Windows 10 has just taken another step towards its scheduled end. Purchasing product keys from the Microsoft Store is no longer possible.
Fortunately this change does not mean that Windows 10 is abandoned. On the other hand, it is proof that the operating system is now considered secondary. Windows 11 is the “big star”.
Windows 10 product keys continue to be available from stores and retailers. It is thus possible to buy a license. The information is crucial as millions of PCs are incompatible with Windows 11 due to stringent hardware requirements. Activating a copy of Windows 10 is still valid and the process should work normally. However, it is possible that various errors appear during this process, such as the appearance of the error code 0xC004FC03. Such a message is not explicit about the nature of the problem.
Windows 10 and error 0xC004FC03
This is a code used to report an Internet connection problem. To activate Windows needs to connect to Microsoft servers. Why, it ensures the validity of the license key. If unsuccessful, this error code 0xC004FC03 may appear.
The first thing to do is to make sure that the PC is online. If so, the next step is to verify that the firewall is not the cause. An incorrect setting can automatically block certain connections.
If the firewall is disabled and Windows 10 activation still does not work, the solution is to turn to phone activation. To do this, simply launch this process by typing SLUI 04 in the search field of the start menu.
Warning. This activation method only works for Windows 10 Home and Pro devices. If you are using a different version of Windows 10 like the Pro for Workstations edition, activation via the Internet is the only solution.