Win 10 activation issue...(SOLVED)

[Holografix]

- built computer in 2013 with Win 7 (asus p8-z77 + i5 3750k)
- updated said computer from Win 7 to Win 10 via the free update offered by Microsoft during a specific time (year 2020)
- said motherboard (Asus P8-z77) died recently
- replaced motherboard with new motherboard (msi h610m-g) and new cpu (i3 12100)
- used the same SSD with win 10
- decided to use the Reset my PC option to remove all files from SSD and start fresh
- everything works except I cannot activate Windows 10. always has error code

i have the original Win 7 disk and box with Product key, tried that key but didn't work

Anyone have any thoughts? Solutions? Ideas?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Activate by Phone.

You have the proof.

Juat tell them the Motherboard died, etc.

[Holografix]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Activate by Phone.

You have the proof.

Juat tell them the Motherboard died, etc.

so just call Microsoft?

[emoticorpse]

Originally posted by Holografix:

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Activate by Phone.

You have the proof.

Juat tell them the Motherboard died, etc.

so just call Microsoft?

That sounds correct

[PopinFRESH]

Here is the Microsoft Docs for activation by phone

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/product-activation-for-windows-online-support-telephone-numbers-35f6a805-1259-88b4-f5e9-b52cccef91a0#:~:text=To%20activate%20Windows%2010%20by,list%2C%20and%20then%20select%20Next.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Originally posted by smallcat:

If it s an OEM version , new mobo new Windows

It's not exactly how it works. I've called MS hundreds of times over the years and they able to issue a new activation for such reasons just fine.

[andreasaspenberg575]

microsoft is fairly nice but, they no longer gives out windows 10 keys for some reason. you could try to contact them but, if that does not work, then you have to buy a new license.

[PopinFRESH]

Originally posted by andreasaspenberg575:

microsoft is fairly nice but, they no longer gives out windows 10 keys for some reason. you could try to contact them but, if that does not work, then you have to buy a new license.

The OP said they have a box copy of Windows 7 and they did the free upgrade to Windows 10 while they were still doing activations for free upgrades. This will have granted the OP a Windows 10 entitlement key linked to their Microsoft account that was registered when they did the original upgrade.

This will automatically reactivate during reinstalls on the same hardware. The only issue here for the OP is that their motherboard died. If they did the upgrade from a retail key as they described they will be able to move the entitlement to a new system by calling for activation and Microsoft will deactivate their old hardware and activate their entitlement on their new hardware.

This is not “Microsoft giving them a new key”. If their upgrade was from an OEM Windows 7 license as others are noting, then that license is bound to that hardware and Microsoft isn’t going to activate the Windows 7 key or their Windows 10 entitlement from the OEM key on different hardware.

[Shaggin'Wagon]

Originally posted by Holografix:

- replaced motherboard with new motherboard (msi h610m-g) and new cpu (i3 12100)

This is why you can not activate that key again. Microsoft licenses only allow us to activate a windows license once on one computer. When you change the motherboard and CPU to a completely different generation and newer processor then that is considered "A different computer" in the eyes of microsoft. They generated a unique hardware identifier based on your original hardware configuration and tied that to your microsoft license. Because you changed the hardware configuration drastically enough that the hardware identifier changed then you can no longer activate the same key again unless you use the original hardware again.

Fortunately for you though you don't have to worry: Just download a Windows 10 installer ISO from microsoft -> install a clean install on your new motherboard -> click "SKIP" during setup where it asks you to enter your cd key and then you can go on and use Windows 10 forever for free. This is 100% completely legal and allowed by Microsoft.

[andreasaspenberg575]

here is the thing: microsoft stopped producing none OEM licenses long ago. your windows 7 license was also OEM. when your hardware died, you lost the license, which was tied to your hardware.

[N3tRunn3r]

https://account.microsoft.com/

login to microsoft with your account you have registered and upgraded your PC from W7 to W10 before. there you find an option "register device" and "hardware changed".. this also works for OEM licenses ..

do and try given steps. there is explicitly an official FAQ about your issue, too ..

you can also try this:

WIN + R

slui 4

-or- slui.exe 4

i would also HIGHLY and URGENTLY recommend to do a complete fresh and clean Windows 10 install, no such things as "recovery", "backup", "reset", ...

Here, this post may help you further, too:

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/11/6679473478678272569/#c6679473478680015863

[Pocahawtness]

I seem to remember that Microsoft said they would no-longer offer 7 to 10 upgrades. So it is possible, I am afraid, that even contacting Microsoft will not work.

[Blaagh]

I've upgraded twice already. did the free 7 to 10 upgrade and also did a clean install without win 7 when 10 was free anyway.

tied the licence to my ms account and then activated on the new built by signing into ms account. one of the options was 'replaced hardware' and then it let me choose which pc was the old one.

unfortunately ms is not very transparent. I've since rebuilt the pc with other old parts and did a clean win10 install (no ms login) and its activated 'by a digital licence' and I don't know what will happen if I sell it and someone else uses his ms account on the machine :/

[Supafly]

Originally posted by Blaagh:

I don't know what will happen if I sell it and someone else uses his ms account on the machine :/

Their license would get tied to the hardware and you can use your license on a new device

[Holografix]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Activate by Phone.

You have the proof.

Juat tell them the Motherboard died, etc.

Calling Microsoft didn't work. (Win 7 OEM into Windows 10 upgrade) after switching motherboards will not activate with the Win7 OEM product key i have.

Tech Support via chat repaired my (Win7OEM into Win10 via upgrade) with a Windows 10 ISO but afterwards same activation issue.

Called customer service and they (over the phone) told me that my only way forward was to purchase a windows 10 digital license.

I guess i'm at a dead end.

[[☥] - CJ -]

https://www.vip-urcdkey.com/software/p201710180905452806.html?urd=EtaHome

Pretty much all you can do