Windows 10: Windows 10 won't activate after hardware change

After buying a new motherboard, cpu and ram and struggling to get it set up on windows 7 not realizing that it wouldn't run the 3.2 USB ports I eventually tried upgrading to Windows 10. The upgrade wouldn't work for some reason, so after more fighting with it to format my SSD and finally install the newly bought Windows 10 on my old board I promptly changed over to the new one. Now on my new setup Windows will not activate saying the key was used on another device.


How can I fix this issue and get it to activate on this new hardware.

:)

 

Activate Windows 10 after a hardware change !

Hi !

I ve just did a hardware change and I reactivated Windows 10 using the Microsoft account ! But I see that Windows 10 still activates on my old hardware !

I was expecting that It won t activate any more on the old hardware ! Can anyone help me ?

 

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?

 

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