Windows 10 Activate/ Motherboard

[Pezzy]

Hi all.

Recently, my motherboard got fried (or is the term "bricked"?!?!), and I put in a new motherboard & processor.

All the hardware connected to the motherboard is still the same: Same PSU, SSD, HDD, graphics card, and externals, too: same keyboard, mouse, etc.

When I went to Windows 10, I had had a license key from Windows 7 Pro, so, I had a "digital entitlement"; that's the proper term, isn't it?

Anyway, since swapping out the motherboard (and I gotta admit, I didn't think it would boot into my Win 10 Pro OS; with the motherboard swap, I thought it would have blue-screened on me!!!), I noticed a little something:

When I go into Start/ Settings/ Update & Security, and then click on Activation, there is now an error there; it says this:

"We can't activate Windows on this device because you don't have a valid digital license or product key. Go to the Store to buy genuine Windows.
Error Code: 0x803F7001"

What happens in a situation like this? I believe I understand why it's happening: When I originally installed Win 10, I believe it now takes a "snapshot" of your system and its hardware. But now, there's a "new" motherboard, processor, chipset.......

Even though all of my other internal & external hardware is the same, I guess Windows didn't like not seeing the same motherboard, etc., right?

Is there a way I can get this properly activated again without going to the "Store"? Can I get my "digital entitlement" back?

Should I simply try clicking on "Change product key"????.....or will it not like that, since the hardware (motherboard/ processor/ chipset) is not the same?

Thanks for any help or info,
Pez

 

[carnageX]

So firstly, was your Windows 7 that you upgraded from Retail or OEM? If it was retail, then your Win10 upgrade is also retail, and thus you should be able to reactivate just fine.

However if it was OEM, then technically you have to purchase a new license unless you call MS and see if they will reactivate it for you.

 

[Slacker]

If you had win 10 and updated the Anniversary Update-- Did you sign in using your MS Account? If so it shouild be as simple as signing back into your MS Account.

"Activating Windows 10 after a hardware configuration change
If you made a significant hardware change to your device (such as replacing the motherboard) Windows 10 might no longer be activated. If you're running Windows 10 (Version 1607) and added your Microsoft account and linked it to the digital license on your device, you can use the Activation troubleshooter to reactivate Windows."

more info here

 

[Pezzy]

carnageX & Slacker: thanks for your replies.

carnageX: Yes, my Windows 7 was retail, not OEM; that's a good thing in this situation

Slacker: That quote you put of, "Activating Windows 10 after a hardware configuration change....."; I either saw that somewhere in Start/ Settings/ Update & Security/ Activation, or I came across it somewhere on the 'Net. But anyway, how about that?!?! They specifically mention "motherboard", and that's what I happened to swap out!! What a coincidence!!

And yes, I had the Anniversary Update (Build 1607), and signed in with my MS account.

Sooooo.....in Settings/ …Activation, I just went & re-entered my Win 7 Pro key.....and I'm legit again; got my digital license back

And ya know, I was starting to see that watermark in the bottom right-hand corner of my screen, the thing about "Windows may not be genuine......", or something to that effect. But all gone now!!

So, now that I'm digitally activated again and MS has a snapshot of my "new" hardware (motherboard/ processor/ chipset), I should be good for what I'm about to do next:

As you may have noticed in my original post, I swapped out the motherboard, but everything else (internal & external) is the same. But the motherboard is a pretty main piece of hardware; everything connects to it!!

I was pleasantly surprised when my system booted into the OS after the motherboard swap; coulda sworn it would have blue-screened on me.

However, the system is acting a little funky since the MB swap (it's still "seeing" the old drivers/ software from the previous MB). So, since I was able to boot into my OS, I copied some stuff I want to save from my "C" drive/ profile and put it onto a separate drive.

I will now reformat with Windows 10 Pro from scratch, and then after booting up into the OS, I will then go about installing all the proper drivers/ software for this MB.

Say, wanted to check something: With the Win 7 Pro key that I have, and as I go about installing the Win 10 Pro OS from scratch, do you think I should enter the key right at the beginning during the process? Or should I wait until I'm booted to my desktop and then go into Settings/ ...Activation and enter the key then?

Or doesn't it really make a difference?

Thanks for any input,
Pez

 

[carnageX]

I was pleasantly surprised when my system booted into the OS after the motherboard swap; coulda sworn it would have blue-screened on me.

Windows has gotten better about hardware swapping. With Windows 7 it was 50/50. Windows 8 got a bit better, and it's gotten better with Win10 as well.

However, the system is acting a little funky since the MB swap (it's still "seeing" the old drivers/ software from the previous MB). So, since I was able to boot into my OS, I copied some stuff I want to save from my "C" drive/ profile and put it onto a separate drive.

I will now reformat with Windows 10 Pro from scratch, and then after booting up into the OS, I will then go about installing all the proper drivers/ software for this MB.

Don't even need to format really. Just go into Settings -> Recovery -> Choose "Reset this PC" and it'll reinstall Win10 to initial state, and move everything to Windows.old (if you choose that option during the Reset procedure).

Say, wanted to check something: With the Win 7 Pro key that I have, and as I go about installing the Win 10 Pro OS from scratch, do you think I should enter the key right at the beginning during the process? Or should I wait until I'm booted to my desktop and then go into Settings/ ...Activation and enter the key then?

Or doesn't it really make a difference?

Thanks for any input,
Pez

You shouldn't have to enter in a key at all now. Can just choose to skip that step, and then when you connect to the internet, it should automatically activate because it sees the hardware is the same.

 

[Pezzy]

carnageX: Yeah, I hear ya about Windows getting better with hardware swapping!! I remember it was back in either late 90's or early 2000, I tried a motherboard swap out with either Windows 98 or Win XP.......un-uh, no way!!! It totally seized up on me!!!

But what you mentioned about Settings -> Recovery -> Choose "Reset this PC"....I kinda knew that in the back of my mind.....but it just didn't come to the fore!

If I go that route, will it truly install a clean/ fresh install of Win 10, like it was initially? With, of course, that Windows.old folder created?

What I mean is: If I go this route, will all my previous motherboard drivers/ software be gone, leaving me fresh to install the new motherboard's stuff? And there'll be no conflict with dueling motherboard drivers/ software?
Pez