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Can anyone explain this?!

Cigano
By Cigano
in Windows
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I bought an OEM Windows 10 pro key for $15 a little more than a month ago. My b450 tomahawk ended up breaking( I was told it was a good overclocking board....it isn't apparently) so I ordered an ASUS x470-f. Everything I read told me that OEM keys are tied to the motherboard they're installed on. I also called Microsoft to ask and they told me it's impossible to use the same OEM key with a different motherboard. So today I installed the new board turned on the pc to start installing windows and put in the new OEM key I bought and bam it loaded in to windows like nothing had ever happened. Literally loaded up in seconds with all of my stuff (games files, app, pictures) and didn't even prompt me for a product key. Does anyone know how this is possible? 

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It's not officially supposed to happen, but it's not really a perfect process, so just be glad you ended up lucky this time around.

I WILL find your ITX build thread, and I WILL recommend the SIlverstone Sugo SG13B

 

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Draws 400 watts under max load, for reference.

 

How many watts do I need? ATX 3.0 & PCIe 5.0 spec, PSU misconceptions, protections explained, group reg is bad

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If you tie the key to your Microsoft account then it should allow you to swap out hardware without issue.

Current Network Layout:

Current Build Log/PC:

Prior Build Log/PC:

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1 minute ago, fasauceome said:

It's not officially supposed to happen, but it's not really a perfect process, so just be glad you ended up lucky this time around.

that's interesting have you heard of this happening before? 

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Just now, Cigano said:

that's interesting have you heard of this happening before? 

Well, similar stuff. Technically, windows doesn't like changing motherboards at all, and a non-oem install has a good chance of not working with a new motherboard either.

I WILL find your ITX build thread, and I WILL recommend the SIlverstone Sugo SG13B

 

Primary PC:

i7 8086k - EVGA Z370 Classified K - G.Skill Trident Z RGB - WD SN750 - Jedi Order Titan Xp - Hyper 212 Black (with RGB Riing flair) - EVGA G3 650W - dual booting Windows 10 and Linux - Black and green theme, Razer brainwashed me.

Draws 400 watts under max load, for reference.

 

How many watts do I need? ATX 3.0 & PCIe 5.0 spec, PSU misconceptions, protections explained, group reg is bad

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1 minute ago, Lurick said:

If you tie the key to your Microsoft account then it should allow you to swap out hardware without issue.

I didn't tie my account to windows and I didn't have a normal retail key. 

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Just now, fasauceome said:

Well, similar stuff. Technically, windows doesn't like changing motherboards at all, and a non-oem install has a good chance of not working with a new motherboard either.

Last I checked, a non-OEM, retail key, is good for 3 or 5 installations. If you tie the key to your Microsoft account then it definitely moves with the account and not the hardware.

Current Network Layout:

Current Build Log/PC:

Prior Build Log/PC:

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3 minutes ago, Cigano said:

I didn't tie my account to windows and I didn't have a normal retail key. 

Well I just reread your post and the fact that a different motherboard from Vendor A to Vendor B didn't prompt windows to even reinstall drivers and go through a basic setup tells me something else is fishy because every time I've swapped hardware out it has always reinstalled drivers and has gone though some basic setup, minimum. You most likely bought a Volume License Key.

Current Network Layout:

Current Build Log/PC:

Prior Build Log/PC:

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Just now, Cigano said:

that's interesting have you heard of this happening before? 

Yep. 2:40.

 

 

 

In search of the future, new tech, and exploring the universe! All under the cover of anonymity!

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OEM keys are tied to OEM boards, so I question the legitimacy of your key actually being OEM. But you can easily transfer keys, just tie it to your MS account and do the activation troubleshooter. 

 

But I just don't question things. I installed Windows 10 on a re-build of my old PC expecting to have to buy a new key or run watermark windows, but I apparently got a full WIndows 10 Home key for free. Theoretically MS's servers may have detected that hardware config and reactivated the license key for some reason, because I know for a fact I transfered that one Windows key to my Ryzen upgrade

Primary PC: - https://pcpartpicker.com/list/8G3tXv (Windows 10 Home)

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7 minutes ago, MyName0602 said:

My desktop is activated with a key from an old laptop.

I could see something like that being more likely than this situation because I wasn't even prompted to put in a key at all, it just loaded up like normal with a completly different motherboard. But yeah that's interesting you got lucky as well 

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Im guessing because the B450 & X470 chipset are so closely related, there possibly wasn't enough delta in the Hardware ID to trigger the activation to require a re-arm. 

 

If you want to check your key, you can run this command from cmd prompt which will give you a summary.  

slmgr /dlv

 

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