When a copy of Windows is installed on a computer, it gets into a grace period. It means that one can use Windows without any restrictions on its features. If you are receiving an error code 0xC004F009, it means that the grace period has expired. The complete error message will appear as:
Error Code 0xC004F009, The Software Licensing Service reported that the grace period expired
The possible cause for this could be that the grace period expired before the system was activated, resulting in the system being in the Notifications state now.
Windows Activation Error 0xC004F009
When it comes to Volume Licensing, error code 0xC004F009 is related to an MAK-enabled computer in an enterprise. One reason is that the computer wasn’t activated even though it was connected to the Enterprise. The second reason is that the system was never connected to the enterprise, and the grace period expired before the system was activated. After this, the copy of Windows runs in Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM).
0xC004F009, The Software Licensing Service reported that the grace period expired
Follow these suggestions to increase the grace period.
- Activate Windows using the command-line tool
- Activate Windows by phone
- Increase Grace Period
make sue to use an admin account.
1] Activate Windows using the command-line tool
Obtain your MAK key from the IT Admin.
- Open an elevated command prompt and run the following command to install the product key or replace the existing one:
Slmgr.vbs –ipk <your mak key>
- Then type the following and hit Enter:
slmgr.vbs –ato
- This will activate the Windows after connecting to Microsoft servers.
2] Activate Windows by phone
It is possible to activate Windows on a phone. This works in two cases: when the consumer buys the Windows key for personal use and when it’s an MAK key. Both pass through Windows Activation Servers.
You will need to use the command “slui 4” to get the Installation ID, and then to Microsoft Support to activate the copy of Windows on Phone. However, if it still doesn’t work, you may need to re-install the Server Core to resolve the issue.
3] Increase Grace Period
It is possible to increase the grace period, but you will have to get another genuine Windows Key after that. Somebody may have sold you an MAK key, and you didn’t activate it. Since MAK keys are not recycled, the number of activations on this has already exceeded. Here is how you can get the grace period:
- Open Registry Editor as an admin and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\OOBE\mediabootinstall
- Change the value of mediabootinstall to 0.
- Next, pen command prompt with elevated privileges, and type the following and hit Enter:
slmgr -rearm
- This will add a grace period to your activation, and you can reboot your computer.
You can only reset the activation period up to 4 times. After this, you must get a new key and activate Windows the usual way.
Does Windows have a grace period?
Usually, no, but depending on the type of key, there can be a grace period, especially in the case of an Enterprise. The retail license expires after 30 days, and some Windows features will be limited. Some keys are available in the public domain, but using them is not a good idea.
Read: View the Licensing Status and Activation ID of your Windows OS with slmgr.vbs
Does Windows get updates if the license expires?
No, Microsoft doesn’t update Windows if the license has expired. Since these are not considered legitimate copies of Windows, you will not be able to get the security updates. If your laptop belongs to your company, it is best to contact IT admins to get this sorted.
