Windows 8 HP Pavilion G7-2246NR Activation issue with Software Platform Protection service

Windows 8 HP OEM laptop was recently reset back to factory defaults.

After resetting machine, tried to Activate Windows.  Went to PC Settings, and screen shows "Activation error description not found".  Contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support online.  Alternatively, tried to go to Action Center to "Activate Windows now (Important)".  Clicking on the Activate button gives the following results:

Windows couldn't be activated

Error code: 0xC0000022 (Access Denied) A process has requested access to an object, but has not been granted those access rights.

Reviewing the Windows Application log shows the following entries sequentially from attempted startup of the SPP service to stopping the service:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP
Date:          8/11/2013 9:36:33 PM
Event ID:      900
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      LexiHPLaptop
Description:
The Software Protection service is starting.
Parameters:TriggerStarted
Event Xml:<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"><System><Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" Guid="{E23B33B0-C8C9-472C-A5F9-F2BDFEA0F156}" EventSourceName="Software Protection Platform Service" /><EventID Qualifiers="16384">900</EventID><Version>0</Version><Level>4</Level><Task>0</Task><Opcode>0</Opcode><Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords><TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-08-12T04:36:33.000000000Z" /><EventRecordID>1905</EventRecordID><Correlation /><Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" /><Channel>Application</Channel><Computer>LexiHPLaptop</Computer><Security /></System><EventData><Data>TriggerStarted</Data></EventData></Event>



Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP
Date:          8/11/2013 9:36:33 PM
Event ID:      1001
Task Category: None
Level:         Error
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      LexiHPLaptop
Description:
The Software Protection service failed to start. 0x80070005
6.2.9200.16384
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"><System><Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" Guid="{E23B33B0-C8C9-472C-A5F9-F2BDFEA0F156}" EventSourceName="Software Protection Platform Service" /><EventID Qualifiers="49152">1001</EventID><Version>0</Version><Level>2</Level><Task>0</Task><Opcode>0</Opcode><Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords><TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-08-12T04:36:33.000000000Z" /><EventRecordID>1906</EventRecordID><Correlation /><Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" /><Channel>Application</Channel><Computer>LexiHPLaptop</Computer><Security /></System><EventData><Data>0x80070005</Data><Data>6.2.9200.16384</Data></EventData></Event>



Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP
Date:          8/11/2013 9:36:44 PM
Event ID:      8197
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      LexiHPLaptop
Description:
SLUI.exe was launched with the following command-line parameters:
Action=Resolve;ResolutionId=82;ParentWindowHandle=0xb02c2
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"><System><Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" Guid="{E23B33B0-C8C9-472C-A5F9-F2BDFEA0F156}" EventSourceName="Software Protection Platform Service" /><EventID Qualifiers="49152">8197</EventID><Version>0</Version><Level>4</Level><Task>0</Task><Opcode>0</Opcode><Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords><TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-08-12T04:36:44.000000000Z" /><EventRecordID>1911</EventRecordID><Correlation /><Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" /><Channel>Application</Channel><Computer>LexiHPLaptop</Computer><Security /></System><EventData><Data>Action=Resolve;ResolutionId=82;ParentWindowHandle=0xb02c2</Data></EventData></Event>



Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP
Date:          8/11/2013 9:54:59 PM
Event ID:      900
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      LexiHPLaptop
Description:
The Software Protection service is starting.
Parameters:<none>
Event Xml:<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"><System><Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" Guid="{E23B33B0-C8C9-472C-A5F9-F2BDFEA0F156}" EventSourceName="Software Protection Platform Service" /><EventID Qualifiers="16384">900</EventID><Version>0</Version><Level>4</Level><Task>0</Task><Opcode>0</Opcode><Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords><TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-08-12T04:54:59.000000000Z" /><EventRecordID>1937</EventRecordID><Correlation /><Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" /><Channel>Application</Channel><Computer>LexiHPLaptop</Computer><Security /></System><EventData><Data>&lt;none&gt;</Data></EventData></Event>



Log Name:      System
Source:        Service Control Manager
Date:          8/11/2013 9:54:59 PM
Event ID:      7023
Task Category: None
Level:         Error
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      LexiHPLaptop
Description:
The Software Protection service terminated with the following error: 
Access is denied.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"><System><Provider Name="Service Control Manager" Guid="{555908d1-a6d7-4695-8e1e-26931d2012f4}" EventSourceName="Service Control Manager" /><EventID Qualifiers="49152">7023</EventID><Version>0</Version><Level>2</Level><Task>0</Task><Opcode>0</Opcode><Keywords>0x8080000000000000</Keywords><TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-08-12T04:54:59.652841800Z" /><EventRecordID>1301</EventRecordID><Correlation /><Execution ProcessID="580" ThreadID="3604" /><Channel>System</Channel><Computer>LexiHPLaptop</Computer><Security /></System><EventData><Data Name="param1">Software Protection</Data><Data Name="param2">%%5</Data><Binary>7300700070007300760063000000</Binary></EventData></Event>

The consistent end result is an Access Denied error.

Attempted to edit the setting in DCOM config to permission the startup to the Administrators group (which the logged in user IS a part of), and I'm unable to edit the config setting for the SPP service.  Even tried modifying the permissions for the entire Windows directory and all sub-directories...making the Administrator's group and/or the administrator user account the owner of all objects, restart the system, and same results.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
Jay

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