Windows 10 on new system

[Gremlin]

So I had Windows 8.1 and upgraded to Windows 10 during the free period. Forward it to this month. Bought a new motherboard memory and hard drive. Install Windows 10 directly from USB and asks for key, I enter windows 8 key thinking it should be fine?

 

Nope when I go to activate it, says key is used on a different PC. Call Microsoft  and spend about 20 minutes explaining and he says I have to buy WIndows 10 at full price.. So what is the free upgrade for? try the new OS, and if you upgrade you have to buy the key?? wtf??

 

Any ideas?

[bp9801]

This might help you.

[wevsspot]

The thing that sucks about that support article....................

 

It states that it only works on W10 Version 1607 or later (commonly known now as the "Anniversary Update".  However, there are multiple reports out in the wild that the W10 Pro Anniversary Update makes some significant changes in how much control the end user actually has over certain aspects of the Operating System using GPE.

 

Just Google "windows 10 Pro anniversary update cant disable lock screen" and read some of the alarming news.

 

Now I could understand this move if it only impacted the Home version, but what the hell is Microsoft thinking doing this to the Pro version?  Ultimately power users, geeks and many businesses opt for the Pro version of Windows because it is a workable desktop client solution.  Do they really expect for businesses to ante up the extra $$$$ for the Enterprise version on every desktop client in their network?

 

This is insanity.

[Gremlin]

It suck that it is like false marketing (correct me if i am wrong) .. They offer a free upgrade to the new OS. 

 

You own a license for Windows 8 and you upgrade to 10. You own the license.. Now since I can go back to 8.. tells me this is a like a way to entice you to a new OS and if youupgrade you are screwed and that is how they make their money back.. 

[paulktreg]

Some articles are saying your key may be changed when Windows 10 is installed?

[RedFury77]

Your win8 key is tied to your mobo.  So when you do an upgrade to win10 with the same hardware all is cool.  After activating win10 you can then do a clean install and windows will automatically activate using your mobo serial number or whatever.  (supposedly you can skip the upgrade and do a fresh clean install using a win7 or win8 key now, but I haven't tried it.  But I have now done 4 free upgrades to win10, then followed with a fresh install.

 

SO, if you change your mobo and then do a fresh install....no free windows 10.  It sees the new mobo as a new system.

What I think you can do is install win8 first, activate, then upgrade to win10.  I'm not sure with win8 but my win7 OEM disk was good for 3 fresh installs ( I think, I know I at the very least used it twice with no issues, maybe three times).  This was my personal pc and was the same box but with new parts, like what you are doing.

 

When I changed out the mobo on my work pc, had a gimped hp mobo with only two sata ports, to the retail version with 4 ports, windows 10 unactivated.  I called microsoft and their suggestion was to reinstall 7 or whatever disk I owned and redo the upgrade process.  Actually I never went any further with that one and just used a pci-sata card I had instead of reinstalling everything all over again.  

 

Anyway, in short, try reinstalling win8 first, make sure it activates and then do the win 10 upgrade, then a fresh install. Only way to be sure. 

 

Good luck.

 

[Gremlin]

@BP9801: I have tried that option on my laptop hoping I could tie the license key to my Microsoft account. Well it never got assigned to it. Followed the instructions as per the link and never got assigned. 

 

RedFury77: Unfortunately I don't have an extra 1366 heatsink lying around so that is out of the question.

 

So I am going to try first is to install Windows 7 Pro and upgrade to 10 through a link for microsoft as they still allow free upgrades through this method: http://www.howtogeek.com/265409/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free-from-microsofts-accessibility-site/

Edited August 5, 2016 by Gremlin

[Gremlin]

So installed Windows 7 and did the accessibility upgrade and it worked however,,, I started at 1:20pm and it finished downloading and started installing. However it was still at 99% at 6:40am next moring bah... 

 

Lets see how long it takes over the weekend..

[xenkw0n]

I recently bought a used X58 motherboard to put in my system after I built a friend a computer using my old X58 motherboard (P6T and moved my rig onto a P6X58D-E).  I think because I installed windows 10 using a different windows 7 key than what the P6T motherboard was already associated with it essentially 'de-activated' the key previously being used with that motherboard.  I later hooked up my computer with the new P6X58D-E motherboard (which btw, with Windows 10 already installed was extremely seamless, it booted fine, installed appropriate drivers and everything's working without having to do anything special or re-install windows) and I noticed Windows was NOT 'activated' anymore. I entered in the Windows 7 key I had used with my original machine and it activated just fine.

 

In short, if you get the right person from Microsoft on the line they *should* be able to remove the association with your key from the old motherboard and allow you to activate your computer with the new motherboard.  Installing Windows with a different key on my original motherboard HAD to have removed the association with the keys the way everything worked.

 

I should also point out that all of this was done AFTER the free upgrade period ended.

Edited August 17, 2016 by xenkw0n

[Gremlin]

Update: I tried the accessibility upgrade and it worked however it would get stuck at 99% for like a day and a half and I sort of gave up on that. 

 

I installed Windows 8 and tried to activate and it failed. Was able to activate it over the phone automatically via SMS. Once that activated, thought of trying Windows 10 install again. Downloaded a new Windows 10 iso which had the anniversary update included and this time windows 8 key worked.. 

 

So I guess even though I just activated windows 8 twice, I had to reactivate it over the phone to make it work. 

 

Thank you guys