Windows 10 reactivation problem

[akio123008]

Ok, so I've recently purchased some nice new hardware (mobo cpu and ram). I could just use the same hard drive, and I read online that windows 10 can just be re-activated. That is indeed true. You can use a troubleshooter to get to a window that allows you to select the device you're currently using and then you can activate it. However, when I tried this, it told me that it couldn't reactivate windows 10. That's weird, because I'm using the same kind of OS on the same type of device, and according to MS, I can just reactivate it. But then I figured it out. Apparently, the 'type of device' classification of my old hardware was 'to be filled by OEM', while my new hardware classifies as 'PC'. Which is why windows 10 thinks that my computer is now a different type of device, while this is actually not the case. Does anyone out there know a solution to this problem? Could I change the classification of my new hardware to 'to be filled by OEM' perhaps? 

 

Thanks in advance.

[unknownmiscreant]

Do you have the product key? As often the key is stored on the motherboard.

 

Also try contact microsft, as they can lock keys if they are activated too many times. I once had them unlock a vista (uuugh) key I had activated around too many machines. Just say something along the lines of "i got a new pc, threw my old one out and want to reuse the key" it worked for me.

[You_are_a_cunt]

Ran into pretty much the same problem. Microshaft Tech (non)Support refused to reactivate my license (even though it was a retail key). Ended up using one of my Win 8 keys and upgrading.

[unknownmiscreant]

1 minute ago, revsilverspine said:

Ran into pretty much the same problem. Microshaft Tech (non)Support refused to reactivate my license (even though it was a retail key). Ended up using one of my Win 8 keys and upgrading.

Yeah. That also works. Win 10 doesn't accept 7/8 keys in setup , but it does after its installed. 

[LHJKO]

call them and talk to a real person 

[akio123008]

I don't have any product keys. It uses that new digital licensing system. I should be able just to click activate, but that doesn't work because it thinks my PC is now a different device.

[unknownmiscreant]

Just now, Vernw3 said:

call them and talk to a real person 

Hard to do that nowadays. They like you to use the chat thing, so then each employee can deal with multiple people at once.

 

I got to talk to someone as I did the whole phone activation thing.

[unknownmiscreant]

Just now, akio123008 said:

I don't have any product keys. It uses that new digital licensing system. I should be able just to click activate, but that doesn't work because it thinks my PC is now a different device.

Try the magical jelly bean key finder to get the key, then re-enter it.

 

Also if you are a student, you can get windows for free.

[LHJKO]

Just now, unknownmiscreant said:

Hard to do that nowadays. They like you to use the chat thing, so then each employee can deal with multiple people at once.

 

I got to talk to someone as I did the whole phone activation thing.

not hard at all

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

 

say what you need help with say it didnt help then you can select get a call back 

[You_are_a_cunt]

Just now, unknownmiscreant said:

Yeah. That also works. Win 10 doesn't accept 7/8 keys in setup , but it does after its installed. 

Mine didn't accept squat. Ended up formatting my SSD (6th time that night after numerous attempts at upgrading from Win 7, for which I had keys galore), installing win 8, updating to 8.1 on latest patch then upgrading to 10 and patching THAT up. Second worst 2 days of the year (first worst 2 days were when my original build bit the dust due to crapshot PSU and power surge)

[unknownmiscreant]

1 minute ago, Vernw3 said:

not hard at all

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

 

say what you need help with say it didnt help then you can select get a call back 

I stand corrected. But its still a nuisance, as you get to talk to a computer first. Mind you they do that with the chat now as well.

 

Just say random stuff, and the computer gets confused and goes away.

 

2 minutes ago, revsilverspine said:

Mine didn't accept squat. Ended up formatting my SSD (6th time that night after numerous attempts at upgrading from Win 7, for which I had keys galore), installing win 8, updating to 8.1 on latest patch then upgrading to 10 and patching THAT up. Second worst 2 days of the year (first worst 2 days were when my original build bit the dust due to crapshot PSU and power surge)

That does sound like hell, but you have no idea how many times I have installed and reinstalled windows trying to sort out driver compatibility issues on my rig. However I haven't had stuff die from power surges (maybe thats the benefits of a ups.)

[akio123008]

I can easlily reinstall the entire OS using a thumb drive, but even then it will think that my PC is now a different type of device, and it therefore won't activate. I'd have to buy a product key, or find some way of changing the hardware classification of my current rig to 'to bew filled by OEM'. 

 

Now fortunately, I didn't pay a lot of money, but there are a lot of other people out there, who have spent loads of money on win 10 pro, dealing with the same problem. That's terrible. I thought they days of crappy windows activation were over, but I was wrong.

 

But you guys are right. I'm going to ask M$, and if they won't fix it, I'll threaten to install Ubuntu

 

[LHJKO]

1 minute ago, akio123008 said:

I can easlily reinstall the entire OS using a thumb drive, but even then it will think that my PC is now a different type of device, and it therefore won't activate. I'd have to buy a product key, or find some way of changing the hardware classification of my current rig to 'to bew filled by OEM'. 

 

Now fortunately, I didn't pay a lot of money, but there are a lot of other people out there, who have spent loads of money on win 10 pro, dealing with the same problem. That's terrible. I thought they days of crappy windows activation were over, but I was wrong.

 

But you guys are right. I'm going to ask M$, and if they won't fix it, I'll threaten to install Ubuntu

 

when you buy windows or get a prebuilt there are 2 versions oem and retail on the oem your not allowed to transfer it so dont blame microsoft

[unknownmiscreant]

1 minute ago, akio123008 said:

I can easlily reinstall the entire OS using a thumb drive, but even then it will think that my PC is now a different type of device, and it therefore won't activate. I'd have to buy a product key, or find some way of changing the hardware classification of my current rig to 'to bew filled by OEM'. 

 

Now fortunately, I didn't pay a lot of money, but there are a lot of other people out there, who have spent loads of money on win 10 pro, dealing with the same problem. That's terrible. I thought they days of crappy windows activation were over, but I was wrong.

 

But you guys are right. I'm going to ask M$, and if they won't fix it, I'll threaten to install Ubuntu

 

Yeah, I'm only stuck on windows, as ubuntu doesn't run the software I need to run.

 

You could try activate it on a VM, to see if it is the windows install that is the issue.

[akio123008]

I know about retail and OEM, but again, according to all of the information from MS, I've got a retail version that can be reinstalled, and with new hardware. It's a clean install of windows 10.

[unknownmiscreant]

Just now, Vernw3 said:

when you buy windows or get a prebuilt there are 2 versions oem and retail on the oem your not allowed to transfer it so dont blame microsoft

Yeah, I actually just use student keys provided by Uni for everything now. Unlimited no questions asked activation count. But yes, I remember the days where all I had was OEM keys.

[unknownmiscreant]

4 minutes ago, akio123008 said:

I know about retail and OEM, but again, according to all of the information from MS, I've got a retail version that can be reinstalled, and with new hardware. It's a clean install of windows 10.

Take it up with MS then. I think they can detect when a PC is no longer active.

[akio123008]

Haha, that MS robot is insane.

 

'we will both work this out as a team' ^^

 

 

[unknownmiscreant]

20 minutes ago, akio123008 said:

Haha, that MS robot is insane.

 

'we will both work this out as a team' ^^

 

 

Just say random stuff at it. It tries for a bit, but gives up.