XPS 8930, can't activate Windows 11 after replacing hard drive

1. used Dell XPS 8930 that had a regular SATA SSD that I'm pretty sure had Windows 10 Home on it, but I can't be certain.  I immediately installed a NVME drive, installed Windows 11, activated it, and all has been fine. 

2. Recently I decided to repurpose that NVME in a different computer so I cloned that install to a different SATA SSD I had on hand. 

3. That went fine as well, the system boots properly and it is still activated.

4. HOWEVER, I wanted to start fresh on a totally different SATA SSD so I used Rufus to make an installation media USB and took advantage of the options to remove certain aspects of W11 and creating a local account.  That installation seemed to go well, but I soon found it would not activate and MS wan't much help.  I even tried logging in through my MS account but it make no difference.  I assumed that maybe it was because of the way I went about installing it with Rufus.

5. Next attempt, I used the official MS Media Creation tool to make a new USB and installed it once again, this time only skipping the online account in favor of an offline account.  Same thing.

6. I'm pretty sure the activated W11 SSD I have is still fine but I really want a clean install as there are settings that I want to change in the BIOS that require it.

7. Shouldn't it just read it from the BIOS?

8. Is there a BIOS setting I could be missing?  

1. Since it was used, maybe Dell-OEM Windows Key was not embedded after all ... who knows.

Type this in elevated Command Prompt:

C:\windows\system32>wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

And it should return something like:

OA3xOriginalProductKey
XXXXX-12345-XXXXX-P9YFF-YYYYY

On this particular Dell OptiPlex machine, this is the same key revealed by the other utils.

2. Probably should have clean-installed Windows instead,

3. but you say it Activated as Legit so you squeaked by.

4. This is exhausting ... pushing your luck. Do you ever just "use your computers" or is this like "tech training" time?

5. Yes, this is the proper way. Sometimes, it won't let you skip key entry, so you have to know-it and enter it at the beginning. I also wonder if the embedded key is not the same as version (Home or Pro) that you are trying to install. 

6.  The Windows-10 or Windows-11 should not matter. Always do 64-bit. Windows-10 should still be allowed and work for either. Microsoft never revoked that ability, AFAIK.

7. Yes. See #1 above.

8. No.

8930 was originally shipped with Windows 10 but op need to find out whether the factory install was home or pro. Op bought it used and was not sure what was on it.

Dell factory Win10 edition can be found out by using service tag to look up original spec which includes Windows 10 edition info.

usually using clean Windows 10 install media it would automatically detect the oem key in bios and select the same edition as factory.  Did op experience this?  Did the usb just proceed to install without prompting a list of edition? Did usb have option check box that says: I don’t have the product key?

op can upload the error message when clean install Windows 10 try to activate on line.

@redxps630​ 

Hi, from what I've been able to find, the 8930 had the option for either Home or Pro and searching Dell with the service tag didn't clarify which it should be, only that it was W10.  I CAN tell you that the version of W11 I was able to activate when I bought it is Home, which is what I've been trying to install, both W10 and W11.  

@Tesla1856​ Thanks for the reply

1.  tried that, just blank and returns to the prompt.

2.  That's not much help because doing a clean install is exactly the problem I'm having.  I just cloned the old system as a safety if I needed it temporarily.  Turns out that might have been a good idea.

3.  Isn't it SUPPOSED to activate?  How is that "squeaking by"?  Regardless, it did activate at the time and is still activated if I put the cloned drive back in.

4.  I'm sorry if it's too exhausting for you.  You don't HAVE to read and answer.  Yes, I use my computers, weird question, and no, this was not meant to be a tech training, I expected it to work like it normally should, but it didn't and I'm out of ideas.  I'm not sure why it's pushing my luck when even the official way gave me the exact same results.

5.  Like I said, I don't have a key, and I don't when the last time they included a printed key like a sticker or whatever with a system.  Regardless, I didn't get one.  The version that I was able to activate on it was Home.  I have no way of knowing what it shipped with, the Dell specs do not say.

6.  That's what I would assume as well, but for whatever reason it's not working now.  

7.  Thanks

8.  Thanks

If op 8930 was giving option to choose home vs pro using usb install, it was not able to detect the oem key in bios.  

if service tag lookup original spec has no apparent info on Win 10 edition, look up

Quick links

For example this 8930 has Win 10 pro

619-AHCR : Windows 10 Pro English

https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/servicetag/0-d21zK09nckg0V3JYcnh0U2xSV290UT090/overview

if no mentioned, it could be this 8930 was shipped with no Windows as a special customer order.  Then the original spec would specifically say No OS included.  look again.

In that case op has no oem key and would need to acquire a retail key or use kms key to activate either 10 or 11.

@redxps630​ 

Like I said, it's running Home right now, I didn't even try Pro. 

As far as not having Windows, that seems unlikely.  The specs for the service tag DO mention Windows 10.   It's literally running an activated W11 right now with the old hard drive.  

Here's a weird thing though.  Logging into my MS account and the PC shows up, serial number and all, BUT it says it's running Windows 10 Home.  Now, it's possible that it's picked that up from when I breifly installed 10 this morning, but I have no idea.  I've never actually logged in to my account and checked before.

@redxps630​ 

Ok, thanks for that, now that I've look at that one and mine again, I was able to determine that it DID come with W10 Home.  Not sure how I missed that before, but regardless, Home is what I've been trying all this time.

It doesn't explain why 10 wouldn't activate though.

@SRGilbert1​ ,

@redxps630​ 

Here's a weird thing though.  Logging into my MS account and the PC shows up, serial number and all, BUT it says it's running Windows 10 Home.  Now, it's possible that it's picked that up from when I breifly installed 10 this morning, but I have no idea.  I've never actually logged in to my account and checked before.

Microsoft knows the key when you are using a Local (Admin class) Login Account? If so, seems like it might need to be revoked so you can try again.

As far as it showing Windows-10 or 11 ... does it ever actually stop being a "Windows-10 Key"? Personally, I did not think it did.

the command to reveal oem Win 10 home key was mentioned by tesla

Of course, you need to do as I said above and reveal your embedded Windows-10 Key. Once you know it ...

If you are really just using this Dell-OEM Key on it's intended XPS-8930 (and you broke it switching so many times) you can just call Microsoft and they will likely "fix it" for you (as a courtesy). 

If after this manual step you run into MS activation error, my presumption is op’s 8930 oem key was repurposed via the NVMe ssd in another pc and that has messed up MS activation server.

Op pls report the exact error msg from MS activation service.

you may still recovery the 8930 activation by 

• Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
• Type slui.exe 4 and press Enter.
• Select your country/region and follow the prompts to call the toll-free Microsoft Licensing Activation Center.  It will send a text link to your smart phone in which you can use MS account to enter installation ID and receive confirmation ID
• tip: when asked how many pc you plan to activate, choose 1
• You will be asked to provide the Installation ID generated on your screen, and the automated system will provide a Confirmation ID to activate your PC

@Tesla1856​ That was actually one of the first things I tried and it shows nothing at all.  

It's definitely the only computer that it should have ever been registered on.  Like I said, I installed it maybe three years ago and activated it like any other prebuilt PC I've had from Dell or Lenovo, etc.  

I don't know if there's something I needed to do prior to doing a fresh install that is new.   Other than the hard drive, it's literally the same PC.  

I'll look into calling MS on Monday.  Thanks

@SRGilbert1​ ,

5.  Like I said, I don't have a key, and I don't when the last time they included a printed key like a sticker or whatever with a system.  Regardless, I didn't get one.  

If you don't have a key embedded  ... no-one can help you read-it for use.

Refurbished Parts motherboard DO NOT have embedded keys. You can add/use one (and it will Activate as Legit), but it won't be embedded and can be formatted away accidentally.

Once again, to HAVE and KNOW your key:

Type this in an elevated Command Prompt:

C:\windows\system32>wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

And it should return something like:

OA3xOriginalProductKey
XXXXX-12345-XXXXX-P9YFF-YYYYY

That is your key. 

@redxps630​

@redxps630​ 

Well, the NVME in question was pulled and repurposed in a Linux (SteamOS) as it requires an NVME to even install, so I don't think that was it.  The Windows 11 installation FROM that NVME was moved to an SSD drive, and that actually works fine, activated and everything.  

I tried the slui.exe 4 thing earlier as well and it just takes me to the same activation screen in settings so I can't get to the prompts you mentioned.  Is there another way to do that?

The message I'm getting is "windows reported that no product key was found on your device 0xc004f213" which might explain why the other normal procedures aren't working either.  

Re: windows reported that no product key was found by Windows on your device

this report is conclusive that this pc has no oem key detected by Windows.

OEM product keys for modern Windows 10 devices are typically hardcoded into the ACPI table of the motherboard's BIOS chip, not in the standard CMOS memory. If CMOS is corrupted, the hardware might fail to post or read system information, but the OEM key often remains intact within the non-volatile BIOS firmware

if OP has tried the admin command to retrieve the key but no key turns up, it is time to replace cmos battery with a new battery and clear cmos settings via motherboard jumper.  this is assuming a cmos corruption has prevented motherboard bios from releasing the key to Windows or admin command.