Windows 7 ESU 2020 and 2021 Instructions to Install Updates

Install and activate ESU 2020 on your Windows 7 computers 

1. Install the ESU product key using the Windows Software Licensing Management Tool (slmgr): 

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt. 

1. Click Start In the search box, type cmd. Right-click on cmd.exe and choose 
2. Run as Administrator. If done properly, the below User Account Control window opens.  
3. Click Yes to run the Windows Command Prompt as Administrator.
   
   

2. Type slmgr /ipk and enter your ESU MAK key and press Enter. Make sure you have spaces between slmgr and /ipk and your MAK key. Your slmg command should look like this: slmgr /ipk A7B6D-N3D1F-J34ND-LP3NA-32BNA 

3. If the product key installed successfully, after a short delay you will see a message similar to the following: 
    

2. Next, find the ESU Activation ID (77db037b-95c3-48d7-a3ab-a9c6d41093e0): 

1. In the elevated Command Prompt, type slmgr /dlv and select Enter. 

2. Note the Activation ID as you will need it in the next step. 

3. It should be 77db037b-95c3-48d7-a3ab-a9c6d41093e0. It's the Activation ID for the year 2020. 

3. Now, you'll activate the ESU product key: 

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt. 

2. Type slmgr /ato 77db037b-95c3-48d7-a3ab-a9c6d41093e0 and press Enter.  

3. Once you have activated the ESU product key, you can verify the status at any time by following these steps: 

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt. 

2. Type slmgr /dlv and select Enter. 

3. Verify Licensed Status shows as Licensed for the corresponding ESU program, as shown below: 

4. Once activated, continue to use your current update and servicing strategy to deploy Microsoft Windows Security Updates through Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Microsoft Update Catalog, or whichever patch management solution you prefer. You will receive updates until the end of 2020. 

Step 8. Install and activate ESU 2021 on your Windows 7 computers 

The installation and activation steps are exactly the same as for the Year 1 of ESU above. The only difference is that you use a different MAK key and different activation ID. 

You will get your MAK key from us once we receive and process your order. And here are the activation IDs: 

• Year 1: 77db037b-95c3-48d7-a3ab-a9c6d41093e0 

• Year 2: 0e00c25d-8795-4fb7-9572-3803d91b6880 

• Year 3: 4220f546-f522-46df-8202-4d07afd26454 

Check the Microsoft Windows 7 ESU FAQ page for additional information. 

Troubleshooting the Windows 7 ESU Purchasing, Installation and Activation Errors 

Error: 0xC004F050 The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid. 

Solution: Install all the Windows Updates. Restart the computer. Check for Windows Updates one more time to ensure your computer is up to date. Disable any third-party antivirus and/or firewall software. Try installation and activation one more time. If you have problems with your Windows Updates subsystem -- please try this Microsoft Article. 

Question How many activations are left on your ESU MAK key? 

Solution Source: Microsoft Windows 7 ESU FAQ -- Customers can determine the remaining activations on a MAK key using VAMT: 

1. Launch the VAMT. 
   

2. In the left-side pane, select the Product Keys node. 
   

3. In the center pane, find the ESU Add-on MAK key. The remaining activation count is displayed in the Remaining Activation Count column. 
   
   

Question If an organization waits and purchases ESU for the first time in Year 2 or Year 3, do they have to purchase licenses for the preceding year(s) as well? 

Solution Yes. Because the updates are cumulative, organizations do have to pay for the preceding years if they purchase Windows 7 ESU for the first time in year two or year three. That is, customers must have purchased coverage for year 1 of Extended Security Updates in order to buy year 2, and coverage for year 2 in order to buy year 3. Customers may buy coverage for previous years at the same time they buy coverage for a current period. It is not necessary to buy a certain period of coverage within that coverage period.