Windows 10 still working after motherboard upgrade..

[CB_J_IRacing]

I just finished upgrading my motherboard, PSU and RAM for a little more performance and was expecting to need a new Windows key, but after adjusting my settings in bios after powering on for the first time it just started like normal. I played a game on steam, watched YouTube, everything seems fine.But In settings I get a message in red letters that says I can't customize my PC without activating windows, but I'm not sure what that means because I haven't found anything I can't customize. I ran an update that worked fine, so my question is, what isn't working, or what is a reason I need to purchase windows 10 again for?

[nick name]

2 minutes ago, CB_J_IRacing said:

I just finished upgrading my motherboard, PSU and RAM for a little more performance and was expecting to need a new Windows key, but after adjusting my settings in bios after powering on for the first time it just started like normal. I played a game on steam, watched YouTube, everything seems fine.But In settings I get a message in red letters that says I can't customize my PC without activating windows, but I'm not sure what that means because I haven't found anything I can't customize. I ran an update that worked fine, so my question is, what isn't working, or what is a reason I need to purchase windows 10 again for?

You probably don't have to.  Google Windows activation and find what steps are relevant to your situation.  You may have to call a phone number or you may get lucky and the process will recognize something in your system.  

[SupaKomputa]

Windows installation is tied to the motherboard, if you change it you need to reactivate it.

Just call microsoft and ask them for a new activation key, i've done this many times.

[CB_J_IRacing]

Ok ill try when I get home. But I thought maybe since I upgraded from a B450m DS3H to a B450 Tomahawk Max  maybe it sees the upgraded as a tweak and not a upgrade?? I don't know just trying to understand why I'm not getting a black screen

 

[CB_J_IRacing]

3 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

Windows installation is tied to the motherboard, if you change it you need to reactivate it.

Just call microsoft and ask them for a new activation key, i've done this many times.

If I need to I will. But everything is working fine so far

[homeap5]

It may be also temporary info that disappears after your system reactivates itself. If you can change wallpaper, if you have info in your control panel that system is activated, then you're fine. There is no REAL reason to reinstalling system after hardware change, only repeated opinions that it's needed for SOME unspecified reason.

[CB_J_IRacing]

27 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

It may be also temporary info that disappears after your system reactivates itself. If you can change wallpaper, if you have info in your control panel that system is activated, then you're fine. There is no REAL reason to reinstalling system after hardware change, only repeated options that it's needed for SOME unspecified reason.

Alright I'll give that a try when I get home. I'll post if everything seems ok still

[homeap5]

It supposed be "opinions", not "options". Damn typing by phone.

[CB_J_IRacing]

36 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

It supposed be "opinions", not "options". Damn typing by phone.

Gotcha. I'm wondering if I should call the number and enter the installation ID like it's telling me, but I should probably just leave it alone since it's working 

[CB_J_IRacing]

Ok so it would not let me change the background photo so I guess that's what it meant by I couldn't customize my PC, but I called the help number, entered old IID, it gave me a new IID, and the red watermark went away. Thanks to everyone who helped me