The New Activation Portal Is Partly Broken But It Is a MAJOR Inconvenience For Me & Others.
I Run Windows 7 Ultimate x64 And I need to Activate Windows, I am used to the new aka.ms/aoh replacing the phone line. But I Have Activated Windows XP & Vista Without Any Problems Multiple Times, I Tested It Too, Tried 7, Starter, Home, Pro, Ultimate, Even x32 & x64. Though, No matter what, everything BUT Windows 7 Works. This Is Clearly a Server Sided Issue And I've Had This problem for the past months maybe even about a year. (The Product Key I Am Using Is Not Public on The Internet So It's Not Blocked/Used Publicly By Everyone, it is the same product key that came with the CD) And I Can Say For Certain This is a Server Sided Issue. Please Help. And Thank You For Your Time.
Windows Update fails with “Something went wrong – Undoing changes” unless installed via ISO
Hi everyone, I'm facing a strange issue with Windows Update on my laptop and I wanted to know if anyone else experienced something similar. Problem: When I install updates through Windows Update, the update downloads normally and during restart it goes up to 100%, but then I get the message: Something went wrong. Undoing changes. After that, Windows rolls back the update. Observation: Interestingly, updates that start directly from the “You're there” stage sometimes install correctly. Policy change I made: Previously Windows would automatically download and install updates and frequently ask for restarts. Because of that behavior, I changed the policy to manual download and install so updates would not start installing automatically. Thermal precaution I tried: Since my laptop has a faulty CPU fan, I also limited the maximum CPU state to 99% in Power Options to prevent aggressive turbo boosting and reduce potential thermal throttling during the update process. Another important observation: If I install the same update using a Windows ISO (in-place upgrade / repair install), the update installs successfully and does not fail at 100%. Possible hardware issue: My laptop currently has: A broken battery A faulty CPU fan So I'm wondering if the update process might be failing due to power or thermal issues during the installation phase. System info: OS: Windows 11 Pro Insider Preview Channel: Release Preview Current build: 26200.7840 Update that fails: KB5077241 (Build 26200.7922) Questions: Can hardware issues like a damaged battery or faulty CPU fan cause Windows Update installation failures? Why would updates succeed when installing from an ISO but fail through Windows Update? Which logs should I check to identify the exact cause? (CBS.log, WindowsUpdate.log, etc.) Any suggestions, troubleshooting steps, or similar experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!
Windows 10 ESU – Registrierungsbutton erscheint nicht trotz 22H2 (Rollout-Basis)
Hallo zusammen, ich möchte mein Windows 10 Pro-System für die Extended Security Updates (ESU) registrieren. Alle Voraussetzungen sind erfüllt (Version 22H2, Build 19045.6396, aktuelle Updates installiert, Microsoft-Konto aktiv). Trotzdem erscheint in Windows Update keine Schaltfläche „Jetzt registrieren“. Der Microsoft-Support hat mir heute bestätigt, dass der ESU-Rollout phasenweise fortgesetzt wird, auch nach dem 14. Oktober, nur Geräte unter 22H2 vom Supportende betroffen sind, und dass mein System automatisch berücksichtigt wird. Da ich mein Gerät gern rechtzeitig registrieren möchte, um Sicherheitsupdates nahtlos zu erhalten, meine Frage an das Entwicklerteam: Gibt es einen bekannten Zeitrahmen für den weiteren Rollout der ESU-Registrierung an 22H2-Geräte, oder spezifische Regionen- bzw. Kontoabhängigkeiten? Vielen Dank und viele Grüße MatthiasCrowdStrike Secure Boot Lifecycle Management Content Pack
CrowdStrike has recently released the Secure Boot Lifecycle Management Content Pack. This new feature helps Falcon for IT module users manage Windows Secure Boot certificate updates ahead of these certificates’ expiration beginning in late June 2026. The dashboard provides an at‑a‑glance view of Secure Boot–enabled devices, showing which systems are already compliant with the updated 2023 Secure Boot certificate, which are in progress, and which are blocked or require opt‑in to a managed rollout. It also highlights certificate update failures that may require investigation. In addition, overall readiness is summarized through a compliance gauge, while a 30‑day trend shows how pass and fail counts change as remediation progresses. Filters by operating system, server edition, hostname, and update status help administrators quickly identify devices that need action to help ensure systems remain secure after the certificates expire. The feature also provides management options to opt devices into Microsoft's managed rollout for gradual, tested deployment, and to block updates on hardware with known compatibility issues to prevent boot failures. Note that this feature is available as part of CrowdStrike's Falcon for IT module. CrowdStrike Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) customers who are not licensed for this module can enable a free trial from the CrowdStrike Store. To learn more about this feature, please see the content pack tutorial video.
Proposal: Dedicated Windows “Repair Companion” Device for Automatic Deep System Recovery
I’d like to propose a new hardware‑assisted recovery solution for Windows that would dramatically improve system reliability and reduce catastrophic failures caused by deep OS corruption. Today, Windows can repair many issues on its own, but certain types of corruption — such as servicing stack failures, broken WinSxS manifests, failed migrations, or damaged bootloaders — require offline repair or manual intervention. These situations often force users into time‑consuming troubleshooting or full reinstallations. My proposal is a dedicated, consumer‑friendly “Windows Repair Companion” device that connects to a home network and provides a trusted, isolated environment for deep system repair. This would be similar in concept to enterprise out‑of‑band management, but simplified and designed for everyday users. Key Features: • A small hardware device (similar in size to a Surface Dock or streaming box) that plugs into a router or PC. • Contains a hardened, read‑only repair OS and clean Windows recovery images. • Supports automatic network boot (PXE/UEFI) when a PC detects severe corruption or cannot boot normally. • Performs offline repairs: DISM, SFC, CHKDSK, servicing stack rebuilds, WinSxS restoration, bootloader repair, and update rollback. • Provides a true “push‑button restore” experience without requiring user technical knowledge. • Could leverage existing Surface recovery technology, secure boot chains, and cloud restore infrastructure. • Offers a new potential revenue stream for Microsoft while significantly improving Windows reliability. Benefits: • Makes Windows effectively unbrickable for most users. • Eliminates many catastrophic update failures and servicing issues. • Reduces support costs and frustration for consumers and small businesses. • Provides a clean, consistent recovery path across all OEM hardware. • Bridges the gap between consumer Windows and enterprise‑grade resilience. This device would give users peace of mind and provide Microsoft with a modern, hardware‑assisted recovery model that aligns with the direction of Surface and Windows Core OS technologies. Thank you for considering this idea — I believe it could meaningfully improve the Windows experience for millions of users.
[On demand] AMA: Managing Windows updates
Tune in to Tech Community Live on demand. Get tips on how to easily manage updates for your Windows devices. And, don’t worry if you missed the live stream. Q&A is open through Friday (12/5) at 12:00 p.m. PST so keep those questions coming! Go to https://aka.ms/AMA/WindowsUpdate to post your questions.
Keyboard stopped working windows updates KB4023057
-After Windows updates, specifically KB4023057, Keyboard stopped to work(Function key also stuck ON). -Tried to uninstall the update a multiple times but it got installed again when windows starts always. -Currently uninstall option is no longer available in Windows updates. -Tried to Recover/restore/Reinstall Windows but the update is there. -Cannot be uninstalled from recovery screen, says uninstall failed. Keyboard TBS: -Laptop is generally a bit old so not eligible for Windows 11, currently running Windows 10. -Uninstalled device from devices manager (Keyboard PS2) - restarted -No rollback option available (greyed out) -T440s Laptop (ThinkPad) - Type 20AQ - PC02PBLN ----> downloaded all online drive updates from lenovo. -Tried to look for older keyboard drivers but none found or available. What else could be done This is certainly nor a hardware issue as device was left overnight when the update was completed and then next morning it stopped working?
