0XC004F009 is an error that occurs before not the most successful Windows 10 users who are trying to activate a fresh system using a license key already used on another computer. Most often, users of the “dozen” complain about such a code first of all, but on the net you can find complaints from the owners of the old Windows 7.
After entering the license key in the activation section, the user may receive the following message:
Error 0XC004F009
The Software Protection Service reported that the grace period has expired.
Causes of Error 0XC004F009
After careful consideration of the problem, we came to the conclusion that the appearance of error 0XC004F009 can be triggered by the following number of potential reasons:
- The absence of a specific security update on the system. Apparently, such a code may appear before Windows users who lack one specific security update aimed at combating the activation of fake or outdated license keys. Simply put, the license key that you are trying to enter into the system may be quite suitable, but only without the presence of a specific security update, Windows cannot understand this. In this case, it is enough to start the installation of all pending Windows updates, and the trick is in the bag.
- The license key must be activated exclusively by phone. If you are trying to activate a MAK key, you will almost certainly have to do it through telephone activation. Many owners of MAK keys on the network claim that they have completely circumvented error 0XC004F009 by using phone activation.
- The MAK grace period has expired. Let’s say you purchased a MAK key for Windows 10 from a vendor, but didn’t activate it right away. Actually, that’s why the above message appears in front of you. In such a situation, you must use the Windows Registry Editor to modify the mediabootinstall parameter to extend the same “grace period” for the key.
Okay, we’ve figured out the potential causes. Now let’s see how you can get rid of error 0XC004F009 and finally activate your copy of Windows 10.
Troubleshooting error 0XC004F009
Method # 1 Installing all pending updates
Updating Windows is the first thing you should do when this error appears. As we discussed above, the problem may be the lack of one specific security update to combat illegal activation of systems. You need to go to your Update Center and start the Windows search / update process. Follow the instructions below to do this:
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Now paste the value “ms-settings: windowsupdate” into an empty line (without the quotes, of course) and press Enter. You will be taken to the Update Center section located in the system settings.
The note: if you face activation problem on Windows 7, then you need to execute the value “wuapp.exe”.
- Once in the Update Center, click on the “Check for Updates” button, then follow the further instructions from the OS on your screen.
The note: restart your computer whenever Windows asks you to do so. After rebooting, the system should continue with its update.
- Once all updates have been installed, restart your PC one last time and try to activate Windows.
If error 0XC004F009 has not disappeared anywhere and you still cannot activate the OS, then try using another method.
Method # 2 Activating Windows by phone
If you purchased your license key from a trusted seller, you should have no problem activating it over the phone. This method almost always works for users trying to transfer their license key from one computer to another. If you are one of these users, we strongly recommend trying phone activation.
To activate your Windows by phone, you need to do the following:
- First of all, right-click on Start and select “Command Prompt (Administrator).
- Once at the command line, write the command slmgr -ipk ***** – ***** – ***** – ***** – ***** (where ***** is your license key ) and press Enter.
- After entering the above command, you will see a small window in which there will be a notification about the successful installation of the product key.
- Close all open windows.
- Next, open the Run dialog box, as demonstrated in the first method.
- Enter the value “ms-settings: activation” in the empty line of the window.
The note: on older versions of Windows, you may need to use the “slui” value. In addition, if you do not see the item “Activation by phone” in the activation section, perform the value “SLUI 4” to call the required system component.
- In the Windows activation section, go down a little lower and click on the “Activate by phone” button.
- Then select the region (country) in which you live, for example, Russia, Belarus or Ukraine, and click “Next”.
- Now we take our mobile phone in hand and call the free (!) Phone number, which will be indicated in the next window.
- Listen carefully to the robot and enter the following numbers on the digital pad of your device:
- Enter by phone all the numbers from the “Installation code” block, which is located in the open window. There are a lot of numbers, and therefore their input can take quite a long time. The main thing is not to be mistaken!
- After providing the required code to the automated system, click on the “Enter confirmation code” button.
- In the next window, enter in the empty fields all the numbers that the robot will dictate to you. Unfortunately, the robot dictates fast enough and there is no way to slow it down. Listen carefully, at maximum volume, even better through the speaker, so you don’t miss any numbers.
- After entering all the necessary numbers in the appropriate columns, click on the “Windows Activation” button.
- You will see the message “Done” – click on “Close”.
In the case of telephone activation, you will completely avoid meeting with error 0XC004F009.
Method # 3 Extending the grace period for a MAK key
As we said above, the error 0XC004F009 may appear before the user if he does not decide to activate the previously purchased MAK key immediately. Has the grace period expired? No problem! You can always renew it by editing one parameter in your system registry. True, you need to immediately warn that you can do this only four times per key. Simply put, if you are not the first owner of the key, but its previous owner has already done this operation … you may have to look for another key for Windows.
One way or another, you can extend the grace period for your MAK key as follows:
- Open the Run dialog box.
- Write in a blank line the value “regedit” and press Enter.
- Once in the registry editor, follow the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Setup OOBE mediabootinstall using the navigation bar (located under the menu bar of the window itself).
- Find the mediabootinstall parameter in the right part of the window and double-click on it with LMB.
- Make the parameter hexadecimal and set it to “0”, then save the changes.
- Close the registry editor window and restart your PC.
- Next, open Command Prompt (required as administrator!).
- Write the command “slmgr -rearm” (without quotes) and press Enter.
- Restart your PC again.
Now you should activate your copy of Windows without any problems and no error 0XC004F009 will get in your way.