Windows 10: Unable to activate Windows after hardware change

A few days back I changed my motherboard, CPU of my PC. When I started my PC back up, I had to re-activate Windows on this device. I tried doing that, but it kept giving me the message that it was unable to re-activate my license. I bought this PC about 6 years ago, with a Windows 8 license on it, and I still have the key for it. But even if I try to activate my license with the key, it gives me error 0x803fa067, telling me that I do not have a valid key. This was a pre-built PC I bought, so that might be the reason it doesn't want to activate? I am pretty sure I have a valid key.


Any help would be appreciated!

:)

 

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

 

Unable to activate windows after a hardware change

Hello.

I changed my hardware today and when I logged back into windows it was unable to activate windows.

I got my license key tied to my Microsoft account so what I did was this:

1. Went into activation in settings.

2. Hit "Troubleshoot".

3. "I changed hardware on this device recently".

4. It comes up with my current PC and my old PC.

5. I hit "This is the device I'm currently using right now and Activate.

6. "Unable to activate Windows, we can't activate reactivate Windows on this device. Try again later."

So I am stuck, please advise what my next step should be.

 

windows activation—hardware changed siginficantly

From time to time on my thoroughbred PC, I get a Windows activation message that says my hardware changed siginificantly and I have to re-activate Windows. My hardware hasn't changed any more than a network card (went from a wireless g card to onboard lan to a wired network card), and the install is legit. Why is it doing this, and how can I stop it?