Activating windows after a hardware upgrade

[Amanita]

Recently I upgraded my hardware tremendously,  I went from a Dell Inspiron 660s with a core i3 2130 and intel integrated to a Ryzen 7 1700 with a 660TI that I will use until GPU prices stabilize again. The problem is that windows (I'm using the same hard drive from the inspiron, it came with windows 8 but I did the free windows 10 upgrade when it was offered) didn't like this hardware upgrade and believes that I am using a not activated copy of windows. I signed in with my microsoft account and used the troubleshooting feature which was unable to activate windows. If I click "I changed hardware on this device recently" it shows my Laptop that has windows 10 on it but not the desktop I upgraded from. Is there anything I can do to fix this or will I have to buy a windows 10 license?

[Lurick]

Have you tried phone activation?

If you're using a drive from your laptop in the new build, or even it's key, then that won't work and you'll need to buy a new copy.

 

Edit:

I got confused by the laptop at first, so ignore my last bit  

[RadiatingLight]

try changing keys to the one you purchased (the windows 8 key). it should work, and I think that you might have linked the laptop to your Microsoft account, but maybe not your desktop.

[RadiatingLight]

1 minute ago, Lurick said:

Have you tried phone activation?

If you're using a drive from your laptop in the new build, or even it's key, then that won't work and you'll need to buy a new copy.

No.

Microsoft lets you transfer keys between devices.

 

usually, it lets you do this automatically, but sometimes you need to call them.

[Lurick]

Just now, RadiatingLight said:

No.

Microsoft lets you transfer keys between devices.

 

usually, it lets you do this automatically, but sometimes you need to call them.

If it's an OEM key it can get tricky trying to move it to non-OEM hardware.

[bfairs]

Maybe you didn't link your old hardware to your Microsoft account?  I had a similar issue to you when I built my new PC.  Old Windows was activated, but wasn't actually linked to my account.  Luckily I was able to boot up my old mobo, properly link it to my account, then swap the drive back to my new mobo, sign into my account and have it activated.  This was with Windows 10 too.

[Amanita]

1 minute ago, bfairs said:

Maybe you didn't link your old hardware to your Microsoft account?  I had a similar issue to you when I built my new PC.  Old Windows was activated, but wasn't actually linked to my account.  Luckily I was able to boot up my old mobo, properly link it to my account, then swap the drive back to my new mobo, sign into my account and have it activated.  This was with Windows 10 though.

 

8 minutes ago, RadiatingLight said:

try changing keys to the one you purchased (the windows 8 key). it should work, and I think that you might have linked the laptop to your Microsoft account, but maybe not your desktop.

The Inspiron was linked to my Microsoft account, If I go to the microsoft website and sign in there it even shows it under my devices.

[Keppla]

I agree with most, just put in your windows 8 product key and you should be good.

[Master Disaster]

I believe I know what your issue is...

 

Being OEM your Dell won't have come with a key at all, instead the key is integrated into the system firmware and Windows retrieves it during install, no fuss, no mess. AFAIK machines with embedded keys don't bother activating or registering with MS as the key is stored in the machines firmware, cannot be altered by the user, is hidden from the user and is auto installed. There's simply no need for MS to check the key if its retrieved from firmware.

 

Now you've swapped the board the key is no longer embedded in the firmware so Windows is having a fit that you're using an embedded key on a machine that has no embedded key.

 

Even if you retrieved the key from the old board I doubt MS would entertain reactivating it for you as its an embedded OEM key, they'd just argue that its not the same computer and as such will require a new key to activate with.

 

Sorry but I think you're buying a new Windows key, definitely call MS first and explain the situation as you never know and the worst that can happen is MS will refuse to activate your machine but I'd prepare yourself for spending some money.

[GoodBytes]

3 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

I believe I know what your issue is...

 

Being OEM your Dell won't have come with a key at all, instead the key is integrated into the system firmware and Windows retrieves it during install, no fuss, no mess. AFAIK machines with embedded keys don't bother activating or registering with MS as the key is stored in the machines firmware, cannot be altered by the user, is hidden from the user and is auto installed. There's simply no need for MS to check the key if its retrieved from firmware.

 

Now you've swapped the board the key is no longer embedded in the firmware so Windows is having a fit that you're using an embedded key on a machine that has no embedded key.

 

Even if you retrieved the key from the old board I doubt MS would entertain reactivating it for you as its an embedded OEM key, they'd just argue that its not the same computer and as such will require a new key to activate with.

 

Sorry but I think you're buying a new Windows key, definitely call MS first and explain the situation as you never know and the worst that can happen is MS will refuse to activate your machine but I'd prepare yourself for spending some money.

Bingo! And OEM license, in any case, is not transferable. Only Retail box version you can (and part of the reason why you pay a bit more for it)