Fix Windows 10 ESU Activation Error 0x80041002

When trying to activate Windows 10 ESU (Extended Security Updates), some users encounter the error message:

“Error 0x80041002 occurred in connecting to the local registry.”

This issue typically appears even when logged in as a local or domain administrator, and it prevents the activation process from completing successfully.

Fix Windows 10 ESU Activation Error 0x80041002 — Error Connecting to Local Registry

What Causes Error 0x80041002?

Error code 0x80041002 (WBEM_E_NOT_FOUND) means Windows was unable to locate or access specific WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) components in the local registry.
Since activation and licensing rely heavily on WMI, any corruption or misconfiguration in the WMI repository can trigger this issue.

Common causes:

Corrupted WMI repository or missing WMI classes
WMI service stopped or broken
Damaged software licensing components
Incorrect permissions in registry or WMI namespaces
Missing ESU prerequisite updates on the system

Step-by-Step Fix for Error 0x80041002 in Windows 10 ESU

Before starting, make sure you are signed in as an Administrator and have a backup or system restore point ready.

1. Check if WMI Service Is Running

Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
Find Windows Management Instrumentation.
Make sure its status is Running and the startup type is set to Automatic.
If not, right-click → Start, or use Command Prompt (Admin):

sc query winmgmt
net start winmgmt

Also confirm that Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and DCOM Server Process Launcher services are running, as they’re required for WMI.

2. Verify and Repair the WMI Repository

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

winmgmt /verifyrepository

If the output says “repository is inconsistent”, then repair it using:

winmgmt /salvagerepository

Run the verification again:

winmgmt /verifyrepository

If it’s still inconsistent, reset it completely:

winmgmt /resetrepository

After running this command, restart your computer.

3. Rebuild the WMI Repository (Full Repair)

If the above doesn’t work, rebuild WMI manually:

net stop winmgmt
cd /d %windir%\system32\wbem
rename Repository Repository.old
for /f %s in ('dir /b /s *.dll') do regsvr32 /s %s
for /f %s in ('dir /b *.mof *.mfl') do mofcomp %s
net start winmgmt

This resets the repository, re-registers all WMI DLLs, and recompiles MOF files.

4. Re-Register Licensing Components

Sometimes, the issue lies with unregistered or broken activation components.

Run these commands one by one:

regsvr32 slc.dll
regsvr32 slcprxy.dll
regsvr32 licdll.dll
regsvr32 sppwinob.dll

If prompted, click OK on any confirmation dialogs.

Then restart your system.

5. Ensure ESU Prerequisites Are Installed

If you’re using Windows 10 LTSC or Enterprise, make sure the ESU prerequisite updates are installed. Missing servicing stack or SHA-2 updates can prevent activation.

Install these in order (check your version under Settings → About → OS Build):

KB4474419 – SHA-2 code signing support
KB4490628 – Servicing Stack Update
Latest cumulative update before ESU activation

You can download them directly from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

6. Re-Install the ESU Key and Activate

Once WMI and prerequisites are healthy, reinstall your ESU key:

slmgr /ipk <your-ESU-key>
slmgr /ato

If the key installs correctly but activation still fails, try this to display more error info:

slui.exe 0x2a 0x80041002

This opens a dialog with additional diagnostic text that can help identify missing components.

7. Check WMI Namespace and Permissions

If the problem persists:

Open Run → wbemtest, and click Connect.
Type: root\cimv2\softwarelicensing
Click Connect again.
- If you get an error, your licensing namespace is missing or broken.
Repair permissions via Computer Management → Services and Applications → WMI Control → Properties → Security.
- Add Administrators with Full Write access to the root namespace and subnamespaces.

8. Re-Register the Software Licensing WMI Provider (Advanced Fix)

If your SoftwareLicensingService class or SPPSVC WMI provider is missing, activation commands like slmgr /ato will fail.
To rebuild the provider, follow these steps:

net stop sppsvc
cd %windir%\system32\spp
mofcomp sppobjs.mof
mofcomp sppobjs.mfl
net start sppsvc

Explanation:

sppobjs.mof and sppobjs.mfl contain the WMI class definitions for the Software Licensing Service.
This command restores the link between the SPP service (sppsvc) and WMI’s SoftwareLicensing namespace.

After this, restart your system and retry activation.

Final Step: Retry ESU Activation

After completing all steps, restart your PC and run:

slmgr /ato

If everything is healthy, activation should complete without error.

See also: How to Fix Windows 11 24H2 Update Error 0x8007001F

The 0x80041002 error when activating Windows 10 ESU usually means your system’s WMI repository is damaged or missing key licensing data.

By repairing and rebuilding WMI, reinstalling the ESU prerequisites, and re-registering activation components, you can restore normal activation functionality and keep your Windows 10 system secure beyond its end-of-life phase.

Read More:

Fix Windows 10 ESU Activation Error 0x80041002 — Error Connecting to Local Registry