Windows 10: How to activate windows on a local account when hardware is changed OEM

I have changed my hardware and I had a windows 10 OEM activation key. I want to use my desktop locally and not sign into a Microsoft account. Is there anyway I can activate windows again whilst staying on a local account?

:)

 

OEM Reactivation with Local Account

Hi.

I have a question

If I purchase a laptop with Windows 10 that has an OEM license preinstalled, is a Microsoft account necessary to reactivate

Windows 10 on the same computer after reinstallation or after minor hardware changes (apart from the motherboard)?

Or will it activate automatically upon OS reinstallation with a local account the same as it does with a Microsoft account?

Is the activation process independent of a Microsoft account?

Thank you!

 

Unable to activate Windows after hardware change

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Usually the error code 0xC004F213 comes when there is a hardware change done on the computer (like Motherboard or Hard drive). The Windows license is associated with the device hardware. If there is any significant hardware changes, such as replacing
motherboard or hard drive, Windows won’t be able to recognize the license.

I suggest you to try the troubleshooting steps from the article
Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change and see if Windows gets activated.

If you are using an OEM computer that came with Windows 7, and the motherboard has not been changed, then you can follow the steps to retrieve the product key that came with your OEM computer. To retrieve the product key follow the steps mentioned
below:

1. Type Command prompt in the search bar, that is on the taskbar.
   
2. Right click on Command prompt icon and select Run as administrator.
   
3. Type the command and press on Enter: wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
   
4. You will find the product key.
   

Hope it helps.

Please reply with the status of the issue, we will be glad to help you further.

Nikhar Khare

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

OEM install errored, MS account activated

First and foremost, the digital license is linked to the unique hardware ID of the PC. It is this that is stored on the Microsoft activation servers and linked to your digital license, The link to your MS account is an additional optional extra, but is not required. It is the hardware ID (mostly the motherboard) that is used to check you are licensed. The additional link to an MS account can help reactivate should your hardware ID change (eg, replacing the motherboard).

You could switch from using an MS account to a local account. But as this is a new box it is probably simplest to clean install again, this time setting it up with an offline local account from the start. See Step 24 in the Clean Install tutorial. You can skip entering a key as it will activate from your existing digital license on the activation servers.

Clean Install Windows 10

Switch to Local Account in Windows 10