A little over a month ago, Microsoft blocked the ability to activate Windows 10 and 11 with Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys. After the decision to block, users began to encounter problems – the operating system activated in this way could be “disabled” under certain conditions.

According to The Verge, if you have Windows 10/11 activated via a free upgrade from Windows 7 or 8, the system may be disabled if you replace some hardware components or update the BIOS version. As an example, one user even filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission. Told:

Automatic activation didn’t work, so I contacted support. They told me that since my Windows 10 license was upgraded from Windows 7 and they stopped supporting Windows 7 keys, the company could not renew the Windows 10 Pro license after the hardware was replaced. They also acknowledged that replacing the hardware was not a violation of the Windows license, so there was no reason for me to cancel or replace my Windows 10 license.

And there are many such complaints on the network. TheVerge was able to reach a Microsoft representative for comment. Bill Babonas, Chief Product Manager for Windows, said:

Microsoft is aware of these customer reports and is investigating. Users experiencing technical difficulties should contact the support team.