Newshot Microsoft Acknowledges Windows 11 Activation Commands Fail After November Update, Enterprise KMS Configuration May Report Error 0x80041008
IT之家, November 13: Microsoft has confirmed that the Windows security update released on November 10, 2026 has caused a new activation and license management issue. Some devices may encounter error code 0x80041008 when performing Windows activation, Key Management Service (KMS) configuration, and product key management operations.
According to Microsoft's official update notes, affected devices may display the error "Invalid parameter (SWbemObjectEx)", causing the related commands to fail.
The confirmed issues involve the KB5131080 update for Windows Server 2025 and the November 2026 security updates for other Windows versions. Specifically, Microsoft found that the following two commands may be affected:
- slmgr.vbs /skms-domain <domain>
- slmgr.vbs /ipk <key>
The first command is used to configure the KMS activation server domain, and the second is used to install a Windows product key.
Microsoft says the issue mainly affects organizations and enterprise users who manage Windows activation and licenses through command-line tools or automated processes. Devices that have already been activated will not lose their activation status as a result.
For devices that have already installed the corresponding KMS client key and completed KMS configuration and do not need to run the affected commands again, Microsoft expects they will not be affected. Devices activated via KMS can typically remain activated for up to 180 days after successful activation.
The issue has also drawn attention from Windows Server administrators. Some users have reported that after installing the November 2026 security update, license reactivation in Windows Server 2022 environments behaved abnormally, with some cases involving deployments cloned from a master image via Citrix and Machine Creation Services (MCS).
For enterprise customers who need an immediate fix, Microsoft currently recommends contacting Microsoft Enterprise Support for a temporary mitigation. Microsoft says its development team is working on a fix and plans to release a solution via an out-of-band (OOB) update in the coming days.
IT之家 notes that this failure mainly affects Windows enterprise license management processes and does not mean that currently activated Windows systems used by ordinary users will suddenly become unactivated. Enterprise administrators who use KMS, automated deployment, and volume licensing management are advised to watch for Microsoft's subsequent fix updates.
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