
How to fix error 0xc004e016 when activating Windows 10
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Windows 10 activation does not always go smoothly; many different failures and errors can occur during license renewal. There are especially many of them when switching from an older version (Windows 7, 8) to Windows 10. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, they are very diverse. Among the most common sources of failure is simply the wrong key. Full description: “Error 0xc004e016, run slui.exe 0x2a 0xc004e016 to display the error text.” You can fix this, but you need to run a little diagnostics.
Windows 10 activation error 0xc004e016
Before you start using any of the solutions listed below, you should make sure that you are entering the correct key. Very often the whole point is simply that the key is incorrect or is intended for a different version of Windows 10. Each of them uses its own list of keys. After clarifying this point, we can proceed to corrections.
We also check the Internet connection in advance. If the connection to the network is not available or is very slow, it may fail when trying to activate. This is especially common when using a 4G modem in remote regions. You should try to download the video and see if it downloads. Additionally, we check the correctness of the set time. Make sure to set the correct time zone and time. Better to install them manually.
1. Run the troubleshooting tool
The system has a special tool that scans Windows 10 and helps fix problems with activation. To run it, you should:
- Press Win + I and go to the “Update and Security” section.
- On the “Activation” page, click on the “Troubleshoot” button.
- We follow the wizard’s tips.

2. Performing a clean boot of the OS
We suggest removing everything that can interfere with activation at the software level. Maybe it’s some kind of VPN, antivirus, or firewall. All of them will not work in clean boot mode, and we can confirm or deny the problem.
Manual:
- Search for MSConfig and open the found element.
- On the “Services” tab, activate the item “Do not display Microsoft services”, and then – “Disable all”.
- From the “Startup” page, go to the “Task Manager”, where we turn off all programs that are activated at startup.
- We reboot the computer.
3. We use the command line
If the standard activation method did not work, you should try a similar procedure through the console. There are more chances for a successful completion of the process.
To do this, you should:
- We open the command line with administrator rights.
- Enter the command slmgr /ipk
, specifying your key here. - Then we sequentially enter more: slmgr / skms kms8.msguides.com and slmgr / atopressing Enter each time.
4. Apply SLUI
The meaning of the method is similar to the previous one, you need to insert it into the “Run” line slui.exe 3, press Enter and enter the product key.
5. We activate Windows 10 by phone
In cases where nothing helps, we can activate Windows 10 in telephone mode. To do this, press Win + R and enter slui.exe 4, then click on the “Ok” button. All that remains is to select a country and call one of the indicated numbers.
Some of the following will help fix activation error 0xc004e016.