Do I need a product key after I reinstall windows on my new mobo?

[Penny5837]

I'm getting a new CPU today, and I'm going to reinstall windows to make sure I don't get any errors. I downloaded Windows 10 Technical preview and used it till full windows 10 came out. I never had to use a product key, and got windows "for free". I'm wondering if I'll need to get a key when I reinstall? Thanks.

[Minsekt]

no the key is saved on your board, just press skip/i dont have a product key when installing, windows will activate itself once its done installing.

[Penny5837]

Just now, Minsekt said:

no the key is saved on your board

I'm getting a new board....

[Minsekt]

1 minute ago, peterino55 said:

I'm getting a new board....

well then you need key. try tools that read your windows key, maybe that key will work with a new install but i doubt it

[Penny5837]

Just now, Minsekt said:

well then you need key. 

I got tech preview, so no key...

[Mr.Meerkat]

Just now, Minsekt said:

no the key is saved on your board

Only if he hasn't changed motherboards...and since he states "windows on my new mobo" in the title, I would think he is indeed talking about installing it on a new mobo...

 

1 minute ago, peterino55 said:

I'm getting a new board....

Damn, just a few seconds before I posted  

but otherwise, you do need a key unfortunately 

[Stardar1]

Microsoft can reset your key via online help. Just explain that you swapped mobos and they will reset it. 

 

You can install it without activating it in the meantime

[Minsekt]

Just now, Stardar1 said:

Microsoft can reset your key via online help. Just explain that you swapped mobos and they will reset it. 

 

You can install it without activating it in the meantime

yeah but that works only if he has a key in the first place

[Stardar1]

Just now, Minsekt said:

yeah but that works only if he has a key in the first place

no...

you can install without a key, and activate it after you are in windows. 

[Minsekt]

Just now, Stardar1 said:

no...

you can install without a key, and activate it after you are in windows. 

yeah with a key. since hes swapping his mainbord theres no key saved on it... ?! he want to do a clean install

 

/edit well yeah, before doing the clean install .. that can propably work.

 

try to swap mobo/cpu and boot your system without doing a clean install. then try to activate via phone and the key should be saved to the board

[Penny5837]

2 minutes ago, Minsekt said:

yeah with a key. since hes swapping his mainbord theres no key saved on it... ?!

You didn't have to register tech preview

[Stardar1]

2 minutes ago, Minsekt said:

yeah with a key. since hes swapping his mainbord theres no key saved on it... ?! he want to do a clean install

 

/edit well yeah, before doing the clean install .. that can propably work.

 

try to swap mobo/cpu and boot your system without doing a clean install. then try to activate via phone and the key should be saved to the board

Let me try to be more clear:

 

1. swap parts.

2. go to install windows on the same disk, do a format in the install process, like you would normally

3. when it prompts for a key there should be an option to install without activation, 

4. once in windows, go to MSFT's support site and someone can reset your key via remote desktop. 

[Minsekt]

Just now, peterino55 said:

You didn't have to register tech preview

doesnt matter there has to be a key somehow. just call the robot-hotline and do what they tell you after swapping it

[Minsekt]

1 minute ago, Stardar1 said:

Let me try to be more clear:

 

1. swap parts.

2. go to install windows on the same disk, do a format in the install process, like you would normally

3. when it prompts for a key there should be an option to install without activation, 

4. once in windows, go to MSFT's support site and someone can reset your key via remote desktop. 

no that wont work since he doesnt have a faulty key, he has no key at all

 

what can work is:

 

swap parts

boot into windows without doing a clean install

check if windows is still activated (lets hope its not)

if not, press click activate windows

select phone activation and follow what the robot tells you (they give you some verifiction numbers and thats it, activated again)

worth a try. but since you have no key at all theres no other way

[Stardar1]

Just now, Minsekt said:

no that wont work since he doesnt have a faulty key, he has no key at all

It will work, I have done it before. 

 

There is no way to realign the product key to a new mobo, the key assigns itself to the Mobo hash. 

[Minsekt]

2 minutes ago, Stardar1 said:

It will work, I have done it before. 

 

There is no way to realign the product key to a new mobo, the key assigns itself to the Mobo hash. 

 

so you expect they just gift you a key for free because youre calling them? explain please.

he did never pay for it, neither did he have a windows 7 or 8/8.1 key. 

 

he has like nothing to show them and no proof he ever had windows activated after swapping the board

[Penny5837]

26 minutes ago, Minsekt said:

 

so you expect they just gift you a key for free because youre calling them? explain please.

he did never pay for it, neither did he have a windows 7 or 8/8.1 key. 

 

he has like nothing to show them and no proof he ever had windows activated after swapping the board

What would I call anyway

[Penny5837]

44 minutes ago, Stardar1 said:

Microsoft can reset your key via online help. Just explain that you swapped mobos and they will reset it. 

 

You can install it without activating it in the meantime

How would you contact them?

[Stardar1]

1 minute ago, peterino55 said:

How would you contact them?

their support site

[Penny5837]

1 minute ago, Stardar1 said:

their support site

Link?

[Minsekt]

14 minutes ago, peterino55 said:

What would I call anyway

if you open system settings where it says windows is activated/not activated you can select activate windows via phone service (or something similar) then you can call a free hotline, (theres no actual person on the phone, just a google translate voice) the girl on the phone tells you some number/letter combintions to verify your windows key. (you dont have to enter the windows key itself) but just like i said i dont think that will work since theres no key on your new board saved that you could assign to windows.

 

what i would do is, either:

 

swap mobo/cpu and run cmd , enter "slmgr.vbs /ato" and hit enter

swap mobo/cpu and boot from the already existing windows partition and see if windows is activated. if yes, just reset windows from system settings. if not, try the phone activation by pressing (activate windows now) and follow the girl as i said above.

 

the "change key method" like stardar1 said works only if you have a key. you can try to read your key with a programm (dont know how theyre called) and try his method with the key the program shows you but i dont think that will work since its not a key that was upgraded from a previous version of windows or bought by you.

[Penny5837]

8 minutes ago, Minsekt said:

if you open system settings where it says windows is activated/not activated you can select activate windows via phone service (or something similar) then you can call a free hotline, (theres no actual person on the phone, just a google translate voice) the girl on the phone tells you some number/letter combintions to verify your windows key. (you dont have to enter the windows key itself) but just like i said i dont think that will work since theres no key on your new board saved that you could assign to windows.

 

what i would do is, either:

 

swap mobo/cpu and run cmd , enter "slmgr.vbs /ato" and hit enter

swap mobo/cpu and boot from the already existing windows partition and see if windows is activated. if yes, just reset windows from system settings. if not, try the phone activation by pressing (activate windows now) and follow the girl as i said above.

 

the "change key method" like stardar1 said works only if you have a key. you can try to read your key with a programm (dont know how theyre called) and try his method with the key the program shows you but i dont think that will work since its not a key that was upgraded from a previous version of windows or bought by you.

I'll have to try it when the processor ships.