Windows 10: Motherboard died without notice, upgraded to a new, different one. How do I activate my...

Motherboard died unexpectedly, so I didn’t have the chance to follow the standard deactivation procedure before upgrading the components.

I also haven’t turned on the machine since upgrading (was waiting for my thermal paste to arrive), but I’m already looking for possible answers on how to activate the same license that’s still tied to my old mobo, in a system which was running with a local account.

For reference, I performed a clean installation of 1903 back in May of last year, and activated my preexisting license... somehow (can’t remember what exactly I did). I followed online guides to avoid all forms of telemetry, and purposefully skipped the Microsoft account part to use only a local account with my system.

I do have a MS account, though, which I use for Xbox games, and which I’d also used with my copy of Windows until upgrading to 1903. I assume that the license is still tied to it, but have no idea how to activate it from scratch, on a different mobo, with a local account (I plan on keep using Windows that way).

Any tips for a smooth transition?

submitted by /u/EeK09
[link] [comments]

:)

 

Windows saying not activated after motherboard upgrade


Hi,

I recently upgraded some PC parts (new motherboard, RAM, processor, video card) and ever since then I have a watermark in the bottom right of my display reading "Activate Windows - Go to Settings to activate Windows."

I took advantage of the free upgrade to Windows 10 back when they were allowing Windows 8 users to upgrade to Windows 10. I don't remember receiving an activation key during this upgrade.

I've read online that installing a new motherboard can occasionally cause issues with OS activation. How can I reactivate my Windows without having to purchase Windows 10.

Some things to note:

• This watermark was not there prior to installing the new motherboard
• As some places (and a Microsoft Tech Support member) suggested, typing the query "wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey" into CMD just returns with "OA3xOriginalProductKey". The Microsoft Support member seemed confused by this and said there was nothing further she could do.

Thanks!

 

Activation after new hardware upgrades?

But you had never upgraded that motherboard from Windows 7/8/8.1 to Windows 10 previously? That was the first step of my suggestion.

It should have been install fresh SSD on the new motherboard. Install Windows 7 on it. Upgrade it to Windows 10. THEN copy the other Windows 10 image over to it.

 

Windows 10 activation with new motherboard


I've tried contacting Microsoft support by both chat (twice) and phone, and none of it was helpful. And so I'm posting the problem here.

I have a laptop that was originally running Windows 7. I upgraded to Windows 10 last month via the free upgrade option, and things were working fine for a while. However, a motherboard issue forced me to replace the motherboard yesterday. This also required me to move the old hard drive and CPU to the new motherboard.

Now, my problem is this: while I do still have Windows 10 installed on my device, it is an evaluation copy; it is not activated as the full product. Some research told me that the free W10 upgrade is linked to the device's hardware, something I didn't know. Since I'm using a different motherboard now, Microsoft apparently doesn't recognize that I DO own a full version of W10 courtesy of the free upgrade.

So now I'm wondering whether there is a way to transfer my W10 license to the new motherboard so it will activate. And before you ask/suggest anything:

• My original sticker on the bottom of my computer with the W7 license key on it fell off a long time ago. So no, I don't have that.
• I tried contacting Dell to get my original product key, and they refused to help me because I'm out of warranty, even though what I'm asking them for is very simple.

Any help is appreciated.