Windows 10 upgrade no new product key is issued!

[JordLindsay]

Just thought id share this chat with Microsoft, so it turns out you have to install your old windows to do a clean install and upgrade it back to 10 each time you clean install windows if you upgraded to 10 in the first place. (see below) Just an FYI thread but this seems a bit ridiculous to me.

 

 

Hi, thanks for visiting Answer Desk! I'm Terrence Y.

11:10

Ive had to replace the motherboard in my computer, this has lead to win10 believing it is a new device. I want assistance in reactivating my new motherboard and removing the old one as a device.

11:10

May I know what was your old operating system before.

11:10

win 10

11:10

I mean before you upgraded to windows 10.

11:11

both the old and new mobo were running windows 10?

11:11

motherboard*

11:11

I upgraded from 8.1 pro but this was before I replaced the motherboard

11:12

I see. Let me just check my tools here in my end on what we can do on it. Because this might be a different one, specially windows 10 is a new operating system. And you've just upgrade from windows 8.1 to windows 10 which means you don't have a product key for windows 10.

11:13

that's the problem on my old motherboard it was activated instantly, you can see it in my devices on my Microsoft account

11:15

Let me just check information on this because the phone activation wont really work on this specially the online activation because your product key is only for windows 8.1 pro

11:16

yeh the phone activation is what ive used in the past

11:17

Ive just check my resources, we cannot used the phone activation because the product that was installed on the computer is for windows 8.1, which means for us to activate the system again, we need to go back to windows 8.1 then activate it their then upgrade to windows 10 back.

11:23

your kidding me

 

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[Timopomer]

that isnt that bad . the issue is. what if the upgrade period ends?

 

 

also. simply create a system restore right after installing 10. then you can clean install in minutes

[xc3ll]

Thank you for sharing. I just opened a thread yesterday to ask and answer a few open questions with Microsofts license policy.

Your post here was the final missing piece.

 

Maybe the support isn't prepared for requests like this yet, but as far as I know, they really tie your license to the Mainboard-ID. Which is pretty bad for us PC-Builders (...the only group that actually pays for windows!). If the "free-upgrade-year" is over, this might even lead to voiding your license if your mainboard dies.

 

But hey, consoles, mobile and app users seem to be the only thing companies think about these days...

 

 

hat isnt that bad . the issue is. what if the upgrade period ends?

 

 

also. simply create a system restore right after installing 10. then you can clean install in minutes

 

Basicly a good idea, but it doesn't solve the activation-problem. Swap your mainboard and you won't be able to activate Win10 (without a license key). I tested it in the thread i linked above.

[Tarzan]

I did the upgrade and the key of my W10 is different from the key I bought for W8.1...

[xc3ll]

I did the upgrade and the key of my W10 is different from the key I bought for W8.1...

Yeah it is. Did you read it out with a third party tool?

If yes: Does it end with "**T6Y"? Because all Keys I read out do (they are all the same!), so I assume they are "dummy keys".

 

edit: Just spoke to to the MS-Support myself.

They confirmed everthing we found out so far. And they even confirmed, that you'll lose your license, if you change your Hardware after the free-upgrade-period. So, if you want to do a mainboardchange in the next year it's ok, but after that, you'll be screwed. There is no plan to change this policy. But, the good news are: If you buy a full license of win 10 today, everthing will remain as it was in the past. With a correct key you can change your hardware as often as you want.

[Tarzan]

Yeah it is. Did you read it out with a third party tool?

If yes: Does it end with "**T6Y"? Because all Keys I read out do (they are all the same!), so I assume they are "dummy keys".

 

edit: Just spoke to to the MS-Support myself.

They confirmed everthing we found out so far. And they even confirmed, that you'll lose your license, if you change your Hardware after the free-upgrade-period. So, if you want to do a mainboardchange in the next year it's ok, but after that, you'll be screwed. There is no plan to change this policy. But, the good news are: If you buy a full license of win 10 today, everthing will remain as it was in the past. With a correct key you can change your hardware as often as you want.

I wrote a topic: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/421470-windows-81-pro-windows-10-pro-the-key-changed/

 

And no, the key doesn't end by T6Y...

[JordLindsay]

Yes i used a third party to to see my product key before the new mobo, and your correct its new, but it does not work now ive changed the mobo

[JordLindsay]

Just got off the phone with them and the only solution is to buy a new key, or try downgrading activating and upgrading but they cant say if that will work. Like you lot are saying this is awful for pc builders. It should just work like their office 365 service where you can remove and add devices whenever you want and simply have a device limit. very strange set up.

[JordLindsay]

I wrote a topic: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/421470-windows-81-pro-windows-10-pro-the-key-changed/

 

And no, the key doesn't end by T6Y...

 

I agree mine doesn't end t6y either but it still shows as invalid on new mobo

[Tarzan]

I agree mine doesn't end t6y either but it still shows as invalid on new mobo

Try to disconnect from the store (your MS Account), and remove the key from the computer (HERE)

 

Then log in to the store. It worked for me...

[JordLindsay]

Try to disconnect from the store (your MS Account), and remove the key from the computer (HERE)

 

Then log in to the store. It worked for me...

 

No luck for me, creating a bootable 8.1 iso now will try activate on that os then upgrade see if that works

[JordLindsay]

UPDATE: activating the motherboard in win 8.1 was the simplist thing in the world using the phone activation tool.

 

I can confirm that when you upgrade to win 10 your hardware is linked to your OLD Product key therefore you can clean install as much as you want unless you encounter a significant hardware change.

 

Then you must activate it using your product key, on the original OS that the product key came from, and re-upgrade to Win 10.