[DISCUSSION] Windows 10 ESU License: All options, Activation, and Troubleshooting

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by Enthousiast, Sep 11, 2025.

  1. CaptainSpeleo

    CaptainSpeleo MDL Expert

    May 24, 2020
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    :) :D
     
  2. logicwatch

    logicwatch MDL Senior Member

    Jan 26, 2011
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    I understand that is a suitable process for you and me
    But if going forward each monthly update after EOS requires manual / forced intervention this is not an ideal solution for people who will either forget to check or just never bother or think about this ?
    I have had a computer sat for 9 hrs now after TS forge ESU ( activation checks out ok )
    I have deliberately witheld from forcing any updates manually after this and no updates are being automatically offered so something is different with the windows update service or process with automated EOS updates ?
     
  3. CaptainSpeleo

    CaptainSpeleo MDL Expert

    May 24, 2020
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    This is one of 18 registry edits that I deploy after I install Windows 10 Pro 22H2 64-bit.

    Screenshot 2025-11-12 104732.jpg

    This is what its contents look like.

    Screenshot 2025-11-12 104940.jpg
     
  4. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

    Oct 30, 2009
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    Please, this thread is about ESU usage/problems, not about blocking updates or not.
     
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  5. CaptainSpeleo

    CaptainSpeleo MDL Expert

    May 24, 2020
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    Sorry about getting off track here. :oops:
     
  6. logicwatch

    logicwatch MDL Senior Member

    Jan 26, 2011
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    This is a ESU usage problem ?? unless you manually intervene you do not get ESU ?
     
  7. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

    Oct 30, 2009
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    It is hard to make sense of that sentence for me, if the updates are offered, whether by pressing the search button manually or waitting till WU finally starts searching for the updates by itself, the ESU stuff works, and that's it.
     
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  8. logicwatch

    logicwatch MDL Senior Member

    Jan 26, 2011
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    But thats the point
    WU is not searching to offer the update ?
    its only offered if you press the search yourself
    previously prior to EOS a monthly update would download and be offered at some point automatically
    The user would then be notified via taskbar prompt to run the monthly update
    I just feel something now appears different after EOS ?
     
  9. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

    Oct 30, 2009
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    Again, nobody here will sit and wait for WU to finally start searching, ESU or not, most, if not all, will have pressed the button to death (although the same people blocked auto updates ;):D).
    I am pretty obsessed with updates and i never seen WU start on itself on my hardware and VM's.
     
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  10. logicwatch

    logicwatch MDL Senior Member

    Jan 26, 2011
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    So you have never seen a taskbar message ( windows updates are available ) or the orange dot when you shutdown ( updates are available choose how you want to install ? )
    these are always automatic without a manual push for check updates ( I see this on virtually everyone of my clients PCs as very few choose to run or even know about the check for updates option
    I will leave this computer as it is for testing purposes and we shall see if WU kicks in and notifys about updates available, but so far not looking good here ?
    :(
     
  11. CaptainKirk1966

    CaptainKirk1966 One of the Green Guys
    Staff Member

    Oct 31, 2009
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    @logicwatch - If you have not intentionally disabled windows updates, perhaps it just requires patience. It seems unlikely that the same automatic updates will roll out simultaneously to everyone everywhere.
     
  12. logicwatch

    logicwatch MDL Senior Member

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    ok thanks
    time will tell ?
    Lets see what happens
    fingers crossed
    ;)
     
  13. SkirtedMouse

    SkirtedMouse MDL Novice

    Oct 20, 2018
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    On all my machines, where I leave them to auto-update and don't check for updates manually, I find they usually take 24 to 48 hours after Patch Tuesday release to get downloaded, installed, and then prompt for the reboot.

    Patience is required for those who wait, and for the impatient there is always the check for updates button. :)
     
  14. logicwatch

    logicwatch MDL Senior Member

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    #214 logicwatch, Nov 12, 2025
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2025
    Thanks for all your comments and help guys
    but I wonder if the answer possibly could be the following ?
    After using TS Forge ESU I assumed the kb5068781 November update would be offered automatically as I look at the W10 EOS screen in Windows updates ( if I just waited )
    My thoughts are this particular update HAS to be manually run after TS Forge ESU is applied
    kb5068781 is not been offered as an update automatically ( so installing TS forge ESU alone is not enough you then have to manually run the updates check )
    After which of course the EOS message is removed and windows update then states You`re up to date
    So my misunderstanding could be the W10 EOS screen will just sit there until you force this kb5068781 manually

    Does this make sense guys ?
    Hopefully next month because we now see a You`re up to date screen next months December update will show up as normal ?
     
  15. abbodi1406

    abbodi1406 MDL KB0000001

    Feb 19, 2011
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    No, you don't need to manually check
    any scan (scheduled, triggered, manually) will find it if the registry value(s) are correctly set

    EOS message is removed only after KB5068781 is fully installed (restarted)
     
  16. logicwatch

    logicwatch MDL Senior Member

    Jan 26, 2011
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    would the new MAS 3.8 not have already set the registry values when TS Forge ESU is run ?
     
  17. abbodi1406

    abbodi1406 MDL KB0000001

    Feb 19, 2011
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    Yes, as long as 19045.6159 or later is installed
     
  18. locob

    locob MDL Member

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    I ran TSforge on my Windows 10 Pro computer back in October. My experience yesterday (patch Tuesday) was that KB5068781 was automatically installed without any intervention by me. After reboot, the "end of support" was gone. Again, nothing other than runing TSforge previously was done.
     
  19. m.fessler

    m.fessler MDL Novice

    Jan 15, 2020
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    #219 m.fessler, Nov 13, 2025
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2025
    Thank you very much!
    Can confirm, MAS 3.8 does it - awesome!

    I was still using MAS 3.7 yesterday and noticed that after TSforge ESU, it was enough to just wait a few minutes.
    After about 7-10 minutes, both "Win10CommercialKeybasedESUEligible" and "win10ConsumerESUStatus" were automatically set to 1.
    I was quite surprised - but it was reproducible.

    I have to disagree there; that’s exactly why I didn’t do anything on my main system except the MAS TSforge ESU.
    As the "family admin", I just had to know. :)
    Today, I got automatically KB5068781 - the OOB (KB5071959) wasn’t installed at all.

    ...it seems sufficient to delete (commenting out does not work) line 5087 from the MAS_AIO.cmd V.3.8.
    Additionally, in line 5907 (beware that the numbering will change if any previous line(s) are deleted), the 4-6Y Activation ID "0b533b5e-08b6-44f9-b885-c2de291ba456" must be replaced with the last used, e.g. ESU Year3: "83d49986-add3-41d7-ba33-87c7bfb5c0fb" - otherwise ClipESUConsumer.exe or ClipESU.exe will no longer be executed.
    The text "Windows Update gets 1-3 years of ESU; 4-6 are unofficial but may let you install LTSC updates manually." in the next line can either be ignored or modified.

    At least, that worked for me - would be great if a pro could take a quick look at it.
     
  20. Mofwai

    Mofwai MDL Novice

    Feb 12, 2023
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    Which way do you recommend to get ESU on a Windows 10 installation that is not activated? Is it necessary to activate Windows for the ESU methods to work?