Windows 10 not activating.

[ethandeguire]

Jeez, windows 10 activation is so buggy...

 

So I upgraded my motherboard, cpu, and ram recently and went through the activation process in troubleshooter, which resulted in windows 10 being activated on my pc, I even changed the background and everything.

 

Then today when I log on I find the "Activate Windows" overlay on my desktop, but i still have my desktop backround.

 

In activation I find that windows "thinks" that I do not have a valid copy of windows, shown here -

 

So I google the error, which brings me to this page - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10738/windows-10-get-help-with-activation-errors?errorCode=0x803f7001&productId=Microsoft-Windows-Activation - which tells me to use the troublshooter, which I do -

 

 

I HAVE WINDOWS!!! 

 

When I click "I changed hardware [blah blah blah]" It has me log in to skype, then shows this - 

 

So, I wait a few minutes to find this -

 

 

After this didn't work I tried re-typing in my product key.

So! Am I screwed? What do I do? Help Appreciated! Thanks!

[knightslugger]

question:

 

Is your key for Windows 10 OEM?

 

If it is OEM, and it was activated on the old motherboard, you are REQUIRED to purchase a new W10 key for new hardware (motherboard).

[ethandeguire]

Just now, knightslugger said:

question:

 

Is your key for Windows 10 OEM?

 

If it is OEM, and it was activated on the old motherboard, you are REQUIRED to purchase a new W10 key for new hardware (motherboard).

i thought that might happen, but why did it let me change my backround before doing this????

[themctipers]

login to your Microsoft account

 

i believe you NEED to buy a new product key (/r/microsoftwareswap is good) when you upgrade your motherboard (for example, going from Z97 to Z270, the exception is going from Z87 to Z97 or something like that)

[knightslugger]

1 minute ago, ethandeguire said:

i thought that might happen, but why did it let me change my backround before doing this????

I have no idea. benefit of doubt before it could check in with the activation servers?

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, knightslugger said:

I have no idea. benefit of doubt before it could check in with the activation servers?

Call Microsoft and explain your situation. After I swapped my board (I did the upgrade from Win7), my key became obsolete as well. I gave Microsoft a call and after being transferred a couple times, I explained my problem to the tech on the other end. He was sympathetic and said that this happens a lot, fiddled around on his end and gave me a new key. Not sure if it's standard practice for Microsoft employees but he just gave me a new one. Worth a shot at least so you don't drop a hundred plus dollars on a 'genuine' copy.

[GoodBytes]

Windows is working as expected. I see no bugs.

I seems like you have acquired a OEM license of Windows, and therefore can't be transferred from one system to another. It determine that by locking itself to the motherboard the first time it is installed/activated. Only Retail licenses are transferable (hence you pay a bit more for this privilege (and 90day support and box). As you changed your motherboard, in your system upgrade, you sadly need to acquire yourself a new license of Windows.