Windows 10 Pro Deactivated After MB Failure/Change?

[Thunderbirdceramics]

My MB fried last month and I replaced it a couple of days ago. Windows 10 Pro is now deactivated. I did all the steps online and used the troubleshooter repeatedly to no avail. Online chat was useless as they wanted me to dig up a receipt for my OS from years ago as this was an upgrade from 7 Pro.

Based on feedback here and elsewhere I have called them but the person who I talked to said my MB owned the OS, not me. Because the MB died I need to pony up another $200 even though my system and 5 others I own are recognized on my Microsoft account as being good to go a month ago.

Has anyone else dealt with this nonsense recently? My MB did not waltz down to the store and buy the OS. I bought it. A hardware failure should not require me to buy another OS that was fine 30 days ago. Their insistence that I show a receipt from a decade ago for Windows 7 Pro is ludicrous.

The fact the system is recognized on my Microsoft account should be enough. Now it sees two systems with the same name but neither has an official OS all because of a MB change. I have 5 systems and and each one has a real OS not to mention the serious coin spent on MS Office!

I was told to call back in an hour if I want to talk to a supervisor and in 20 minutes I will do just that. I am always polite but can see how someone could be easily frustrated with the experience. I will post back with the results from my conversation with the supervisor in a bit.

 

[BigFeet]

That's the way the Windows license works, and has for many years/versions. If it's an OEM version of Windows, it is tied to the motherboard. If it's a retail version there shouldn't be an issue. There's nothing you can do beyond trying to convince support to activate it or buying another key.

 

[Sam Moss]

what I found out was while my PC was working i signed into the MicroSoft account an used that to log into the PC and what that did was activate my Windows10 account so if I ever have to replace any hardware (which I plan on going over to the newer series CPU's an RAM cards) all you have to do is install W10 then re-activate it by logging into your acct using the M$ log-in info....I previously had just had updated from Windows7 to Win10 back in 8/2015 and just recently found you have to register your OS with M$ in order to be able to put it back in another machine or if you have a change of hardware....like a Motherboard....

 

[robert diiorio]

Its important to enable "verify this computer" which will be located within your account settings once the OS is installed/reinstalled

 

[Sam Moss]

 

[Curt]

The policy and procedure for changing your activation method is described here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
Although it is probably too late for the OP. I have also not done it and probably never will because I'm leery of yet more corporate intrusion.

 

[MrMikeH]

"Thunderbirdceramics, post: 95024, member: 23903"]My MB fried last month and I replaced it a couple of days ago. Windows 10 Pro is now deactivated. I did all the steps online and used the troubleshooter repeatedly to no avail. Online chat was useless as they wanted me to dig up a receipt for my OS from years ago as this was an upgrade from 7 Pro.

I had exactly the same experience, except all I did was change my Windows SSD. I had the same motherboard. I went back and forth with Microsoft, but to no avail, so I had to pony up the $190 for a new license. At least now, I have a key that I can use in the future if the same thing happens.

 

[ram1220]

Sam Moss is correct. I work on systems all the time and I replace motherboards as part of those fixes. As long as your old system's motherboard was registered under your MS account then you should be good to go with the new motherboard. All you need to do is log into your MS account after the system is up and running again and you can switch the activation over to the new board (system). I do it all the time. Now the MS servers have been having issues lately. So just keep at it. Sometimes it will take numerous tries for MS to get it right.

 

[Walldoo99]

My MB fried last month and I replaced it a couple of days ago. Windows 10 Pro is now deactivated. I did all the steps online and used the troubleshooter repeatedly to no avail. Online chat was useless as they wanted me to dig up a receipt for my OS from years ago as this was an upgrade from 7 Pro.

Based on feedback here and elsewhere I have called them but the person who I talked to said my MB owned the OS, not me. Because the MB died I need to pony up another $200 even though my system and 5 others I own are recognized on my Microsoft account as being good to go a month ago.

Has anyone else dealt with this nonsense recently? My MB did not waltz down to the store and buy the OS. I bought it. A hardware failure should not require me to buy another OS that was fine 30 days ago. Their insistence that I show a receipt from a decade ago for Windows 7 Pro is ludicrous.

The fact the system is recognized on my Microsoft account should be enough. Now it sees two systems with the same name but neither has an official OS all because of a MB change. I have 5 systems and and each one has a real OS not to mention the serious coin spent on MS Office!

I was told to call back in an hour if I want to talk to a supervisor and in 20 minutes I will do just that. I am always polite but can see how someone could be easily frustrated with the experience. I will post back with the results from my conversation with the supervisor in a bit.

If you had it setup with your windows acct to log in then you can get MS live support in chat and they can run it to activate. If you had local login set up then you can activate with a windows 7 COA of the same version. The activation is stored in the mobo and that's why you lost it.