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If you got an Activation Error 0xC004F211 after having installed or upgraded your Windows 10 PC, then this indicates that some hardware in your computer has changed which’s causing the error to pop up. Windows might not be able to determine if the key is used on a new computer or if it’s still the same one if you have just removed or upgraded old hardware. But worry not for this post will guide you in fixing the Windows Activation Error 0xC004F211 on your Windows 10 computer.
When you encounter this error, you will see the following error message on your screen:
“Cannot activate Windows 10. Try activating again later. If that doesn’t work, contact support. Error code: 0xC004F211.”
Note that although hardware changes cause this error, the minor ones don’t really cause any issues with activation, however, if you have made any significant hardware change such as replacing your motherboard, it will most likely cause the activation error. In such cases, the Windows Activation system will treat this as new hardware and you will need a new license for that.
Even if your Windows 10 computer has a genuine key, it might still fail to get activated which results in the Windows Activation Error 0xC004F211. Thus, before you do other troubleshooting steps, you need to run the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter first. To do so, follow these steps:
In addition, there is an exception offered by Microsoft – if you are connected to a Microsoft account prior to the hardware change, then you can most certainly use the same license key to reactivate Windows 10 again. Microsoft calls this an “Exception path” which should be fixed easily by the Windows Activation Troubleshooter as pointed out earlier. However, if the Windows Activation Troubleshooter isn’t able to resolve the error you can try purchasing a new license. In such rate case, even if you do have a Microsoft account available on your Windows 10 computer, and if Windows was never activated, this solution will not work. And if you haven’t connected your Microsoft account with your Windows 10 computer prior to the major hardware change, then your only option left is to purchase a new license. For you to do that here are some steps you can follow.
Note: If you are an IT administrator, you need to keep in mind that there is a limit to the number of times you can reactivate Windows on your computer. Moreover, if you don’t see any option to reactivate the license, and it is a work computer, you need to contact your organization’s tech support.
RelevantKnowledge is a potentially unwanted program. It is typically bundled by 3rd-party installers and download managers that include other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). In most cases, the installer will present the user with an RK survey at the end of the setup in order to relate the user’s future behavior to various questions.
From the published: RelevantKnowledge is an online market research community consisting of over 2 million members worldwide, which provides insight into how its members interact with the Internet. In exchange for an agreement to have their Internet behavior monitored, computer users who join RelevantKnowledge are offered various value propositions, including the ability to download screensavers or other software offerings, entry into sweepstakes, and a host of other benefits.
Multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in RelevantKnowledge.
Some Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users reported experiencing a Compare Exchange128 error when trying to upgrade to Windows 10. The error reads, “You can’t install Windows 10 because your processor doesn’t support CompareExchange128”. In order to upgrade to Windows 10 (64-bit), the CMPXCHG16B instruction must be present. If you receive this error, this mostly means that your CPU doesn’t have the CMPXCHG16B instruction.
The CompareExchange128 error normally occurs due to two possible reasons:
One main requirement to upgrade to Windows 10 is for your CPU to have the CMPXCHG16b instruction. You also need the right BIOS version to guarantee a smooth installation. See below on how to manually fix this issue.
NOTE: If you don’t feel confident using the manual methods listed below, it’s highly advisable to get help from an expert technician. If you don’t know someone, you can also use an automated tool to fix this.
Before performing any fixes, try to determine first if the cause of the error is due to your CPU lacking the CMPXCHG16b instruction. You can use a CPU Info tool that provides complete details about your processor, memory, and motherboard. If you’re looking for more in-depth information, you might also try command-line utilities. But, the safest and easiest way to check this is by simply searching online. Try using the search query: <CPU Model> CMPXCHG16b
This method will download the latest BIOS from your motherboard’s manufacturer. This makes sure your CPU has the CMPXCHG16b instruction needed to complete the Windows 10 64-bit installation. To update your computer’s BIOS, complete the following steps:
If updating the BIOS doesn’t work, what you can do is install a 32-bit version of Windows 10 instead of the 64-bit version. Here’s how to do this:
If the above two methods don’t work, there’s a great chance that this error occurs because of an outdated processor/motherboard. Your next possible solution is to buy an updated model that’s fully compatible with 64-bit Windows 10.
If all else fails, you might want to consider using this powerful automated tool to quickly fix the problem and any other computer-related issues.
“C:WINDOWSsystem32>chkdsk /f g: Cannot open volume for direct access. C:WINDOWSsystem32>chkdsk /f f: The type of the file system is NTFS. Volume label is 0529357401.”To fix the “Cannot open volume for direct user access” error, here are some suggestions that might help. Follow them carefully.