Windows 10: Activation of an OEM version after changing the mainboard.

On another forum (in Chinese), a member said that his OEM version of Windows 10 had been activated after the mainboard was changed. A screenshot of that was shown there. And he had not used this method: Use Activation Troubleshooter in Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials .
Is it possible that Microsoft has unofficially loosened the restrictions on OEM versions?

:)

 

Windows 10 After Hardware Changes

Hi,

I have Windows 10 Single Language (upgraded from Windows 8.1 SL OEM) 64bit and I'm planning to make a hardware change (CPU. mainboard, GPU, case, PSU, etc.). From what I read, if I change the CPU and/or mainboard, Windows needs to be activated again. Is
this true?

 

Win 8.1 full to Win 10 upgrade and changing hardware

I installed a full version of win 8.1 (not OEM) on my PC. After July 29 I have the chance to upgrade to win 10 for free. Do I get a FULL windows 10 verson with this upgrade or is this upgrade limited to the first used hardware constellation (especially mainboard)?
Or ... would it be possible to change e.g. the mainboard and still use windows 10?

Thanks alot

Hermann

 

Windows 10 Factory OEM motherboards have the product code embedded in the BIOS. So in theory, swapping the motherboard with an OEM replacement that has an embedded key, should activate fine. It would get a new Digital license for the new motherboard. If you had used a system builders OEM version, where you manually enter the product code to activate, you would have to use the troubleshooter to re activate.

 

Are you sure? Is there such a thing as a "Windows 10 Factory OEM board"?

Perhaps you are thinking of a Windows 8 laptop. In any case most, perhaps all, Windows 10 certified machines start via EFI not BIOS.

In this case what does "embedded" mean? It certainly isn't "embedded" in any "BIOS" and presentation of a key is not part of the EFI standards. Windows will boot and MS will validate the license when connected to the net.

To answer the original question; yes, it seems transfer of OEM is more relaxed than it was.

 

I thought the point of OEM keys was they were tied to the specific hardware they're first activated on.

 

Yes. But if you phone them (or use the transfer tutorial here) MS are more relaxed about it than they were in the past.

That is, if you are moving your own OEM license they seem more than happy to activate it for you on new hardware.

Perhaps that is because I'm European where resale of OEM is legal in any case - I don't know. You would need some feedback from people in a country with more restrictive laws.

 

I'm assuming Windows 10 OEM motherboards will have an embedded key. I see no reason why they wouldn't. I could be wrong, don't think so though. *Wink My ASUS laptop has a Windows 8 embedded key, and its UEFI. The key is permanently stored in the BIOS and is not alterable. You can't change it or remove it. Windows 8 and Windows 10 install media read it automatically during install. I get 10 Home automatically with no prompt for a key or any prompt to select if I want Home or Pro. To override that auto key read I have to use a PID.txt file with a pro key in it.

 

My personal opinion is the activation troubleshooter was setup so you could transfer your licence in the event that your OEM motherboard had to be replaced due to a failure. The replacement would have a different OEM embedded key, or maybe no embedded key. Its a valid reason to use the trouble shooter to re activate that PC. That being said, Microsoft is being lenient in how its being used so as not to overcomplicate things. Thus your able to use it to transfer to new hardware.

 

Originally, with Windows 8, if a factory OEM embedded key is detected, its used by default. The PC would then activate with that key. It would be activated with that specific key. The OEM embedded keys are unique to the PC, no two are the same.

With Windows 10, it started out the same way. My laptop would show as "activated with a product key" on the Settings Activation screen. That all changed with the Digital License. Now it shows as activated with a Digital License and it has the same generic product code that all 10 Pro installs have.

From what I have seen posted here on Ten Forums. It looks like Windows 10 OEM PC's have the embedded key, and initially activate with that key. Then get a DL.

 

Computers with Windows 10 from the manufacturer will have the product key embedded and provided by the UEFI firmware. The only Certificate of Authenticity sticker will be just a logo sticker without a product key printed because the product key is in the UEFI firmware.

 

The computer in question is an assembled one rather than a branded one.
The mainboard, the CPU, the display card, and the RAM stick(s) have all been replaced.

 

In that instance, as far as I know, it should have failed activation. And required the troubleshooter to re activate.

 

But the fact is that it has been activated without Activation Troubleshooter, so the following should be true.

 

They "claim" it activated without the trouble shooter. Don't believe everything you read on the Internat. *Wink I'm just going by what I know to be true. You can judge for yourself.