Wrong Microsoft account may prompt this error code
by Loredana Harsana
Loredana is a passionate writer with a keen interest in PC software and technology. She started off writing about mobile phones back when Samsung Galaxy S II was… read more
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- The 0x803fabba error code occurs when the motherboard is replaced, or there are significant hardware changes.
- To get rid of this activation error, you need to link your Microsoft account to your digital license.
- If nothing works, the last resort will be to contact Microsoft Support for assistance.
Recently, some of our readers have raised an outcry, as well as users in the Microsoft Community, regarding the Windows Activation Error 0x803fabba – Digital license not activating after a hardware change. This article will guide you through some troubleshooting steps to fix the issue.
What causes the 0x803fabba Windows Activation error?
There can be several reasons behind the 0x803fabba Windows Activation Error. The following are some of the potential factors that may trigger the error message:
- Significant hardware changes – Because you have made important changes to your hardware, Windows treats your PC as a new one, therefore, it doesn’t accept the same activation key.
- Windows digital license not found – Windows might not be able to locate a compatible license when next you power on your PC.
- Fake or incorrect Product Key – Another possible reason for this error is that the product key you entered is not valid or incorrect. You can follow the instructions provided on how to locate your valid Windows 10/11 product key in this guide.
- Wrong Microsoft Account – After a hardware change, Microsoft offers a special route for transferring a Windows license, and you must be signed into the same Microsoft account.
- Incompatible version of Windows – This error could appear if you select a different Windows 11 edition than the one you have the right to use.
Now that you know some of the potential reasons for the 0x803fabba Windows activation error code, you can explore the solutions provided in the next section to fix the issue.
How do I fix the 0x803fabba Windows Activation error?
Before following any of the troubleshooting steps, apply these quick tips:
- Buy a valid activation code.
- Check your Internet connection and try again.
- Confirm your Windows edition.
Having confirmed the above checks and you still require further assistance, check below.
1. Run the Windows Activation troubleshooter
- Press the Windows + I keys to open Settings.
- Then, click on System on the left pane, and then Activation on the right pane.
- If your edition of Windows is not activated, you will see Troubleshoot on the right side.
- Click on it and follow the on-screen prompts to fix the activation problems.
Whenever you have an activation error, you should, first of all, run the Windows activation troubleshooting wizard and see if that fixes the issue.
2. Link your Microsoft account to your digital license
- Click on the Start button, then select Settings.
- Select Accounts from the left pane and click on Your info on the right.
- Under your name, you’ll see Administrator.
- Confirm that the administrator account is also your Microsoft account by checking to see if an email address is displayed above Administrator.
- If an email address is displayed, it is a Microsoft account. If not, you’re logged in using a local account. (Check here to create a new Microsoft account).
- Now go back to the Activation page in Settings.
- Select Add an account, enter your Microsoft account and password, then click on Sign in.
And that’s it! Once your Microsoft account has been added, the message on the Activation page will now read: Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account.
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3. Reactivate the Windows 11 license
- Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.
- Click Yes in the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that appears.
- Now, click on the downward-facing arrow and select Command Prompt to open it in a new tab. Alternatively, you can hit the Ctrl + Shift + 2 key combination.
- Next, type or paste the following command and hit Enter:
slmgr.vbs –rearm - Alternatively, if the procedure fails, you can use the following command and replace the X with the actual license key:
slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
This command will force the reinstallation of the Windows 11 license, and if it’s the right one, you will receive the confirmation.
If, after attempting the steps above, nothing works to fix the error, the next best call is to contact Microsoft Support to assist you with re-activating your Windows PC.
You can pool further resources from our article on the most common Windows errors & how to fix them. And in case you can’t activate your copy of Windows 11, you can explore our dedicated guide on how to fix the issue.
If you have any questions or suggestions on Windows activation errors, do not hesitate to use the comments section below.
Недавно некоторые из наших читателей, а также пользователи сообщества Microsoft вызвали возмущение по поводу ошибки активации Windows 0x803fabba — цифровая лицензия не активируется после смены оборудования.
Несмотря на разочарование, вызванное бесплодной попыткой переустановить Windows после смены оборудования, пользователи запросили любую поддержку, которую они могут получить, чтобы решить эту проблему. Поэтому эта статья проведет вас через некоторые шаги по устранению неполадок, чтобы решить проблему.
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Что вызывает ошибку активации Windows 0x803fabb?
Может быть несколько причин ошибки активации Windows 0x803fabb. Ниже приведены некоторые из потенциальных факторов, которые могут вызвать появление сообщения об ошибке:
- Цифровая лицензия Windows не найдена. Среди других факторов это основная причина ошибки активации Windows 0x803fabba. Если вы замените материнскую плату или внесете другие существенные изменения в оборудование, Windows не сможет найти совместимую лицензию при следующем включении компьютера.
- Поддельные или неверные ключи продукта. Другая возможная причина этой ошибки заключается в том, что введенный вами ключ продукта недействителен или неверен.
- Неправильная учетная запись Microsoft. После замены оборудования Microsoft предлагает специальный способ передачи лицензии Windows. Чтобы выполнить модификацию оборудования и использовать путь исключения, вы должны войти в ту же учетную запись Microsoft.
- Несовместимая версия Windows. Вам предоставляется возможность установить любую из версий Windows 11 при переустановке с использованием цифровой лицензии. Эта ошибка может появиться, если вы выберете версию, отличную от той, которую вы имеете право использовать.
Теперь, когда вы знаете некоторые из возможных причин кода ошибки активации Windows 0x803fabba, вы можете изучить решения, представленные в следующем разделе, для устранения проблемы.
Как исправить ошибку активации Windows 0x803fabb?
Прежде чем предпринимать какие-либо действия по устранению неполадок, выполните следующие действия:
- Купите действующий код активации.
- Проверьте подключение к Интернету и повторите попытку.
- Подтвердите свою версию Windows.
Подтвердив вышеуказанные проверки, но вам по-прежнему требуется дополнительная помощь, проверьте ниже.
1. Запустите средство устранения неполадок активации Windows.
- Нажмите клавиши Windows + I, чтобы открыть Настройки.
- Затем нажмите «Система» на левой панели, а затем «Активация» на правой панели.
- Если ваша версия Windows не активирована, справа вы увидите Устранение неполадок.
- Нажмите на нее и следуйте инструкциям на экране, чтобы исправить проблемы с активацией.
Всякий раз, когда у вас возникает ошибка активации, вы должны, прежде всего, запустить мастер устранения неполадок активации Windows и посмотреть, решит ли это проблему.
2. Свяжите свою учетную запись Microsoft с цифровой лицензией.
- Нажмите кнопку «Пуск», затем выберите «Настройки».
- Выберите «Учетные записи» на левой панели и нажмите «Ваша информация» справа.
- Под своим именем вы увидите «Администратор».
- Подтвердите, что учетная запись администратора также является вашей учетной записью Microsoft, проверив, отображается ли адрес электронной почты над администратором.
- Если отображается адрес электронной почты, это учетная запись Microsoft. Если нет, вы вошли в систему, используя локальную учетную запись. (Отметьте здесь, чтобы создать новую учетную запись Microsoft).
- Теперь вернитесь на страницу активации в настройках.
- Выберите «Добавить учетную запись», введите свою учетную запись Microsoft и пароль, затем нажмите «Войти».
Вот и все! После добавления вашей учетной записи Microsoft сообщение на странице активации будет выглядеть следующим образом: Windows активирована с цифровой лицензией, связанной с вашей учетной записью Microsoft.
3. Обратитесь в службу поддержки Майкрософт.
Если после выполнения описанных выше шагов ничего не помогает исправить ошибку, лучше всего обратиться в службу поддержки Microsoft, чтобы помочь вам повторно активировать компьютер с Windows.
Если у вас есть какие-либо вопросы или предложения по ошибкам активации Windows, не стесняйтесь использовать раздел комментариев ниже.
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Errors re-activating Windows after motherboard change
Help
Hello,
I recently changed motherboards in my computer. After setting up all of the new hardware and firmware, I am unable to re-activate Windows. After going through the activation troubleshooter and selecting that I have changed hardware, it recognizes my computer, and I select it and tell it to re-activate. However, it fails to activate, and I get the error code 0x803FABBA.
I have chatted with two Microsoft technicians through their support site. The first one told me my activation code was «blocked» and advised me to buy a new key. He did not tell me why it was blocked, and ended our chat before I could ask more questions.
The second technician restarted my computer while in control of it while trying to solve the problem (same as the first technician), and never returned to take control. I received an email identical to the one I received when I completed my chat with the first technician. My suspicion is he closed the ticket after restarting my computer.
I gave up on online chatting and called the support phone line. The representative told me that my Windows key had reached it’s activation limit and I would have to contact the manufacturer to increase the activation limit, or buy a new key.
I still am at a loss why this is happening. Do re-activations count as complete activations as though i was activating on a different machine? If that is the case, every «activation» has been used up when I would have to reactive this computer after a few hard drive wipes. This is a gaming computer that I purchased second hand from a person, not a retailer. I am not able to contact this person again, and I do not know how to locate the manufacturer.
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Windows Activation error code 0x803FABB8 is one of the numerous activation errors you may encounter after you change hardware (like processor, motherboard, or disk drive). In this post, we will offer the most suitable solutions to this issue.
Error Code 0x803FABB8, Donor hardware ID does not own operating system entitlement.
Regardless of the Windows edition you’re running, when you encounter this issue, you’ll receive the following full error message;
Activation
WindowsWe can’t activate Windows on this device at the moment. You can try activating again later, or go to the Store to buy genuine Windows. Error code: 0x803FABB8
If you’re having problems with activation, select Troubleshoot to try to fix the problem.Activate Windows now
Running a non-genuine copy of Windows can put you at greater risk from viruses and other security threats.
Go to the Store to buy genuine Windows or enter a product key.
This error code indicates that your Windows 10 or Windows 11 device is unable to recognize the product key. When Windows fails to recognize the digital license after the replacement, this activation error appears.
If you’re faced with this Windows Activation error 0x803FABB8 issue, you can try our recommended solutions below in no particular order and see if that helps to resolve the issue.
- Run Activation Troubleshooter
- Enter the correct and genuine product key
- General steps to activate Windows after hardware change
- Contact Microsoft Support
Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.
1] Run Activation Troubleshooter
Your first port of call in troubleshooting this is to run the Windows Activation Troubleshooter and see if the wizard resolves the issue. If not, try the next solution.
Activation troubleshooter requires you to have a digital license linked to Microsoft Account. Also, bear in mind that activation depends on what type of Windows 8.1/10/11 license for your device. If Windows 8.1/10/11 came pre-installed with the computer, then the device has an OEM license. For an OEM license, the license dies as soon as the MOBO dies. So essentially it is non-transferable. If that is the case you need to get a new license. However, if you purchased the license through Microsoft store, then that’s a Retail license, and it does carry transfer rights.
2] Enter the correct and genuine product key
In some cases, this issue occurs because the PC user have entered the incorrect product key and Windows fails to identify it. In this case, make sure you’re entering the correct and genuine product key. You can check the email that came with the digital download when you purchased from Microsoft Store or any authorized reseller like Amazon.
3] General steps to activate Windows after hardware change
This guide outlines general steps PC users can take to activate Windows after a hardware change.
4] Contact Microsoft Support
If nothing has worked so far for you, you can contact Microsoft Support for assistance on re-activating your Windows PC.
Hope this helps!
How do I activate Windows 10 without a Microsoft account?
Windows 10/11 can be installed without using a Microsoft account by replacing your administrator account with a local account. You can achieve this by using the ‘Sign in with a local account instead’ option on your device.
How many times can I reactivate Windows 10?
If you purchased Windows 10 or upgraded from a retail license, there is no limit to the number of activations. Bear in mind that you can perform repeated system resets to restore your device back to its original state or factory settings default.
Related post: Fix Windows 10 Activation Error 0x80070422.
Obinna has completed B.Tech in Information & Communication Technology. He has worked as a System Support Engineer, primarily on User Endpoint Administration, as well as a Technical Analyst, primarily on Server/System Administration. He also has experience as a Network and Communications Officer. He has been a Windows Insider MVP (2020) and currently owns and runs a Computer Clinic.
Some Windows 11 users are suddenly noticing that after upgrading from an older Windows version their installation is no longer activated. Upon attempting to activate it, they get the 0x803FABB8 error code. This problem seems to be exclusive to users upgrading and won’t appear when you’re clean installing Windows 11.
After investigating this issue, it turns out that there are 3 different troubleshooting guides that are typically effective in resolving the 0x803FABB8 error when encountered after upgrading to Windows 11:
- Using the Activation troubleshooter – License key migration has always been a tricky thing inside the Windows ecosystem, so Microsoft developed a utility that’s capable of automatically troubleshooting the most common scenarios that will invalidate the license key during the upgrading process.
- Contacting Microsoft’s support – As it turns out, there will be scenarios where you won’t be able to resolve the issue on your own, even if your license key is completely valid and compatible with the Windows 11 version that you have installed. In this case, you will need to get in contact with the Microsoft LIVE agent (either in a chat or via calling) and ask them to activate the license remotely.
- Reinstall Windows 11 – Keep in mind that no license key is compatible with every Windows 11 version. If the license activation fails because the license you have attached to your Microsoft account is not compatible with your currently installed Windows 11 version, the only solution is to install a compatible version.
Run the Activation Troubleshooter
First things first, you should see whether your operating system is capable of resolving the license authentication issue automatically. As some affected users have reported you might be lucky enough to fix the issue automatically by using the Activation Troubleshooter and applying the recommended fix.
Keep in mind that Windows 11 ships with a bunch of automated troubleshooters including one that is equipped with dozens of automated repair strategies related to license activation.
If you haven’t done this already, follow the instructions below to run the Activation troubleshooter and see if you are able to fix the 0x803FABB8 error code:
- Press Windows key + I to open up the Settings menu of Windows 11.
- Next, click on System from the vertical menu on the left. If the system tab is not visible by default, click on the action icon (top-left corner) to make the vertical menu visible.
Accessing the System tab - Next, move over to the right-hand side menu, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on Activation from the list of available options.
Click on Activation the System settings - Next, after a brief moment of re-checking your license, Windows 11 will display the error again – when this happens, click on Troubleshoot.
Running the Activation troubleshooter - Wait until the utility scans your system to figure out if any of the automated strategies are applicable in your particular scenario. If a viable option is found, click on Apply this fix to enforce the recommended fix.
Applying the recommended fix Note: You might also be asked to perform a series of manual steps – in this case, follow the on-screen instructions.
- Reboot your PC once the fix is enforced, then reboot and check back to see if your Windows 11 installation is activated after the next startup is complete.
If you already did this and the 0x803FABB8 error is still appearing inside the Activation screen, move down to the next method below.
Reinstall Windows 11 (if applicable)
Keep in mind that you can expect the license activation operation to fail with the 0x803FABB8 if you installed a Windows 11 version that is not compatible with the license key associated with your account.
So for example, if you installed the PRO version of Windows 11 but the license key tied to your account is only for Home versions, you’ll get this error when the activation fails.
If you find yourself in this scenario, the only option at your disposal really is to install a Windows 11 version that is actually compatible with your license key.
In case you’re looking for guidance on how to do this, follow these instructions to clean install Windows 11.
In the event that you have installed a compatible Windows 11 version and the 0x803FABB8 error still occurs, move down to the final potential fix below.
Contact Microsoft
We’ve documented a few user reports where the only resolution in their case was to get in contact with a LIVE Microsoft agent and ask them to activate the license key remotely.
As it turns out, this problem is mostly occurring with the Development builds part of the Insiders Program.
If you find yourself fin this scenario, you have a few options to go about getting in contact with Microsoft:
- You can either call the toll-free phone number associated with the region where you’re living in.
- You can use the Get Help app to get support.
If you want to go for option 1, here’s a list of official Microsoft toll-free numbers that you can call to receive support.
Additionally, you can use the Get Help app from Microsoft and choose from multiple options.
While the Get Help app is less of a hustle since you won’t be required to remain on the call until a human is assigned to your ticket, it’s generally slower than simply calling the Microsoft Support number in your area.
Kamil Anwar
Kamil is a certified MCITP, CCNA (W), CCNA (S) and a former British Computer Society Member with over 9 years of experience Configuring, Deploying and Managing Switches, Firewalls and Domain Controllers also an old-school still active on FreeNode.