My "Hardware" program registration is deactivated despite completing the "Legal info" vetting successfully.

Rob NV 25 Reputation points

I had an account on Microsoft Partner Center that was inactive for the past 8 years and I used it to successfully submit kernel-mode drivers (for software) for co-sign with Microsoft.

Recently I had to update the kernel-mode driver, I have setup the HLK lab and have re-tested the driver on W10 and W11 HLK test machines, which have passed all the tests. So I am now ready to submit the new kernel-mode driver for submission.

However, when logging in on the account, it now shows "Our records indicate that you have already enrolled into this program but your program registration is deactivated." on the "Hardware" program. So I completed successfully all the "Legal info" vetting process and it now shows "Authorized" when a green check mark. But when I click on "Programs" -> "Hardware", I still see that red message and cannot enter it to submit the new kernel-mode driver.

👁 Screenshot 2025-11-01 at 15-24-53 Partner Center

Any idea about what I should do here?

I tried to contact Microsoft Support from the Microsoft Partners Center, but I have to select a Workspace, it is empty (nothing to select here) and I cannot go on the next step:

👁 Screenshot 2025-11-01 at 15-53-11 Help support - Partner Center

This is the screenshot of the "Home" page:

👁 Screenshot 2025-11-01 at 15-54-22 Microsoft Partner Center - Home

  1. Ido Fassberg 0 Reputation points

    For me, accessing the Hardware section redirects to the Legal Info page, even though the EV certificate is valid and the account is authorized.

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11 answers

  1. Scott Swalwell 15 Reputation points

    This sounds like exactly what we're going through to get our updated hardware device drivers signed. I think that the process is broken, based on this Reddit conversation: https://www.reddit.com/r/msp/comments/1kp7dqf/the_absolute_hell_that_is_microsoft_hardware/

    I had to create a support ticket to get my account un-suspended and send that ticket ID to Microsoft support. I then have to register with the MAICPP (Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program), which is the first option in your first screenshot above. (Never mind that our product has nothing to do with AI and little to do with the "cloud".) Next, it looks like I need to enroll with one of the CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) program tiers.

    I haven't finished plowing through all this rigamarole yet, so take this with a grain of salt. I've been trying to figure this out since July. I just wanted to help someone who sounds as flummoxed and frustrated as I am.

    1. Rob NV 25 Reputation points

      Scott thanks a lot for sharing your experience and yes, this is frustrating since there is no real information and steps to follow on how to fix this specific issue.

      About this:

      I had to create a support ticket to get my account un-suspended and send that ticket ID to Microsoft support.

      How have you done that? I am unable to create any kind of support ticket related to "Microsoft Partner Center" or "Hardware" because I cannot go on the next step due to "Workspace" field being with no options to select as shown on my screenshots.

      I tried also to create a support ticket on "Support for Business":

      https://support.serviceshub.microsoft.com/supportforbusiness/create

      But I am always redirected to the Partners Center Support as shown here:

      👁 Screenshot 2025-11-08 at 15-36-53 Services Hub

      And at this point, again, I enter the same exact loop that I cannot create the support ticket on "Microsoft Partner Center" since "Workspace" field has no options to select, same as shown on the second screenshot on my main post.

      I tried also this link:

      https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/support?stage=1

      And on "Problem type" I can only select "Getting help with Hardware":

      👁 screenshot-3

      After that, I click on "Review solutions" and I end up here:

      👁 Screenshot 2025-11-08 at 15-48-27 Partner Center

      That again, redirects me to "Support for Business" page or "Partner Center Support".

      And can't do anything here, same exact loop...

    2. Evgeny Shtein 5 Reputation points

      We are in exactly the same situation (LOOP).

      with no clear path to resolution.

      If you will be able to resolve this, could you please share how

    3. Scott Swalwell 15 Reputation points

      I tried enrolling with the CSP, but then it wanted me to agree to provide support for Microsoft 365. I had no idea what that meant, so I canceled out of that process.

      I have been able to create support tickets. Once logged into our partner account, I click on the AI magic button at the top right. I choose 'Account verification' and then ask about reactivating our account. When I click 'Contact support', it leads me to a page to create the support ticket, and it works. I've attached a screenshot of what is working. Support hasn't actually been helpful yet, though.👁 This works?

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  2. Jaydip Modhwadia 5 Reputation points

    I have the same error as literally everyone else in here. I already had a signed up and working hardware program agreement with Microsoft but when I was renewing my EV Certificate the process took longer than expected. By the time I received my new EV Certificate everything was gone from my account, couldn't access anything or manage certificates, legal info... I signed up to some of the other programs and whilst doing that, it somehow kicked vetting stuff back on, I verified my ID and both my partner and developer options on Legal Info show as authorized but I am still having an error when trying to apply for the hardware program again (which I shouldn't even really have to tbh) and the support is as useful as dust on the ground.

    The matter of the fact is, something has severely gone wrong to the point where I can't even change my own Legal Info and the incompetency of the support staff is of no help.

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  3. Teknica 5 Reputation points

    We have been part of the Microsoft Hardware Driver program since 2008 and have successfully published drivers for many years. For our November 2025 update cycle, we are now encountering the same issue described in this thread.

    Because many drivers are updated on a multi-year cadence, often aligned with EV certificate renewals, periods of account inactivity should not prevent continued use of Microsoft’s required driver signing workflow.

    Our case was open for more than three weeks. Vetting was revalidated and confirmed as complete, and the ticket was closed. However, the Partner Center portal still shows the following error when uploading SignableFile.bin:

    “The code signing certificate you used to sign the file has already been used by a different seller. Please use a different certificate.”

    At the moment, this prevents us from releasing necessary driver updates. Since there is no direct phone or email support channel for this workflow, we are posting here in hopes that someone from Microsoft can advise on how to proceed.

    Thank you for any assistance.

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  4. Rob NV 25 Reputation points

    I tried to create a new account, have completed the "Legal info" vetting successfully (again) and then I have clicked on "Manage certificate" to add the EV-signed "SignableFile.bin" file, but I get the following error message:

    👁 samplefilebin-signed

    "The code signing certificate you used to sign the file has already been used by a different seller. Please use a different certificate."

    That is because my old deactivated account (the one I used as described in the first post) uses the same EV code sign and for some reasons I cannot use it with this new account.

    Have lost the ideas...

    1. Jim Corenman 5 Reputation points

      Rob, I went down that same path a couple of months ago when trying to reactivate my Hardware program (was showing "deactivated" in the same way). I tried to set up a new account (same business and EV cert), failed the same way. I was able to open a support ticket at that time (when it used to work), it turns out that opening a second account for the same business (or maybe the same RV cert) sets off security alarms.
      I was able to get it escalated to vetting, explained everything, and the final response was "we can't proceed without verifiable credentials" and closed the ticket. What?? I did that already, long ago, but my VC was based on a state DL which had expired and been renewed in the meantime. Apparently, the VC vetting expires along with the underlying document.
      So I did the VC submission again (with passport, longer expiration), re-opened the vetting ticket, got that cleared (and closed again), then ran into the empty-workspace problem.
      I reopened the vetting ticket again, explained the problem, and vetting opened a new ticket with program support, now waiting again. This of course has been going on for months, 3-5 weekdays between responses.
      If you have any sort of closed ticket, try re-opening it. You only get a few words to explain why you are requesting re-opening, but once re-opened (which I think is automatic based on those few words), then you can then append a note to the old ticket. I don't know how far back that works, however- in my case it was only a week or two.
      Good luck!

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  5. Jim Corenman 5 Reputation points

    I have the EXACT same issue. Previously vetted and enrolled in the Hardware Program, successfully signed drivers, then it all quit working.

    It turns out that my account was suspended due to expired VC credentials. Vetting Ops completed verification and confirmed "your account is now authorized".

    However:

    • Hardware Program still shows "deactivated"
    • Legal Info > Developer: "Not authorized"
    • Cannot open support ticket - the required "Workspace" dropdown has no entries!

    Any ideas on getting a Hardware Program reactivated after vetting completion? The support form is clearly broken and I haven't found any other way to open a support ticket. Thanks for any ideas!

    1. Claus Meisel 6 Reputation points

      Did you get this resolved? We are going through the same issue. First Hardware icon was still there and waiting for verification. I went through the verification and now the info for company, develper all says verified but we don't have a hardware icon anymore. When I try to sign up it says the account has been deactivated. I filed a ticket (which by itself was not easy) and it has been sitting there for a week now with no answer.

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