How to Fix the ‘Windows Cannot Find the Microsoft Software License Terms’ Error on Windows?

The “Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms” error usually appears when trying to install Windows or Windows Server on your computer. It appears during the installation process and it prevents the installation of Windows completely.

Windows Cannot Find the Microsoft Software License Terms

The error is sometimes difficult to deal with because the targeted computer often doesn’t have an operating system installed and you have to resolve the problem in other ways. Luckily, many users found great methods of resolving the problem on their own and we decided to gather these methods in a single article. Check it out below!

What Causes the “Windows Cannot Find the Microsoft Software License Terms” Error on Windows?

There are several possible causes to this issue and troubleshooting them can be more difficult because the computer probably can’t boot into Windows as it hasn’t been installed yet. Still, these causes can be crucial and we recommend you check them out below!

• Broken or missing files in the installation – If the ISO file hasn’t been created properly, some crucial files might be missing or corrupt which causes the installation to stop. Recreating the ISO file using Media Creation Tool or Rufus can resolve this problem.
• The drive hasn’t been prepared properly – Any drive where you want to install Windows needs to be prepared properly. The preparation includes creating a primary partition, cleaning the drive, and formatting it in the NTFS file system. Make sure you perform these steps.
• Dynamic memory – If dynamic memory is enabled when installing Windows on a Virtual Machine, it can cause this error and the recommendation is to disable it and simply provide enough memory from the start.

Solution 1: Recreate the Windows 10 Image

In most cases, the problem can be blamed on the image file you used to install Windows. Some files might not have been copied properly and some of them may be missing or corrupt. Either way, recreating the image using the Media Creation Tool is an easy and efficient way of resolving the problem.

1. Download the Media Creation Tool software from Microsoft’s website. Open the downloaded file called exe to open the start the installation. Tap Accept to agree on terms and conditions set by Microsoft.
2. Select the Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC option from the initial screen.

Create installation media for another PC

1. The language, architecture, and edition of the bootable drive will be chosen based on your computer’s settings, but you should uncheck the Use the recommended options for this PC in order to select the correct settings for your PC which is encountering the error (if you are creating this on a different PC, of course).
2. Click Next and click on the USB drive or DVD option when prompted to choose between USB or DVD, depending on which device you want to use to store this image on.

Choose between USB or ISO

1. Click Next and choose the required drivers from the list which will show the storage devices connected to your computer at the moment.
2. Click Next and the Media Creation Tool will proceed to download the files necessary to install create the installation device. Wait for the process to finish. Insert the drive in the target computer and check to see if the installation finishes without problems!

Solution 2: Use Rufus to Create a Bootable Drive

Users have reported that, after failing to create a USB bootable device using any other method, they have tried using a simple tool called Rufus. It can perform the same process easily and you won’t have to prolong the process. The only thing it lacks is a beautiful design but that is probably not the point while troubleshooting this problem.

1. You can download Rufus from this website. Scroll down towards the Download button and download the latest version. Open the file you downloaded and you can simply open it without installation.
2. Under the Device section, click on the drop-down menu and choose your USB device from the list. This time, you shouldn’t have problems regarding the USB device.

Setting up Rufus for the installation

1. Under Partition scheme and target system type, make sure you choose the GPT partition scheme for UEFI and leave the File system option as FAT32. Leave the Cluster size to default.
2. Check the Create a bootable disk option and leave the radio button next to Standard Windows installation. At the right part of this option, click on the disk icon and choose your .iso file containing the Windows 10 installation.

Rufus settings

1. After that, click on Start, and wait for the process to finish. After it’s done, you will now have your USB device ready for use with Windows 10 on it! Try inserting it and see whether the “Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms” error appears again!

Solution 3: Prepare Your Drive Properly

It’s quite possible that the drive where you want to install Windows hasn’t been prepared properly. It’s something you can usually do in the Disk Management utility but you will have to use Command Prompt since you are probably unable to boot into anything. Follow the steps below to fully prepare your drive for the Windows installation.

1. If your computer’s system is not installed, you will have to use the installation media used to install windows for this process (the same one causing the problem). Insert the installation drive and boot your computer.
2. You will see a Choose your keyboard layout screen so choose the one you want to use. After that, make sure you navigate to Troubleshoot >> Advanced Options >> Command Prompt.

Command Prompt in Advanced options

1. At the command prompt window, type in simply “diskpart” in a new line and click the Enter key to run this command.
2. This will change the Command Prompt window to enable you to run various Diskpart The first one you will run is the one which will enable you to see the complete list of all available drives. Type this in and make sure you click Enter afterward:

Listing available disks in DISKPART

1. Make sure you choose your drive carefully, depending on which number is assigned to it in the list of volumes. This is the drive where you want to install Windows. Let’s say that its number is 1. Now run the following command to select your required drive:

1. A message should appear saying something like “Disk 1 is the selected disk”.

Note: If you are unsure about which drive number belongs to your drive, the easiest way to do so is to check its size at the right pane.

1. To clean this volume, all you need to do is to type in the command displayed below, click the Enter key afterward, and stay patient for the process to complete. The process should now be successful for a change. This set of commands will also create a Primary Partition and make it active so that you can format it without problems.

DISKPART commands

1. Finally, this last command will format the drive in the file system you choose. When considering the file system, you need to choose NTFS for the Windows installation. Type in the following command and tap Enter afterward:

1. Exit Command Prompt and check to see if you are now able to run the installation without problems!

Solution 4: Disable Dynamic RAM (VM users only)

If you are trying to install Windows or Windows Server on a Virtual Machine using Hyper-V, it’s recommended you disable dynamic memory from the Hyper-V Manager. Many users were able to resolve the problem this way so make sure you follow the steps below carefully.

1. Open up the Hyper-V manager by double-clicking its icon on the Desktop or by searching for it in the Start Menu and clicking the first option which appears.
2. From the left-side navigation menu, choose your node and the list of virtual machines should appear to the right. Right-click the one where the problem occurs and choose Settings from the context menu which will appear.

Right-clicking the Virtual Machine and choosing Settings

1. Navigate to the Memory tab from the right-side navigation menu. From the right side, uncheck the box next to the Enable Dynamic Memory option. Make sure you assign enough static RAM for the Virtual Machine.
2. Apply the changes you have made and try installing Windows to the Virtual Machine once again. Check to see if the problem still appears.

Не удалось найти лицензионное соглашение — oшибка установки Windows

При установке Windows 10 в качестве операционной системы на новой виртуальной машине под управлением гипервизора Hyper-V, столкнулся с ситуацией, когда установка Windows с установочного образа прерывается после выбора ОС с ошибкой:

В русской версии Windows ошибка выглядит так:

Установка Windows отменена.

Не удалось найти лицензионное соглашение. Проверьте, что источник установки указан правильно и перезапустите установку.

После нажатия ОК, выполняется перезагрузка компьютера и повторный запуска установки Windows, ошибка «Не удалось найти лицензионное соглашение» при этом повторяется и так по кругу.

Данная ошибка, как оказалась, может быть связана с двумя совершенно различными причинами (я сталкивался с обоими вариантами):

В том случае, если установка Windows 10 / Windows Server 2016 (и более старых версий ОС) производится внутри виртуальной машины, убедитесь, что вы выделили данной машине достаточно оперативной памяти. В моем случае, на сервере Hyper-V для данной ВМ было выделено всего 512 Мб памяти и включена опция использования динамической памяти (Enable Dynamic memory) с возможной ситуацией Memory overcommitment. Увеличьте размер выделенной ВМ памяти хотя бы до 1024 Мб и перезапустите процесс установки.

Fix Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms

• Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms is a common error you receive when trying to install Windows.
• This error means that the system fails to validate the installation sources and requires you to restart the installation.
• The W indows cannot find license terms error can be solved by resetting your BIOS.
• A different solution for this problem is to use a third-party tool to create a bootable media.

Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms error can sometimes appear while trying to install Windows.

This error message prevents you from setting up Windows 10 on your PC, but there’s a workaround.

Various problems can stop you from installing Windows on your PC. Here are some examples reported by users:

• Windows cannot find the Microsoft software license terms clean install, Hyper-V , VMware, Parallels, USB boot, VirtualBox – This issue usually occurs when trying to install Windows on a virtual machine. To fix it, change the configuration settings of the virtual machine (see how).
• Windows cannot find the Microsoft license terms to make sure the installation sources are valid – Sometimes this error can occur when there’s a problem with the installation media. To fix it, create a new installation media (see how).

How do I fix the Microsoft license software terms issue?

1. Reset your BIOS

A common cause for Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms can be your BIOS. Sometimes certain BIOS settings can interfere with your system and prevent Windows from installing.

To fix the issue, users are suggesting entering BIOS and restore the default settings.

This is fairly simple to do, but if you don’t know how to do it properly, we advise you to check your motherboard manual for detailed instructions. After restoring the default settings, try to install Windows again.

2. Disconnect the installation media during the installation

1. Follow the installation steps until you reach the Install Now screen.
2. Disconnect your installation media and click the Install Now button.
3. Continue the installation as you would do normally.
4. Once the setup is ready to start copying files, it will ask you to reconnect your installation media, so be sure to do so.
5. After you connect the installation media, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.

This solution might sound a bit counter-intuitive, but some users claim that you can fix the Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms message simply by removing your installation media.

3. Use a third-party tool to create an installation media

Many users prefer using Media Creation Tool for creating installation media. Although it’s straightforward to use, sometimes problems can occur.

Many users reported that Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms message occurred while using an installation media created using the Media Creation Tool.

To fix this problem, users are suggesting using a different application to create the installation media.

Bear in mind that the application recommended below is slightly more complex than Media Creation Tool, but you should be able to manage it.

A key difference between the two is that the recommended tool below won’t download the ISO file on its own, so you’ll need to download it first from Microsoft’s website or by using the Media Creation Tool.

After you download the ISO file, add it to the dedicated software and create the installation media.

Many users reported that using the installation media created with this tool fixed this problem for them, so we strongly encourage you to try this method out.

4. Try using a different flash drive

If you keep getting Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms message, perhaps there’s an issue with your flash drive.

Your flash drive can sometimes be a problem, and in order to fix this issue, you might want to try replacing it.

If you have an extra USB flash drive, use it to create an installation media and boot Windows from USB. This isn’t the most reliable solution, but it might work for you, so feel free to try it.

5. Check your hardware

According to users, sometimes Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms message can appear due to hardware issues on your PC.

Several users reported that their hard drive was the issue, but after replacing it, they were able to install Windows 10 without issues.

Another cause can be your CPU, and few users reported that the problem was resolved after replacing their CPU, so you might want to check your processor as well.

Finding out which hardware component is the problem can be a bit complicated, but you can resort to hardware diagnostic tools for Windows.

If your PC is under warranty or you don’t know how to do fix hardware errors properly, perhaps you should contact a professional.

6. Use Diskpart to clean your drive

1. Boot your PC using the installation media.
2. Once you get to the Install Now screen, click Repair your computer.
3. Navigate to Advanced Options, select Troubleshoot and then Command Prompt.
4. When Command Prompt starts, run the following commands:
   • DISKPART
   • list volume
5. You’ll now see a list of all drives on your PC. Now you need to locate the correct drive. This step is crucial and if you select the wrong hard drive you’ll erase all files from it. Simply replace the # symbol with the number of your hard drive. Once again, double-check everything and make sure that you’re selecting the correct drive in order to avoid permanent file loss. After you find your drive, run the following commands:
   • select disk #
     clean
     convert mbr
     partition primary
     active
     format quick fs=ntfs
     exit
     exit

If you’re encountering Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms message, perhaps the problem is related to your hard drive.

Sometimes there might be certain issues with your hard drive, and in order to fix them, it’s advised that you clean your hard drive with the Diskpart tool from Windows 10.

Note: By using this solution you’ll remove all files from your hard drive, so be sure to back up important files.

Alternatively, you can use this solution on a new hard drive that doesn’t have any files without any worries. After doing that, close Command Prompt and restart your PC. Now try to install Windows again.

Once again, be extra cautious while using Diskpart, and keep in mind that this method will remove all files from the selected hard drive, so be sure to back up important files beforehand.

7. Change the virtual machine settings

1. Download and install virtual machine software.
2. Create a new virtual machine on your PC.
3. Make sure that you select I will install operating system later option in the virtual machine wizard.
4. Now select the version of Windows that you want to install and click Next.
5. Now click the Customize Hardware button.
6. Select the DVD drive and in the Connection section select Use ISO image file. Now select the Windows ISO file.

After doing that, you can start your virtual machine and the Windows installation should work without any problems.

If you’re getting Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms message while installing Windows on a virtual machine, then your settings might be an issue.

To fix the problem, you just need to create a new virtual machine and make a few changes. To do that, follow the steps above.

If you need a reliable virtual machine software we recommend getting the one below. It’s the most popular among coders and it’s great for running under Windows 10.

⇒ Get vmware

8. Increase the amount of RAM and remove the floppy drive in the virtual machine

Sometimes Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms error can occur on a virtual machine due to your settings.

To fix the problem, many users are suggesting that you remove the floppy drive from your virtual machine, so be sure to open the hardware settings and remove it.

In addition, some users are suggesting to disable Dynamic RAM feature and instead set the fixed amount of RAM that the virtual machine will use, so be sure to try that as well.

Some users are suggesting to increase the amount of RAM that the virtual machine is using, so feel free to try that as well.

If all those solutions fail, use RAM optimizers for Windows to speed up your PC.

9. Create your own ei.cfg file

If you’re unable to install Windows due to this error message, perhaps the problem is your ei.cfg file. To fix the problem, create a new ei.cfg file with the following values:

• [Channel]
• OEM

Now open the installation media and navigate to the sources folder. Paste the ei.cfg file to it. If asked to replace a ei.cfg file, be sure to choose Yes.

Alternatively, you can open ei.cfg file on the installation media and make sure that it has the same values as above.

Once you overwrite or modify the ei.cfg file, try to install Windows again and the error message shouldn’t appear anymore.

One of our readers managed to fix this problem by disabling the floppy drive in the virtual machine so make sure you try that too.

Windows cannot find the Microsoft license software terms message can be quite problematic, but we hope that you managed to fix the problem using one of our solutions.

If you have other solutions, we haven’t already covered, don’t hesitate to leave us your suggestions in the comment section below.