All of a sudden, just out of the blue, after I had re-installed P3Dv4.5 this afternoon, I now all of a sudden get a faint in grey overdubbed message in lower right hand side of monitor that my current Windows 10 x64 Pro which was upgraded 4 years ago for free with a legit Windows 7 x64 Pro key, needs activation. Eh? Where did that Easter Bunny Rabbit from Microsoft spring from? It has been activated for years that I managed to Update to the Fall Creators Update successfully. If it was not activated as MS claim, how the hell did it Update then?

When I try to run Troubleshoot, it comes up with Error Code 0xC00F012.

Help please, anyone?

 

Strange problem after all that time. I suppose the first thing is, do you still have the original key code to re activate, and what happens if you do?  If it works it may be easier than spending hours trying to find the cause.

Just a wild guess here, and it would only apply if your Win 10 pro is an oem version, which ties it to a single (the original) pc.  If you have installed some new components, at intervals, over that 4 year period, they may have been accepted individually, without affecting activation, but in combination with a big software change, which shows in the registry, it could have been seen by the activation system as a different pc. Hence the activation required flag. This might require a phone call to MS to explain and reactivate.

Edited April 14, 20206 yr by Biggles2010

Not sure this is 'urgent', unless with inactivated windows installs these days, it self destructs?

Call MS support.

 

14 minutes ago, Biggles2010 said:

Strange problem after all that time. I suppose the first thing is, do you still have the original key code to re activate, and what happens if you do?  If it works it may be easier than spending hours trying to find the cause.

Just a wild guess here, and it would only apply if your Win 10 pro is an oem version, which ties it to a single (the original) pc.  If you have installed some new components, at intervals, over that 4 year period, they may have been accepted individually, without affecting activation, but in combination with a big software change, which shows in the registry, it could have been seen by the activation system as a different pc. Hence the activation required flag. This might require a phone call to MS to explain and reactivate.

Thanks for that Biggles2010, an ex-RAF helping another out. Yes, I have the original Windows 7 x64 Pro disk and the original Licence Key. Windows 10 x64 Pro not an OEM as it was a Free Upgrade back in 2016 from Windows 7 to Windows 10. What I have, as posted elsewhere, been having issues with the Network Adapter which shows up as a Realtek but which has old drivers dating back from 2013 , and when I try to Update that driver with the latest version from Asus for a Asus Z87A motherbaord, it just stops an Internet connection right away, and maybe it was the 4-5 restores that I have had to do to get the Internet back, has something with Windows 10 going haywire. Don't quite know.

I tried talking to their(MS) 'Virtual Agent' but all she did was give me a toll free number and a Community Link, which to me at this moment in time is about as useless as a chocolate fireguard!!

4 minutes ago, flightskyc said:

Not sure this is 'urgent', unless with inactivated windows installs these days, it self destructs?

Call MS support.

 

May not be 'urgent' to you, but is to me as I want to have Windows 10 OS running so that I can buy the latest P3Dv5. That's what concerned me most that all of a sudden 4 years of data just goes , puff

 

6 minutes ago, vc10man said:

I tried talking to their(MS) 'Virtual Agent' but all she did was give me a toll free number and a Community Link, which to me at this moment in time is about as useless as a chocolate fireguard!!

I'm probably out of date, but I thought MS had a UK helpdesk in Ireland. I think I've seen posts on here saying they were helpful. Did you try the number 0344 800 2400.  I haven't called MS in recent years so can't say for myself. 

Are you able to get online with that pc (not sure if you are on a different one here).  Does it allow you to try re activating online?

Clutching at straws now, and you've probably already checked, but does the updated Realtek driver need a BIOS update first. Latest BIOS looks to be version 2103

Otherwise running out of ideas.

What was your connection with VC10s?  I assume you were at Lyneham or Brize Norton at some time.

 

 

 

46 minutes ago, Biggles2010 said:

 

I'm probably out of date, but I thought MS had a UK helpdesk in Ireland. I think I've seen posts on here saying they were helpful. Did you try the number 0344 800 2400.  I haven't called MS in recent years so can't say for myself. 

Are you able to get online with that pc (not sure if you are on a different one here).  Does it allow you to try re activating online?

Clutching at straws now, and you've probably already checked, but does the updated Realtek driver need a BIOS update first. Latest BIOS looks to be version 2103

Otherwise running out of ideas.

What was your connection with VC10s?  I assume you were at Lyneham or Brize Norton at some time.

 

 

 

Once more, thanks to you, Biggles2010. That was what we mere airmen used to tease our 'flyboys; with, the monicker🤣. And yes, I was at RAF Brize Norton, and Lyneham, and Fairford as part of the embryonic Concorde on its worldwide 'sales tour'. Went as far as RAF Muharraq with the support team. And then was on it servicing at BA after demob.

0344 number from my mobile will cost me dear, so will give that a miss. Yes, no problem getting online as I am replying to you in our wonderful Avsim Forum.

I think I did a BIOS Update a while ago as these days BIOS Updates no longer need the good old days of Floppy Disks to flash the BIOS. The Realtek driver goes through all the rigmarole then crashes out with some nonsensical message of plugging in some cable. What cable as the CAT5 cable is already in from the Virgin Media Superhub2 Router? Then along comes Windows to state 'it has encountered a problem installing the driver'. Another Microsoft cop-out, as usual!

Just doing a Windows Update now.

Why did you try upgrading a perfectly good NIC driver? It's not like a new driver is going to magically double your bandwidth. I'd see if I can get the old driver installed, that may solve this issue as well. I doubt they're completely unrealted.

Cheers!

26 minutes ago, Luke said:

Why did you try upgrading a perfectly good NIC driver? It's not like a new driver is going to magically double your bandwidth. I'd see if I can get the old driver installed, that may solve this issue as well. I doubt they're completely unrealted.

Cheers!

A good point, Luke ,but the one existing was showing 2013 and I was given to understand, drivers must be or are recommended to be kept up to date.. I am stuck. I cannot update the current Realtek driver or unroll it. As soon as I try anything with it, bang, Network icon in taskbar goes, and I have to do a System Restore.

And oddly enough, if Microsoft flags that my current Windows 10 OS is not activated, how the hell did it allow to Update to Build 1909? Does not make sense!

13 minutes ago, vc10man said:

the one existing was showing 2013 and I was given to understand, drivers must be or are recommended to be kept up to date..

Drivers don't magically stop working when a new version comes out - and in a lot of cases the updates are to provide compatibility with hardware you don't have or fix bugs you never encounter. Can you do a system restore to before when you updated the driver, or can you get a driver from your motherboard manufacturer? Failing that I'd delete the driver in Driver Manager and restart Windows. It should reinstall.

Cheers!

57 minutes ago, Luke said:

Can you do a system restore to before when you updated the driver

Very much doubt it as that Realtek driver was already there when I had Windows 7 x64 Pro running. All I did was go down the free Upgrade path as millions did, so never touched that driver.

57 minutes ago, Luke said:

can you get a driver from your motherboard manufacturer?

Got the latest one from Asus 2016, but Windows steadfastly refuses to budge. It will only go to a 2015 version but with a tiny triangle in the letter R-ealtek PCIe GBE Family Controller, and then immediately cuts off the Network, requiring a System Restore as the only way to get that 2013 driver back and the Network back.

Edited April 14, 20206 yr by vc10man

57 minutes ago, Luke said:

Failing that I'd delete the driver in Driver Manager and restart Windows. It should reinstall.

Been there, done that!

2 hours ago, vc10man said:

Been there, done that!

hi  this  might help 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldqFdcGL1X0

 

9 hours ago, pete_auau said:

hi  this  might help 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldqFdcGL1X0

 

Thanks. That's a Windows 10 Re-install. I am having a Licence Key issue. May opt for a total wipe and Clean Install.

Did you tie your Windows 10 upgrade from Windows 7 to a Microsoft account? If so, are you logged into that Microsoft account? You should be abletoreactivateWin10 that way.

 

3 hours ago, Pro Avia said:

Did you tie your Windows 10 upgrade from Windows 7 to a Microsoft account? If so, are you logged into that Microsoft account? You should be abletoreactivateWin10 that way.

 

No, I did not as I give enough access to Microsoft to flog me their 'word-not-allowed'..MS does not respect privacy!

Thanks all the same for your suggestion..

In closing this post, to all who tried to help with various tips/suggestions, etc, I managed to get it all sorted by myself, AND in doing so, successfully managed to install the very  latest Realtek driver which started this whole shebang mess from Microsoft.

MODS: Please feel free to close this and the other thread re:Realtek