Windows 10: windows not activated, windows reported changed hardware, what do i do?

this is following a replacement motherboard after the older one "bit the dust", i get on to the annoying activate windows. since i upgraded to win 10 from win 7, i thought the digital key was going to make the upgrade smooth... i guess that is not the case. i'd prefer not to spend 200 dollars to just get my windows activated again, so what are my options? anything that involves the old motherboard is out of the question, as it no longer posts...

:)

 

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

 

How do I get Windows 7 to install on a full 3 TB HDD?

Thanks everyone, much appreciated. Giving this a shot now. I already try converting to GPT once already and it worked, but still only showed 2 TB, however, the steps listed your link Newteki have a few added steps I did not do. Also, I decided to go with Windows 8 Pro since Windows 7 was giving me so much trouble with this issue, yet it still gave me the same problems of only showing 2 TB then a separate 700ish GB drive.

Here goes nothing, thanks all, will be reporting back soon, hozzah!