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

The thing with OEM product keys and licenses - you can always try the product key to activate Windows. Sometimes it will just work over the internet. Sometimes it will work only via phone activation. Sometimes the product key won't work at all and, now with Windows 10 you have the activation troubleshooter to fall back on. It seems like there are no absolute hard and fast rules regarding what will actually happen when a certain product key/license is tried, regardless of whether or not that particular use of the product key and activation violates the EULA.

 

Clear as mud, *Wink I gave up trying rationalize it all out when my Enterprise installs all got DL's. *Confused

In this instance, we need to know how the original hardware was activated in the first place. And if it was in fact an OEM system builders key, and not a Retail key. Then how the hardware was swapped. All at once, or one piece at a time. Was windows reinstalled on the new hardware or was the original install used. Plus was the replacement motherboard the same make model etc. It all factors into whether activation fails or not. If Windows was reinstalled, what key, if any was entered?

 

If you are implying that he was lying to me, I can't think of a reason why he had to tell such a lie.

 

Something to be said for the EU!

 

A response to post #15.
The new motherboard is not of the same make/model as the old one.
With reference to other questions, I have asked them in this post.

 

I'm not making any accusations, apologies if that's how I sounded. But with no proof, I highly doubt it activated all on its own after swapping the motherboard. Like I said, if you believe it fine, I don't. Not with out more info.

A motherboard swap, as far as activation goes makes that PC a new PC. The hardware ID will change and won't match what is stored on the activation server for that product code. If no match is found no activation.

 

No apologies are needed.
I think it doesn't matter whether Activation Troubleshooter was actually used in this case; it does matter whether it actually works when it is needed in similar cases, as my PC was upgraded to Windows 10 from an OEM version of Windows 7.

 

You will now be "Retail Channel" after doing the free upgrade, even if it was OEM. Run slmgr /dlv from an admin command prompt and see what it says. You'll still likely need to run the trouble shooter to transfer though. You current key will be the generic key you get via the Free Upgrade. ShowKeyPlus

 

What does 'RETAIL channel' mean below?

I would take this leniency to mean the following:

 

I have many times installed Windows in a VM using physical HDD, then I have just made sure it's activated. After that I have moved the HDD to another device, booting it natively on that hardware and it still stayed activated.

 

Retail Channel means that install is classed as Retail, not OEM. IMHO, what it means is, if you have issues, contact Microsoft for tech support, not the OEM that originally sold you the PC. Microsoft does not offer tech support for OEM installs. The OEM manufacturer is solely responsible for giving you tech support for their modified custom install. By a Retail copy and Microsoft is your contact for tech support.

With the free upgrade, you could have an OEM PC with say Windows 7. Then you upgrade to Windows 10. But lets say that OEM never shipped that model with Windows 10, should they still be on the hook for tech support? I say no, and that's why it toggles from OEM to Retail. Just my theory as to why.

 

I just don't know what to tell you? My gut tells me that shouldn't happen. But, I've had numerous installs that got a DL when I think they shouldn't have. Before the AU, my Education installs would show as "Activated with a Product code", no Digital License. They were installed and activated with my MSDN keys. After the AU they all switched to DL's. I think it was the AU, it was one of the major builds. Before that, if I reinstalled, on the same hardware, I had to enter a key to activate. If I did a skip key they wouldn't activate. There was no free upgrade to Education so they never ever got a DL. Then Microsoft changed things and just about every PC on the planet, OEM or Retail, now gets a DL. Even my Enterprise installs that were installed with my MAK MSDN keys toggled to a DL. Before that, it was the same deal as Education. I had to enter a key to activate and they showed as "activated with a product code.

 

In a properly activated Windows not using a volume license key - whether it be 7, 8 or 10 - I have never seen anything but Retail Channel listed in slmgr /dlv, even on computers with the software load from the factory still in place. Think about it - to Microsoft, any Windows activated by the end user is retail, OEM version or not. When Dell sells a computer to an end user and that end user activates Windows, that is a retail sale. That doesn't change who is responsible for tech support based upon the EULA though. Microsoft sold the Windows 10 Dell at wholesale. Dell turns around and sells the license to the end user at retail. Since the OEM Windows 10 was sold to Dell with the understanding, according to the EULA, that Dell would not be the end user, but would use the license in the course of a retail business. then it makes sense it activates on the "retail channel".

 

Ah, OK. Thanks for that info. I'm not active enough in those situations to know all the ins and outs. Thus, I sometimes put my foot in my mouth, lol.