Deep Freeze imposes a that begins the moment you install the software or apply a new license key. This time limit serves as the primary enforcement mechanism for license compliance. During these 30 days, Deep Freeze operates in a limited capacity. If you fail to complete activation within this period, the product will expire, and critically, the workstation will be prevented from rebooting into a Frozen state . This means your system loses its core protection—the ability to revert to a clean state after each reboot—leaving it vulnerable to malware, unauthorized changes, and configuration drift.
The local client cannot complete the three-way handshake with the activation server.
The system must be in a Thawed state for activation to succeed:
What (Windows 10, Windows 11, etc.) is the machine running? Do you have administrative access to the system? Share public link
If you attempt offline activation and it does not work, confirm that: deep freeze pending activation new
While in this state, the computer may not be actively freezing, or it may be running on a temporary trial license that will expire. Common Causes for Pending Activation
When you install Deep Freeze, the software enters a temporary grace period. The "Pending Activation" status indicates that the Deep Freeze client is successfully installed and functioning, but it has not yet validated its license key with the Faronics activation servers.
To avoid pending activation bottlenecks during mass deployments, adhere to these IT best practices:
The most common cause is the workstation being unable to reach the Faronics activation servers (activation.faronics.com). This is common in secure environments with strict firewalls, proxy servers, or completely offline (air-gapped) machines. 2. Cloned Images Deep Freeze imposes a that begins the moment
Receive the response file from Faronics, transfer it back, and select 1.2.4. Method 3: Re-seeding via Console
For machines without internet access, you can generate an offline activation request file from the console and email it to activation@faronics.com . Once you receive the Activation Response File , apply it via the Manual Activation settings in the console. Check 30-Day Grace Period: Workstations must be activated within
To verify the precise internal status of a local workstation without relying on the graphic interface, administrators can use the tool: DeepFreeze thaws after 30 days of being off Internet
After completing these steps, the workstation will attempt to activate the license automatically. If online activation succeeds, the pending status should clear immediately. For offline activation, you will need to work through the email-based request process described below. If you fail to complete activation within this
The "pending activation" or "deep freeze pending activation new" status message indicates that a valid license key has been entered, but the activation process has not yet completed with the Faronics Activation Server. The product may show "Full (Licensed) - Pending Activation" in the console and on workstations. While the software remains functional with this status, a 30-day grace period applies before the product stops working.
: The workstation cannot reach the Faronics License Activation Server due to internet or firewall restrictions.
💡 : Use the command line tool DFC.EXE with the parameter /ACTIVATION to check the current status on a specific machine. A return value of 0 confirms the state is "Pending activation".