[SOLVED] Cannot activate Windows Vista with supplied key, error: 0x80072f8f

pointtopoint

Prominent
May 27, 2021
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I have a second-hand PC that came with Vista. I've wiped the hard disk to make a fresh install. On attempting to activate this fresh install using the key supplied on the sticker on the machine, I get a message saying that activation failed 0x80072f8f.

I can see this is commonly a feature of the date and time being set wrong on the machine. I've synchronised them with an Internet server, and adjusted for daylight savings time. I still get the same result.

Is there a best method of making a fresh install of Vista on an old machine that can avoid this problem? Thanks.
 
Solution
I have a second-hand PC that came with Vista. I've wiped the hard disk to make a fresh install. On attempting to activate this fresh install using the key supplied on the sticker on the machine, I get a message saying that activation failed 0x80072f8f.

I can see this is commonly a feature of the date and time being set wrong on the machine. I've synchronised them with an Internet server, and adjusted for daylight savings time. I still get the same result.

Is there a best method of making a fresh install of Vista on an old machine that can avoid this problem? Thanks.
There is no magic.

Either the date/time is wrong, or possibly the seller has used that Vista license elsewhere.
The only entities that can fix this is the seller...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I have a second-hand PC that came with Vista. I've wiped the hard disk to make a fresh install. On attempting to activate this fresh install using the key supplied on the sticker on the machine, I get a message saying that activation failed 0x80072f8f.

I can see this is commonly a feature of the date and time being set wrong on the machine. I've synchronised them with an Internet server, and adjusted for daylight savings time. I still get the same result.

Is there a best method of making a fresh install of Vista on an old machine that can avoid this problem? Thanks.
There is no magic.

Either the date/time is wrong, or possibly the seller has used that Vista license elsewhere.
The only entities that can fix this is the seller or Microsoft.
 
Solution