Help - New motherboard - can't reactivate Windows

[Guest]

A320 broke, replaced with a B550 using all the same components as before.

Updated BIOS and Windows completely up to date

Everything working fine except Windows no longer activated

 

The troubleshooting process doesn't work. (select the "I recently changed hardware" option in Activation Troubleshooting)

The error is like "Unable to reactivate windows using any of these devices"

 

In my windows account the new motherboard is showing as a new PC (same PC name)

I can't see any way to transfer the windows key from the old mobo to the new one.

 

Is speaking to Microsoft my only option?

[AndreiArgeanu]

There should be a way to deactivate the windows license for the pc with the a320 motherboard. If there isn't one or you can't find it I suggest contacting Microsoft support.

You can do so here

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/contactus/

[Naijin]

10 minutes ago, Shabba said:

A320 broke, replaced with a B550 using all the same components as before.

Updated BIOS and Windows completely up to date

Everything working fine except Windows no longer activated

 

The troubleshooting process doesn't work. (select the "I recently changed hardware" option in Activation Troubleshooting)

The error is like "Unable to reactivate windows using any of these devices"

 

In my windows account the new motherboard is showing as a new PC (same PC name)

I can't see any way to transfer the windows key from the old mobo to the new one.

 

Is speaking to Microsoft my only option?

I had an issue when I got a new build. You should be able to deactivate the old one and re-enter your key on the new system.

[Stahlmann]

Afaik the license is bound to the mobo. I strongly suggest binding it to a microsoft account so you can just use the account to reactivate windows on a new mobo. When contacting the support you should still be able to recover your license.

 

If you ever change out your mobo when it still works, you have to deactivate windows before changing out the hardware. Then after everything is installed reactivate it with your key.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

Afaik the license is bound to the mobo. I strongly suggest binding it to a microsoft account so you can just use the account to reactivate windows on a new mobo. When contacting the support you should still be able to recover your license.

 

If you ever change out your mobo when it still works, you have to deactivate windows before changing out the hardware. Then after everything is installed reactivate it with your key.

Yeah the problem was the mobo USB connector broke so I couldn't deactivate on the old mobo however it is all bound to the microsoft account but the Microsoft support person says I need the old key or proof of purchase for the windows key in order to be able to reactivate.

The key was provided by school

[Guest]

So after talking to 3 different MS support engineers with 3 different opinions the final guy just gave me a new product key.

 

Bit of a pain but all sorted now

[dilpickle]

I just installed new mobo, cpu, video card, ram and cpu cooler all at the same time and it worked fine. The only parts that were the same were the m.2 drives (and case, psu).

 

My license is tied to a Microsoft account.