• ×
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
  • ×
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
Guidelines
Seize the moment! nominate yourself or a tech enthusiast you admire & join the HP Community Experts!
HP Recommended
HP 15.6 inch Laptop PC 15-fd0000 (9R7K6AV)
Microsoft Windows 11

My laptop has activation problem, it says that i dont have a valid digital license or product key

1 REPLY 1
HP Recommended

Did you buy this laptop directly from HP without Windows preinstalled? Does it have a sticker on the laptop with a Windows 11 key? If not it probably was not preinstalled.

 

HP will sell at least some laptops without Windows 11 preinstalled at a slightly lower price. It will have a "place holder" operating system installed called FreeDOS. It is meant for users that want to install Linux. From what I understand, HP does not want to ship with Linux because it will mean they will need to offer some kind of support for it. By shipping with FreeDOS, which does almost nothing, it absolves them of non-Windows operating system support.

 

If your system was sold without Windows preinstalled, then it will not have a digital license or product key. You would need to buy a license.

† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.