Windows 10: Accidentally Removed Device from Microsoft Account that had my Windows 11 Pro digital...

I recently upgraded my PC from an Intel i7-10700k to an AMD 9800X3D. This means the motherboard, CPU and RAM have all changed.This caused Windows to de-activate. It was using Windows 11 Pro, which I bought through the Microsoft store - and thus is tied to my account.I went through the re-activation dialogs, but I got a bit confused. I ended up on https://account.microsoft.com/devices?lang=en-US#main-content-landing-reactUnfortunately, I misunderstood the situation, and went onto my account and just removed multiple old PCs that I no longer have, including the old i7-10700k version of my PC.Unf

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Removed Device from Microsoft Account that had my Windows 11 Pro digital license linked to it; Now it wont activate

Same problem to this Link: Accidentally Removed Device from Microsoft Account that had my Windows - Microsoft Community

Digital Licenses do not work after removing the device from the account.

I purchased a new license (Which I am now demanding a refund for) Either through Microsoft or my Bank.

The License is NO LONGER linked to my account so when I sign into my account it just says its Windows 11 Pro and needs activated but won't activate as my device is NOT there to be activated from.

As the response to that Link above, yes when I log into my account it should "JUST" activate. It doesn't. This is a flaw in Microsoft's Digital Licensing.

As the previous Link AGAIN states, Digital Licenses are a problem, I will be sticking to Physical Copy's for now on.

Purchasing a Digital License SPECIFICALLY STATES WE WILL RECEIVE A KEY IN OUR EMAIL AND IS IN OUR ORDER HISTORY. (IT IS NOT PROVIDED) So this is AS WELL another problem.

Again, same issue. Demanding Full Refunds of any Windows 11 OS Purchases (They don't work, and I have proof sitting on this system that it won't activate) Again, my bank will be more than happy to charge back any purchase with proof that it's not legit.

I highly suggest Microsoft finds a resolution to this.

Microsoft support and assist is a 110% waste of time, receive calls after calls, emails after emails and no resolution. They all repeat the same exact things over and over. Such a waist of my life and time to just request a refund and purchase a physical copy which will solve the problem every single time.

Such a Nightmare, just fix the Account Linking problem so users can Sign in and do exactly what you say it should do. (Sign in, it should work)

Well, easier said than actually done as it doesn't work like that.

 

Accidentally Removed Device from Microsoft Account that had my Windows 11 Pro digital license linked to it; Now I cannot activate new Windows installation

Short Version:

Need one or more of the following:

• Instructions as to how to restore a Windows machine to the Device list in my Microsoft Account that was erroneously deleted
  
• Telephone number to Activate Windows By Telephone (if it still exists for a home user)
  
• Instructions as to how I can get my bought and paid for Retail license from an old Windows install after using the slmgr command to uninstall it
  
• A way to actually get a Microsoft support person to respond in the chat window after opening Contact Support.
  

Long Version:

Seven months ago I installed Windows 11 Pro in a VM on my MacBook Pro using Parallels. I bought a digital license from the Microsoft Store (I have the receipt) and used it to Activate Windows. This week Windows became incredibly sluggish, so I decided to create a new Windows VM and transfer my current digital license over to the new copy of Windows.

I don't have a background in IT, but I'm fairly adept at tech stuff. I had never attempted to transfer a license before, but I had double checked that it was definitely possible for the type of license I had, and it seemed like a fairly straightforward procedure. Plus I had a receipt, and a message on the Activation screen in System settings which reassured me that my "Windows digital license is linked to my Microsoft Account" (see the graphic below). What could go wrong?





So I knew from previous reading that I was supposed to deactivate the license from the old Windows installation. I read a few articles about the process and then followed the instructions in this article for removing the license from the existing Windows installation:

How to transfer a Windows 10 license to a new PC or hard drive.

I used the slmgr /upk and slmgr/cpky commands to uninstall the product key and remove it from the registry. Then, thinking (erroneously it turns out) that I needed to remove the old installation from the Device list of my Microsoft Account, I opened a separate browser on my Mac, logged in to my Microsoft Account, and unlinked and removed the Windows machine from Devices.

I then created a new VM and installed a new copy of Windows 11 Pro. I went to the Activation window which said that no Product Key was found (as expected), and used the Activation Troubleshooter to indicate that I had recently changed hardware. But it returned with this message:





So, this message saying that Activation is looking for a license linked to a Device in my Microsoft Account IS VERY DIFFERENT than the other message saying that the digital license was linked TO my Microsoft Account (implying that it is linked to the Account itself).

So here I am stuck. I can't find anything in the Help files about undeleting the deleted Device in my Microsoft Account. Apparently Activation By Telephone doesn't exist anymore. When I attempt to Contact Support via webchat, no one answers.

I did manage to fish my old slow original Windows VM out of the Trash and run it. It says that it is still Activated, and that the digital license is linked to my Microsoft Account, but this Windows machine does NOT appear in the Devices listed in my Microsoft Account (most likely because of the slmgr commands I ran on it earlier).

If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate them. I have a valid license that is transferrable (with a receipt as well). All attempts to contact Microsoft Support have failed. This shouldn't be so hard. Thanks.

 

Unlink Windows 11 Pro Digital License

Thanks so much for your help. That really clarifies my situation.

Using this article as a guide, my plan is to:

1. Replace Windows 11 with Ubuntu on the laptop that currently has the Windows 11 Pro retail digital license activated on it (even if reverting to Windows Home is an option, I just prefer Ubuntu on this computer for a programming environment). I will not yet remove the 'device' in my Windows account.
   
2. After assembling my new PC, I will install Windows 11 via a USB drive.
   
3. When prompted I will choose the "I don't have a key option"
   
4. I will log in with my Microsoft account
   
5. I will go to Activation Settings > Troubleshoot
   
6. I will click "I changed hardware on this device recently"
   
7. I will chose the new PC from the list of available PCs
   
8. I will check "This is the device I'm using right now" and click "Activate." This will enable Windows 11 Pro on the new PC and deactivate the installation on the old laptop (which at this point will be running Ubuntu anyways)
   

Does that sounds like a good plan?