Using the OA 3.0 tool on the factory floor

The OA 3.0 tool (OA3Tool.exe) is part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK). For installation instructions, see Installing the Windows ADK.

OA 3.0 requirements

The OA 3.0 tool must be stored in your factory floor environment.

The OA 3.0 tool creates the hardware association that joins a single Microsoft-issued Windows product key to a single computer.

The OA 3.0 tool must only be used on computers that use full Windows operating systems, including Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10, Windows Embedded 8/8.1, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise.

Manufacturing scenarios for OA 3.0

Use the following step-by-step process to implement the OA 3.0 process.

  1. OEMs order and fulfill Windows product keys from the Microsoft Digital Operations Center, Microsoft Digital Operations Services (MDOS), or via B2B connection, store the product keys in OEM Corporate key Inventory server.
  2. The OEM transfers the product keys to a down-level partner’s factory floor Inventory server.
  3. The factory floor inventory server assigns the product keys to a single computer.
  4. The factory floor deployment tool injects the product keys into the firmware of the single computer and then generates the hardware association, which is combined with the hardware hash and product key ID.
  5. The OEM uses the hardware association to create the Computer Build Report to send to Microsoft.

Generate a hardware hash using OA 3.0 tool

To inject a product key into a single computer and generate the hardware association with OA 3.0 tool, use the following steps.

  1. OA3Tool.exe /Assemble /Configfile assembles the binary product key data (OA3.bin). The OA3.bin file includes the product key in the standard format, XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.
  2. Run the flash utility tool to inject the OA3.bin file into the firmware of the manufactured computer. The flash utility tool is owned by OEM or TPI .
  3. OA3Tool.exe /Report /Configfile creates and sends the OA3.xml file, which includes the product key ID and the hardware hash value.

For details about OEM deployment for Windows 10 editions, see OEM Deployment of Windows 10 for desktop editions.

Update a hardware hash using OA 3.0

This section describes the steps for when a computer requires an updated product key ID and OA3.xml file, after the product key has been injected.

  1. OA3Tool.exe /Return /Configfile reads the product key value from the firmware, and then sets the key status in factory floor inventory to Return. The OA3Tool Return function is only supported by the custom solution. For MDOS, please refer to MDOS user manual for MDOS return key feature.
  2. OA3Tool.exe /Assemble /Configfile assembles the new binary product key data (OA3.bin).
  3. Run the flash utility tool to inject the OA3.bin file into the firmware of the manufactured computer. The flash utility tool is owned by OEM or TPI.
  4. OA3Tool.exe /Report /Configfile calculates and sends the OA3.xml file, which includes the product key ID and the hardware hash value.

Validate a single computer after the product key is injected using OA 3.0

  1. OA3Tool.exe /Validate runs a validation pass to make sure that the MSDM table exists, the MSDM table header includes all the required fields, and the MSDM table entries exist and comply with the correct formats.

  2. OA3Tool.exe /CheckEdition runs a cross-check between the injected DPK and the target Windows edition if they match.