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App License not working on a DELL Win 11 laptop

Jacky 80 Reputation points
2026-04-13T13:32:55.9833333+00:00

There is an application that requires a license to be used or else it will go on demo mode. In Windows 10 the license works fine and the application can be used but on Windows 11 the license key cannot be found and brings the app on demo mode (Also the app is compatible with Windows 11). Another factor is on a HP Win 11 laptop the app can work on there when moved to a isolated group in AD but when I place a DELL Win 11 laptop in the same AD group, the screen blacks out and kicks the DELL off the domain.

I am unsure what group policy is causing this issue to happen, I did try to deploy a Sentinel LDK for the license but that made the issue worse.

Windows for business | Windows Client for IT Pros | Devices and deployment | Other
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  1. HLBui 5,380 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-13T14:54:40.61+00:00

    Good day Jacky

    When you capture a Windows 11 Pro image after running Sysprep, the installer doesn’t always carry over the edition metadata cleanly. That’s why, when you deploy it, the setup wizard thinks the image doesn’t match any valid edition and rejects every product key you throw at it. Generic keys, retail keys, PID.txt, EI.cfg they all fail because the installer literally doesn’t know what edition it’s supposed to be activating against.

    The cleanest way is to make sure your captured image has the correct edition flag baked in. You can do this by editing the EI.cfg file in the sources folder to explicitly set the edition to Professional and skip the product key prompt altogether. Another option is to use DISM to check the edition of the WIM file you captured if it shows something like “Core” or “Enterprise” instead of “Professional,” that mismatch explains the rejection. Once you confirm the edition, you can re‑export the image with the right flag so the installer knows what it’s dealing with.

    If you want to bypass the product key screen entirely during testing, adding an EI.cfg with [EditionID] Professional and [Channel] Retail usually does the trick. That way, setup won’t even ask for a key until after installation, and you can activate later once the OS is up. Just be careful not to mix editions, for example, trying to activate a Pro image with an Enterprise key will always fail.

    So in short: check the edition metadata in your WIM, adjust EI.cfg or PID.txt properly, and you should be able to roll this image out without hitting that product key wall. Give that a try, and if this helps unblock your rollout, please hit “Accept Answer” so we know we’re heading in the right direction and let me know if you need any assistance. Thank you!

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  1. HLBui 5,380 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-15T09:59:05.21+00:00

    Hi Jacky

    How is everything? Have you been able to solve the problem? If you have, it's really appreciated to "Accept the answer" as a way to share your experience with the community. If you need more information, feel free to leave a message. We are happy to help!

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  2. Q&A Assist
    2026-04-13T13:33:18.4666667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    The described behavior points to environmental differences on the Dell Windows 11 devices (drivers/firmware, domain join state, or Group Policy/AD configuration) rather than a generic Windows 11 compatibility problem.

    Use the following structured checks to isolate the issue:

    1. Verify Windows edition, build, and support state
      • On both the working HP and failing Dell Windows 11 devices, run: 
             winver.exe
      • Confirm both are on supported Windows 11 builds and that editions match the vendor’s supported matrix for the licensing component.
    2. Confirm domain / Microsoft Entra join state
      • On the Dell and HP devices, run in a command prompt: 
             dsregcmd.exe /status
      • Under Device State, compare:
        • AzureAdJoined
        • DomainJoined
        • EnterpriseJoined
      • Ensure the Dell device is joined in the same way as the HP device when placed in the same AD group. If the Dell is being removed from the domain (screen black then off-domain), this suggests a GPO or script in that OU/group is applying differently due to hardware model filtering (WMI filters, security filtering, or item-level targeting).
    3. Compare Group Policy scope and filters
      • In Group Policy Management:
        • Check which GPOs link to the OU / isolated group where the HP works.
        • Review Security Filtering and WMI Filters on those GPOs. Look for filters that might behave differently on Dell hardware (e.g., WMI queries on manufacturer/model, OS version, or BIOS data).
        • Confirm the Dell computer object has the same permissions and is in the same OU as the HP when testing.
      • On both machines, run gpresult /h report.html and compare:
        • Which Computer Configuration GPOs are applied.
        • Any scripts (startup/shutdown/logon/logoff) that might unjoin or reconfigure the Dell.
    4. Check licensing mechanism specifics
      • Since Sentinel LDK worsened the issue, focus on:
        • Sentinel LDK driver/service versions on HP vs Dell.
        • Any GPOs that restrict kernel-mode drivers, USB devices, or licensing services.
      • Confirm that the licensing service/driver starts correctly on Dell and that no GPO is blocking or uninstalling it.
    5. Validate hardware/firmware differences
      • Ensure Dell BIOS/firmware is current.
      • If the license is tied to hardware IDs (e.g., NIC, disk, TPM), confirm that:
        • No GPO is changing those identifiers (e.g., NIC teaming/virtualization) only on Dell.
        • Any device control or security software policies are identical between HP and Dell.
    6. Test without the isolated AD group
      • Join the Dell to the domain in a neutral OU with minimal GPOs.
      • Install the app and license there:
        • If it works, then the issue is clearly in one of the GPOs linked to the isolated group.
        • Re-link GPOs one by one (or enable them incrementally) to identify which policy causes the black screen/domain removal and license failure.
    7. Confirm Windows activation and edition on Dell
      • Ensure the Dell is properly activated and on the correct Windows edition (e.g., Pro vs Enterprise) that the vendor supports for licensing.
      • If needed, verify firmware-embedded key (for OS activation, not app license) in elevated PowerShell: 
             (Get-CimInstance -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey
      • This helps rule out OS activation/edition anomalies that might interact with licensing or GPOs.

    Once the problematic GPO is identified (likely one involving device control, security hardening, or domain join scripts), adjust its scope or settings for Dell devices, or coordinate with the application vendor for any required exclusions for Sentinel LDK and the license service.

    References:

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