affected device, run the following command in an elevated Command Prompt: dsregcmd /status Confirm that the device shows AzureAdJoined: YES and DeviceAuthStatus: SUCCESS.
    2. Remove Any KMS Keys If a generic KMS key was applied during installation, remove it to allow subscription activation to take over: slmgr.vbs /upk slmgr.vbs /cpky slmgr.vbs /ckms Restart the device after running these commands. Verify License Assignment Ensure that the user signing into the device has an active Microsoft 365 E3/E5 license that includes Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3/E5. You can confirm this in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
    3. Allow Time for Subscription Activation After reboot and sign-in, Windows should automatically detect the license and activate the Enterprise edition. You can verify activation status by running: slmgr /xpr

    If activation still fails, please share the output of slmgr /dlv and dsregcmd /status for one of the affected devices. This will help us identify any environmental or configuration issues.

    If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

    Best regards,

    Harry Phan

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