How to Fix Windows 7 Activation Error 0xC004F061

This error occurs when you install Windows 7 from a clean drive with an upgrade license. You can install Windows XP and then install Windows 7 from within XP or you can do the following:

Activate

  • Open a command prompt window as an Administrator
  • Enter the following commands
slmgr -ipk <Product key>
slmgr 
slmgr -ato

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9 Comments (Newest on top)

  1. D Winn says:
    14/04/2010 at 4:01 pm

    Tried this, a Windows Script Host window pops up saying “On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition, run slui.exe. Tried the -ato command too, says the activation key is blocked.

    Reply
    • Ben says:
      14/04/2010 at 6:21 pm

      Make sure you are opening the cmd prompt as an administrator.
      Also some antivirus can block the attempt to change the key as protection

      Reply
  2. Don Irwin says:
    13/05/2010 at 5:34 pm

    cmds exec ok

    saw failure ms

    then saw success msg (yes a standard MS contradiction !)

    rebooted but still prompted for the act ket – so did not work for me

    Reply
  3. Julie says:
    14/08/2010 at 12:17 pm

    I tried this and the first step worked with the product key but when I tried the second step to activate it told me that the activation key would not work.

    Reply
  4. blake says:
    17/10/2010 at 2:28 am

    The method above doesn’t work anymore so let me help you out.

    Just use Daz boot loader (google search) and install one of its random keys. This will activate windows and require a restart. Run Daz bootloader again and uninstall the key and restart. When your computer is restarted go to control panel -> System and change the product key to your own.

    Problem solved, no need to install windows twice or not format your HDD.

    Reply
  5. Andreas says:
    04/01/2011 at 11:49 pm

    I am afraid that Blake’s work-around also stopped to work. I followed the procedure as described, but got nevertheless the annoying message that I only was entitled to upgrade, not to make a clean install. Upgrading was exactly what I did due to the fact that my laptop with XP on it crashed and since it was an OEM install I did not have the possibility to do a reinstall. The laptop is 6 years old, but still scores 4.4 on W7 performance. I have the product keys from my XP-installation left, but that doesn’t help a single sh*t according to MS support. So now I need to get the original installations discs for a 6 years old laptop. That is not gonna happen, so I guess it is the end of the story. Anybody that has a better suggestion?

    Reply
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