According to aggrieved users, the problem affects Windows 10/11 installations that were legally activated using Windows 7/8 product keys as part of a free upgrade offer from Microsoft.

A group of self-proclaimed pirates have reverse-engineered Microsoft's activation code and released a set of PowerShell scripts that anyone can run. Is it legal? And if you use these scripts, will ...

Microsoft will stop old Windows product keys from activating new Windows installs Windows 7 and 8 keys still seem to work for now, but that may be ending.