Fixing Windows 10 activation error 0x8007007B

I have Windows 10 Enterprise Tech Preview on a "slow release" schedule. However, after each upgrade, I am forced to go through the same activation error: 0x8007007B. Here's how it went last time I fixed it.

This is actually the second self-upgrade of Windows 10, taking me from 9860 to build 9879. Unfortunately, when trying to activate, Windows refused to comply, returning error code 0x8007007B. I only managed to activate by entering a new key: PBHCJ-Q2NYD-2PX34-T2TD6-233PK

To do so, I pressed Windows Key + R, then typed “slui 3” followed by Enter.

Alternatively, in an Admin Command Prompt, I could’ve entered “slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx” followed by “slmgr.vbs /ato”, but I went instead with the GUI route.

These upgrades leave behind a “Windows.old” directory that takes anywhere between 2-3GB of wasted space. I found that the easiest to remove it is using “Clean Manager” – in the Run dialogue box above, I type cleanmgr followed by enter, then click on “Clean up system files” and choose “Previous Windows installation(s)” followed by enter (or click on OK). Alternatively, type RD /S /Q "D:\Windows.old" in an elevated command prompt, after having identified the correct disk letter with DiskPart.

In terms of performance, the first install worked best. The next one would deal poorly with multiple tabs in Chrome and had a silly “notification bundling” in one single icon which can be muted for a maximum of 8h. The latest version seems to have a different icon for power / battery and not much else.

Except the following features, listed in the 9879 Changelog:

• New built-in options in Taskbar context menu to show/hide Search and Task View buttons
• 3 dots menu replaced by Hamburger-style (3 lines) menu in metro apps titlebar
• Ability to pin favorite folders to Home in File Explorer
• Improvements in Internet Explorer
• New Storage Sense option added in PC Settings
• Hidden Continuum feature which is very buggy at the moment
• Popup messages in metro apps are windowed now
• Important changes in OneDrive such as use of selective sync
• New updated animations
• Few new icons
• New horizontal battery indicator icon in Taskbar
• New 3-finger gestures for precision touchpads
• Native support for MKV and H.265 HEVC
• Many bug fixes reported by testers

I can’t wait to install Android in the space I have left on my computer.

Sources / More info: changelog

ConsumedConsumer, activation, windows, microsoft, key, error (Tags)