Windows 10: I cannot activate Windows 10 after a mainboard change

Hi,


I went through this article https://support.microsoft.com/en-ph/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change before changing my mainboard. On the activation page in settings I had the following line:

Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account.


Now that the mainboard has been changed, I cannot reactivate my account. Windows insists no Windows 10 license has been linked to my Microsoft account. Well, no desktop one - I can see my Surface just fine.


I contacted MicrosoftHelps on Twitter, and they recommended deleting the old PC from my account. I did so, but am still unable to activate Windows. Same issue as before. The problem now is likely that there's no way to prove Windows was activated before... So thank Twitter support for ruining that I suppose?


My license key was an MSDNAA one for Windows 8.1 - it's printed on a sheet of paper that I can't find anywhere. Moved countries since I activated the PC...


I'm sure this has been asked before, but all answers I googled so far have been unrelated to this issue or straight up "buy Windows again".

:)

 

Activate Windows 10 after mainboard change

I had to change my mainboard and now I can't activate Windows 10 Pro. In my Microsoft Account I see the old pc (activated) and the new one (not activated). I already pressed trouble shooting but I could not fix the problem, because on the broken mainboard
I used a Windows 10 Pro N. On the new mainboard I use Windows 10 Pro. The license is the same. I don't want to install Windows 10 Pro N again, because it causes problem with other software.

 

Activation after Mainboard Change

Hello everybody,

I have the problem that after a mainboard change my formerly activated windows 10 pro is no longer activated. in the settings / activation area it simply tells me I do not have a valid licence key. The troubleshooter tells me it just cannot activate I shall
contact the system admin.

I upgraded to windows 10 pro from windows 8 for free when there was the offer back then. so I never bought win10 pro but as I sad I got it as a gift (thanks!) but now they took the gift away ("thanks"!).

Question now: Is there any way to reactivate my windows copy ? its pretty harsh to punish me for a mainboard change by takin away my licence that I formerly owned (when I get a gift its my property then, right?)

Thanks in advance!

 

Activation after Mainboard Change

Hey Dave,

thanks for your in depth response!

When I click the "Troubleshoot" link in the action area a popup window opens that says "Windows Activation - Detecting activation problems..." (swirling loading icon). After few seconds it shows "Troubleshoot has completed - Make sure you're connected to
the internets - if so contact your sysadmin" (shortened). There is no I changed hardware on this device recently or sign in to my windows account or anything. I think I didn't link my windows copy to my Microsoft account before the mainboard
change, at least i cannot remember doing so.

I'll try to contact customer support now, thanks for the link man!

Cheers