Submit a technical support request

The Microsoft Technical Support team can help with technical issues that can’t be resolved by following the instructions on the validation failure page or running online diagnostics. Support for technical problems related to validation is available at no charge, and most support requests receive a response within one business day.

How to submit a technical support request

1. Run the Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool. This tool will generate a summary of your computer’s settings and system details that will aid the support team in the troubleshooting process.

   • Click the Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool link.
   • Click Run when prompted.
   • Click Continue. The tool will scan your computer and display your results.
   • Click Copy to copy your results to the clipboard.
2. Open Microsoft Help and Support to determine what type of technical support is available in your area.

3. If you choose email support, follow the prompts in order to submit your support request. Note that you may be prompted to download an ActiveX control. This is not required and you may continue without installing this control.

   • Enter your contact information.

   • Enter the following information in the Problem Description text box:

     • Paste the information copied from the diagnostic tool in Step 1 above. To do this, right-click in the text box and choose Paste.
     • If you have additional details or comments for the support team, type them at the end of the same text box.
     • If possible, also include the Product Key found on your Windows Certificate of Authenticity (COA). The product key can often assist our support engineers in quickly determining the cause of your validation issue.
   • Fill in any additional information requested on the page and click Submit. Your request will be routed to the Microsoft Genuine Advantage technical support team. You will receive a confirmation number via e-mail that you can save for future reference.