this post was submitted on 03 Jan 2026

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Microsoft kills official way to activate windows without internet (www.neowin.net)

submitted 10 months ago by 1984@lemmy.today to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Now when trying to activate the OS by attempting to call the phone number for Microsoft Product Activation, an automated voice response says the following: "Support for product activation has moved online.

Linux is this way, guys.

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[–] Hotzilla@sopuli.xyz 9 points 10 months ago (6 children)

There are offline environments that cannot do it online, this is bullshit. Working with critical infrastructure in OT networks, Microsoft is basically saying that Windows should not be used anymore in those.

Problem is that OT is full of legacy shit, so switching to Linux is more easily said than done.

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[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 14 points 10 months ago

Microsoft is basically saying that Windows should not be used anymore in those.

I would agree with them.

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[–] InFerNo@lemmy.ml 7 points 10 months ago (1 child)

From what I remember, some of those airgapped environments still use windows XP, so they're not bothered too much by this

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[–] Hotzilla@sopuli.xyz 5 points 10 months ago*

There is every OS released in last 40 years running in these air-gapped OT networks. New and Old.

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[–] RouxBru@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I have the same struggles, Amen!

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[–] BanMe@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago (1 child)

I'm not 100% sure on this one, but I think it applies to Windows Home and Pro but not Enterprise.

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[–] Hotzilla@sopuli.xyz 2 points 10 months ago

They killed it on enterprise too, we have not been able to activate in half a year, the phone number just stopped working...

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