Microsoft Rewrites Activation Rules For Windows 10

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Alright, let's hear it. What do you guys think of this change?

The biggest change of all is that the Windows 10 activation status for a device is stored online. After you successfully activate Windows 10 for the first time, that device will activate automatically in the future, with no product key required. That's a huge change from previous versions of Windows, which required a product key for every installation.
 
And I love it. I can never keep track of which key is for what.
 
I really appreciate that they did this. It takes one cumbersome step out of the installation process, not because I am lazy, it's just convenient and you don't have to type in a long code just to activate it now.
 
So... what happens when that device gets upgraded components? New motherboard, new SSD, new graphics card, different CPU or RAM... what then? I didn't see anything about that in the article.
 
Step 1. Install my Win 8.1 licenced copy
Step 2. Upgrade to WIn 10 from USB
Step 3. Fresh install Win 10 from USB
Step 4. profit
 
Would seem to be a new device at that point. :D Unless they can tag activation to the case...
 
So, this scenario:

I upgrade my main rigs CPU/Mobo
I take my old CPU/Mobo and upgrade my media center
I throw away my media centers old CPU/Mobo

Under old versions of windows I'm not buying a new license...just reinstall and call MS when I need to activate.

Under Windows 10 it sounds like I'm buying a new copy though....
 
So... what happens when that device gets upgraded components? New motherboard, new SSD, new graphics card, different CPU or RAM... what then? I didn't see anything about that in the article.

You'd have to call MS, more than likely
 
Well considering the pirates have already gotten around it, calling to reactivate is still just a needless hassle for the legit customers.
 
You'd have to call MS, more than likely

Exactly, and I think we are going to see a real hassle and an attempt to charge us for a new license.

They tried to do this before, they just approached it from the wrong direction. Now they are correcting that mistaken attempt to screw us a little bit more.

From all of our point of views, we consider the OS as just another component of the computer and if I buy a single copy of an OS I should be able to use it and port it all I want as long as I don't use a single license for more then one computer at a time.

But not MS, they just don't look at it that way. They look at the license as an agreement for you to be able to run their OS on your computer. If you build a new computer, mobo, CPU, NIC(usually new because the mobo is new), you have bought a new computer and you need a new license.

They know we won't like this but that is where they are going to keep trying to drive it.
 
Exactly, and I think we are going to see a real hassle and an attempt to charge us for a new license.

They tried to do this before, they just approached it from the wrong direction. Now they are correcting that mistaken attempt to screw us a little bit more.

From all of our point of views, we consider the OS as just another component of the computer and if I buy a single copy of an OS I should be able to use it and port it all I want as long as I don't use a single license for more then one computer at a time.

But not MS, they just don't look at it that way. They look at the license as an agreement for you to be able to run their OS on your computer. If you build a new computer, mobo, CPU, NIC(usually new because the mobo is new), you have bought a new computer and you need a new license.

They know we won't like this but that is where they are going to keep trying to drive it.

But this is exactly what is going to cause paying customers to pirate....bullshit policies like that
 
I love these threads. If I change my motherboard and processor why can't I keep windows activated for the new motherboard and combo AND keep it activated for the old one that I've decided to make another computer out of???
People will spend $700 on a video card but not $100 on an OS LICENSE.
 
I love these threads. If I change my motherboard and processor why can't I keep windows activated for the new motherboard and combo AND keep it activated for the old one that I've decided to make another computer out of???
People will spend $700 on a video card but not $100 on an OS LICENSE.
 
I love these threads. If I change my motherboard and processor why can't I keep windows activated for the new motherboard and combo AND keep it activated for the old one that I've decided to make another computer out of???
People will spend $700 on a video card but not $100 on an OS LICENSE.

Yep. People love to complain about non issues. If you can afford to swap MB/CPU etc often enough for it to matter, then you can likely afford to buy another license. Gods forbid MS start making some cash on the hard work they put in.
 
thats all fine and dandy but what happens when you replace a hdd or a graphics card? i switched bioses on a mboard and lost my activation 2 hours on hold and ms said im outta luck have to reinstalled win8 again. boolshit.
 
I love these threads. If I change my motherboard and processor why can't I keep windows activated for the new motherboard and combo AND keep it activated for the old one that I've decided to make another computer out of???
People will spend $700 on a video card but not $100 on an OS LICENSE.

But I'm not trying to keep it activated on the old hardware. I'll sell those parts or whatever. But I still don't have the option to keep that OS license valid on an upgrade. If my motherboard fails, or if I choose to replace it and the processor, and the ram, and keep everything else from the old build, who says that's a "New Computer"?
 
I updated my rig to x99 a few days after installing windows 10, now my copy isn't activated any more. I called to see if they could reactivate, they said theres an issue with their servers and wait 24-48 hours to see if it would clear up, but it hasn't. I haven't called back but read online I have to reinstall windows 7 and reupgrade to 10 to fix the issue. What a PITA.
 
"I told people this would happen, that Microsoft would change things at some point, it just happened a bit sooner than expected..." ;)
 
I love these threads. If I change my motherboard and processor why can't I keep windows activated for the new motherboard and combo AND keep it activated for the old one that I've decided to make another computer out of???
People will spend $700 on a video card but not $100 on an OS LICENSE.

That's not the issue. The issue is when you want to upgrade components or build a new machine, scrap the old one, and install an existing Windows 10 license on the upgraded/new machine.
 
This isn't a big problem for most home users, who usually get Windows with a new system or now as a free upgrade. With no intention of ever downgrading, this could be huge convenience if it works smoothly. (lol, it probably won't)

But it's not really a problem for retail copies (with transferable license to new hardware) either, at least no worse than current activation is. You may need to call if you make a significant change like a new motherboard.

Like most of the responses, I don't seem much to complain about this particular change.
 
This isn't a big problem for most home users, who usually get Windows with a new system or now as a free upgrade. With no intention of ever downgrading, this could be huge convenience if it works smoothly. (lol, it probably won't)

But it's not really a problem for retail copies (with transferable license to new hardware) either, at least no worse than current activation is. You may need to call if you make a significant change like a new motherboard.

Like most of the responses, I don't seem much to complain about this particular change.

As long as a call works in this scenario, then that's fine for me. But so far we don't have anyone saying they've been successful after a hardware swap with calling and getting the existing license validated.
 
I updated my rig to x99 a few days after installing windows 10, now my copy isn't activated any more. I called to see if they could reactivate, they said theres an issue with their servers and wait 24-48 hours to see if it would clear up, but it hasn't. I haven't called back but read online I have to reinstall windows 7 and reupgrade to 10 to fix the issue. What a PITA.

I chatted with MSFT last weekend, and they told me i have to go through Windows 7 first and then upgrade if I change HW.
 
Exactly, and I think we are going to see a real hassle and an attempt to charge us for a new license.

They tried to do this before, they just approached it from the wrong direction. Now they are correcting that mistaken attempt to screw us a little bit more.

From all of our point of views, we consider the OS as just another component of the computer and if I buy a single copy of an OS I should be able to use it and port it all I want as long as I don't use a single license for more then one computer at a time.

But not MS, they just don't look at it that way. They look at the license as an agreement for you to be able to run their OS on your computer. If you build a new computer, mobo, CPU, NIC(usually new because the mobo is new), you have bought a new computer and you need a new license.

They know we won't like this but that is where they are going to keep trying to drive it.

That totally missed my point.

But this is exactly what is going to cause paying customers to pirate....bullshit policies like that

No it won't. What happens now if your install fails Activation? You call MS.

How does it work when you call? An automated system asks you some questions and typically provides you with an activation code (though under the new system, it may just be stored on the MS server).

I don't see this as a negative, so far. If it turns into one, then I"ll worry about it, but I"ve heard about MS doing horrible things since XP SP1 (or 2..can't remember which) and it always turns out to be BS.
 
I updated my rig to x99 a few days after installing windows 10, now my copy isn't activated any more. I called to see if they could reactivate, they said theres an issue with their servers and wait 24-48 hours to see if it would clear up, but it hasn't. I haven't called back but read online I have to reinstall windows 7 and reupgrade to 10 to fix the issue. What a PITA.

i feel your pain and that was exactly my point. in the win7 and 8 days a simple automated call would get you back in business but for some reason win10 wont let you activate that way anymore.
 
thats all fine and dandy but what happens when you replace a hdd or a graphics card? i switched bioses on a mboard and lost my activation 2 hours on hold and ms said im outta luck have to reinstalled win8 again. boolshit.

This is what I said would happen and yet another user claimed I am wrong when I brought it up.

Guy up above claims we shouldn't whine about having to buy a new license when we change the mb because it is only $100.00. It is $200.00 for Win10 Pro and not $100. :rolleyes:
 
"I told people this would happen, that Microsoft would change things at some point, it just happened a bit sooner than expected..." ;)

You are the one that was arguing with me saying you wouldn't have to re-install Win7/8 and Win10 upgrade if you change the mb and yet there are two people in this thread saying you they did have to do that. One of them only updated the mb bios and not the mb and still lost his activation. Like I said all alone, you are wrong.
 
I like this.

I like the way Microsoft handles activations for Office 365 where it reports which computers your 5 PC subscription is installed on + what date, and gives you the ability to revoke activations from your Microsoft account. :)
 
That's not the issue. The issue is when you want to upgrade components or build a new machine, scrap the old one, and install an existing Windows 10 license on the upgraded/new machine.
This is exactly what I was getting at.

No it won't. What happens now if your install fails Activation? You call MS.
And when your activation is revoked because their "Genuine Advantage" system screws up, or your activation is hacked, and you're told your paid for copy is "not genuine", you're up the creek through no fault of your own. This is why people hate activation - you're guilty until proven innocent. You paid for it, but you have to prove it at their whim. That's complete and total bullshit.

Here's what it comes down to. If you have my money I damned well better have something that works and doesn't ask for my fucking ID every time I need it to do something. I am master of my machine, not Micro$haft or anyone else. If you make my machine not work right I will be fully justified in hacking the hell out of the software until it works. I don't care what the EULA says in cases like that. You have my money. I have a right to use what I paid for, period.
 
You have my money. I have a right to use what I paid for, period.

Morally, but, not legally. That's precisely what businesses are doing these days, legally convincing customers to give away their legal rights to argue their case no matter how unfair.
 
I love these threads. If I change my motherboard and processor why can't I keep windows activated for the new motherboard and combo AND keep it activated for the old one that I've decided to make another computer out of???
People will spend $700 on a video card but not $100 on an OS LICENSE.

That is not the issue. Upgrading to a new motherboard (or HDD to SSD, or a new GPU) and allowing us to continue to use our license is what we want. Having to pay $100 for a hardware upgrade is lame. So it is okay to keep my license for 7-8 years with no hardware upgrades, but suddenly updating some hardware means I have to pay again? It does not cost MS anything extra. If anything it helps them retain a customer base.

No one is talking about pulling a 2nd license for a 2nd PC out of thin air.
 
This is exactly what I was getting at.


And when your activation is revoked because their "Genuine Advantage" system screws up, or your activation is hacked, and you're told your paid for copy is "not genuine", you're up the creek through no fault of your own. This is why people hate activation - you're guilty until proven innocent. You paid for it, but you have to prove it at their whim. That's complete and total bullshit.

Here's what it comes down to. If you have my money I damned well better have something that works and doesn't ask for my fucking ID every time I need it to do something. I am master of my machine, not Micro$haft or anyone else. If you make my machine not work right I will be fully justified in hacking the hell out of the software until it works. I don't care what the EULA says in cases like that. You have my money. I have a right to use what I paid for, period.


How often has that happened up to now? How many times have YOU had your license revoked and MS has refused to reactivate?

In all the years they've done this, I've only had to call once and I never talked to a person. If you're into tin foil hats as fashion, then fine, but past experience (not just mine) shows they're not dicks about reactivating.
 
Alright, let's hear it. What do you guys think of this change?

The biggest change of all is that the Windows 10 activation status for a device is stored online. After you successfully activate Windows 10 for the first time, that device will activate automatically in the future, with no product key required. That's a huge change from previous versions of Windows, which required a product key for every installation.

After reading this new Activation for Windows 10, why do I still think that when you change, or upgrade, your hardware that your next activation of Windows 10, will be worse than surviving a date with "A Female Godzilla"?
 
In all the years they've done this, I've only had to call once and I never talked to a person. If you're into tin foil hats as fashion, then fine, but past experience (not just mine) shows they're not dicks about reactivating.

Then explain why someone in this thread was unable to reactivate over the phone when they changed the mb.

Activation doesn't work as it used to, that is what the article is about but once again ZDnet neglects to inform us what happens when you change the mb and how to reactivate when it is already tied to other hardware.

They had to install qualifying OS and Win10 upgrade again to generate a new hardware hash. Thing is though after 30 days your qualifying OS will no longer be able to activate.
 
You are the one that was arguing with me saying you wouldn't have to re-install Win7/8 and Win10 upgrade if you change the mb and yet there are two people in this thread saying you they did have to do that. One of them only updated the mb bios and not the mb and still lost his activation. Like I said all alone, you are wrong.

I have never said any thing, and you're lying plain and simple.

What I have said and continue to say is exactly what Microsoft has been telling people since XP came out: Activation is tied to the hardware components - the motherboard being the single largest of those components and the biggest part of creating the installation ID which takes hardware vendor and device ID information and puts it into a mathematical construct which creates the installation ID aka the hardware hash - and if you make a significant change to the hardware especially if you change the motherboard you will more than likely require activation again because of that change in hardware.

For Windows 10 it's pretty cut, dried, and clear what it says in the Windows 10 FAQ (which is the same thing they've been saying since XP came out):

Microsoft from the Windows 10 FAQ said:
f you make a meaningful change to your hardware, you may need to contact customer support to help with activation.

tl;dr There's nothing really new here, folks, business as usual...

I have never EVER stated anything other than this - I've never said you wouldn't have to re-activate if you changed out the mobo, I've said you WOULD have to re-activate because changing the mobo is the single largest component of the hardware hash and changing it flat out triggers a re-activation request.

Now, as for some people not actually triggering such a request with an actual mobo change, I can't say why that's happening but Microsoft themselves would tell you it's supposed to cause a re-activation to be required.

You're so twisted up in your hate of Microsoft - as evidenced by basically every post you make - that you simply don't know up from down.
 
That should read:

I have never said any such thing...[/i]

there in the first sentence in my post above, can't edit posts here obviously so don't go off half-cocked misconstruing my meaning which is now clarified.
 
" Originally Posted by Microsoft from the Windows 10 FAQ
If you make a meaningful change to your hardware, you may need to contact customer support to help with activation."

But we have posts in this thread that says Microsoft was unable to activate over the phone and they were told to re-sinstall qualifying OS and Win10 upgrade again.

I am not lying because you claimed you wouldn't have to do that and you said a phone call to Microsoft would rectify the situation. Well, it isn't working as advertised!
 
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