Hello Ross Gannon,
Has your issue been solved? If it has, please accept the answer so that it could be spread further to those in need too. If not, is there anything I can help you with? Please let me know. :)
VP
We cannot use new school laptops as they are linked to an unknown admin account
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Ross Gannon
0
Reputation points
We applied to be registered as an educational institution two years ago. We are a primary school. We followed all the steps and paid to get professional help. We have still not been verified.
Windows for business | Windows Server | Devices and deployment | Set up, install, or upgrade
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Umair Ali Raza 0 Reputation points2026-02-23T10:14:20.3733333+00:00 Hi Ross,
That’s really frustrating — especially for a primary school.
If the laptops are asking for an unknown admin account, they’re likely still linked to another organization through Microsoft (Entra ID / Intune). A normal reset won’t remove this.
Here’s what to do:
• If bought from a reseller – contact them and ask which tenant the devices are registered to. • If donated/third-party – the previous organization must remove the devices from their Microsoft tenant. • Open a support ticket in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and request escalation to the Education Verification Team (2 years is far too long).
Unfortunately, only the original admin can release those devices. Microsoft can’t unlock them without that removal.
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VPHAN 25,000 Reputation points Independent Advisor2026-02-24T18:25:19.7066667+00:00 -
Ross Gannon 0 Reputation points
2026-02-24T21:33:42.1466667+00:00 Hi VP,
I am going through the steps as you advised. Thank you for your support. I will return when the issue has been solved.
Kind regards,
Ross
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VPHAN 25,000 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-02-23T11:36:28.7266667+00:00 Hello Ross Gannon,
The devices are currently bound via Windows Autopilot to a different Microsoft Entra ID tenant, which is why they are locked at the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) sign-in screen. While having the previous tenant administrator remove the hardware hashes via their Intune admin center is the fastest method, Microsoft Support can forcefully deregister the devices for you. You need to open a support ticket in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center under the Autopilot or Device Management category and submit your official OEM or reseller purchase invoices containing the exact device serial numbers as strict proof of ownership. Microsoft will use this documentation to sever the existing Autopilot hardware hash association from the unknown tenant, allowing you to re-enroll the laptops into your own environment.
Regarding the stalled educational verification, a two-year delay indicates the automated system failed to validate your school's primary domain against the educational registry and the initial eligibility request has timed out. You must bypass the automated check by navigating to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, selecting Support, and creating a new service request specifically categorized under Billing and then Education Verification. Request an immediate manual escalation to the Microsoft Academic Verification Team and attach your primary school's official government accreditation documents and domain registration details directly to the case file to force a manual override of the tenant's academic status.
Hope this answer brought you some useful information. If it has, please consider accepting the answer so that other people sharing the same issue would benefit too. Thank you :)
VP