Activation problems after changing Board and CPU

[humbug]

This was updated from windows 8 when it was free, never had a problem with it, not even when updating from a FX-8### rig to an Intel one.

Now i have changed the motherboard and CPU again i get this crap:

It never came with a license key, it was a straight upgrade free from windows 8.

when trouble shooting i get this.

When i click on changed hardware it just says 'again' you cann't activate windows on this device, no explication, just basically no... go away.

WTF?

 

[humbug]

The W10 license is tied to the original mobo IIRC. Maybe reinstall W8 and then upgrade to W10 to link it to your new system.

I don't have windows 8 anymore, haven't done for years.

So even tho i paid for windows 8 and was given the Windows 10 upgrade its only actually valid for one motherboard, its been downgraded to one time use only? now i have to buy a new windows license?

At this rate i'm pirating one, or switching to Linux. i'm not paying £150 again for another one time use license, i might upgrade the board again in 6 months. #### that!

 

[humbug]

I'm not buying it again, ^^^^ and then again when i change the motherboard again, if the license key cost me more than the board everytime i upgrade the board.... yey not happening, they can #### off! there are other ways and frankly if that's the situation i don't blame people for doing it, MS are also still the only people who charge you anything let alone stupid money for their OS while also selling the analytics they gain from you through it, MS want their cake and to eat it twice, no!
---------------

Well that was interesting.

I googled MS Support, found a toll free number, they directed me to a web address with an app to download.

It was a remote desktop + chat thing, the woman at the other end of that spent 2 hours doing practically nothing, she opened control panel and diapered for 10 minutes, then performance monitor and diapered again for 10 minutes... after 2 hours of that she turned round and said: for £200 you can have a one time fix, for £300 you can have an annual Microsoft 365 support package.... my immediate instinct was *scam* i closed the chat.....
I looked deeper into the phone number and it turns out it is a 3'rd party company with 'Microsoft Help' Google keywords putting it at the top of the page when what you are looking for is Microsoft support.

I feel like an idiot falling for it.

 

[humbug]

If you have a Microsoft account you may be able to fix it, but I had a similar thing recently and basically had to do the windows 10 recovery thing, I.e. Reinstall windows from windows and it magically fixed everything, I didn't lose much stuff.

You're probably right, i didn't sign in first time with the account attached to this copy, that's probably why its thrown a wobler.... i might do a reinstall and sign into the account attached to it.

 

[humbug]

Yup, it was actually really easy... for anyone else with this issue.

# before upgrading Motherboard make note of the Microsoft Account your PC is tied to
# once upgraded and reinstalled select "activate windows"
# click on "trouble shoot" link
# click on "I have changed my hardware"
# It will ask you to sign into your Microsoft Account.
# once signed in it will show you the device linked to your account, select it.
# you are now activated