Windows 10 reactivation hassle

K

Kodin

n00b
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
20
Because of Mobo upgrade I had to let a guy from Microsoft RDP to my pc, I had to log in to my email account and show him an invoice for the Mobo. I honestly thought i had phoned a scam phone line. I remember when i worked in IT support all we ever did was an automated reactivation on windows products by phone. This operating system is so intrusive it's insane.
 
I had almost the same experience a few weeks back. The microsoft guy finally ended up just giving me a new Windows 10 product key that he managed to get activated...it wasn't doable the regular simple way. Much different from the good old Windows 7 days.
 
Last edited:
Is this something new? I have never had to have someone remote into my computer for activation. Even on keys that I had to call in for. What number did you call?
 
It was hell even for the microsoft person to get it activated. Even with the new key she ended up giving me the normal activation didn't work, she had to do a workaround. I normally wouldn't allow remote access to my pc, but since I'd called a number I knew to be microsoft (actually I think it was microsoft's online support chat) and was desparate I figured it would be ok. You can watch everything they do.

I should probably add that this wasn't a clean install, although I've never had trouble with that before. It was also Windows 10 pro that had been upgraded from Windows 7 Ultimate retail.
 
When I upgraded mobo due Coffee Lake I used the automated phone Windows 10 activation method that is fully automated, was working exactly like the win 7 days when a recorded voice tells you the key after you provide the machine hardware id or whatever you call it.

I didn't even reinstall win 10, it booted straight up into windows (was using Z87 chipset before) so only had to update drivers.

I don't know if it varies depending on country though, I'm from Finland and I have an OEM Win 10 professional license.
 
Last edited:
RPGWiZaRD said:
When I upgraded mobo due Coffee Lake I used the automated phone Windows 10 activation method that is fully automated, was working exactly like the win 7 days when a recorded voice tells you the key after you provide the machine hardware id or whatever you call it.

I didn't even reinstall win 10, it booted straight up into windows (was using Z87 chipset before) so only had to update drivers.

I don't know if it varies depending on country though, I'm from Finland and I have an OEM Win 10 professional license.
Click to expand...
I've used that approach before with Win7 with no problem, but I couldn't find the option this time around. I'd expected that would be the way I could do it again, but no luck.

I'd also be interested in the number for future reference. I still wonder if the fact that Win 10 pro was an upgrade from Win7 was the issue.
 
I had to do the remote nonsense last month when I got a new Coffee Lake Proc/Mobo. It wouldn't activate no matter what I tried.
The person at MS said my serials (I tried using a Win 7 one to no avail, too) were legit but they wouldn't work. He remoted in and literally did the exact same steps and couldn't get them to work either.
Eventually just used a different/brand new serial to eventually got it to work.
The whole process probably only took the same amount of time as doing the old phone activation, but it was a lot more stressful.
 
On the automated phone system, there are fewer options that result in automatic activation, and more that put you in touch with a representative. If I answer the prompts wrong and it tries to connect me to a person, I hang up and try the other answer. As long as you have a window with the activation ID open, it usually will work automatically. I somehow activated an OEM key from another system on a new board a couple weeks ago this way. [Microsoft Sam voice} "How many computers have been activated with this key?" Uh, one. yeahhhh. one.
 
As far as I know Windows 10 is free. I downloaded W10 from MS when it was first released and installed it into a virtual machine, it still works and has done several version updates.
 
You can tie the key to your Microsoft account so it no longer depends on what hardware
you have in your system. Also, if you have a windows 7 key that you used to upgrade to windows 10 with,
then just use it. The windows 10 key will be the same, but it will register the new pc.
 
Last edited:
Kodin said:
Because of Mobo upgrade I had to let a guy from Microsoft RDP to my pc, I had to log in to my email account and show him an invoice for the Mobo. I honestly thought i had phoned a scam phone line. I remember when i worked in IT support all we ever did was an automated reactivation on windows products by phone. This operating system is so intrusive it's insane.
Click to expand...


When I recently replaced my stepsons Gigabyte GA990FXA-UD3 and FX-8350 with a MSI B350 Tomahawk and Ryzen 5 1600x, his windows also deactivated itself.

I called Microsoft and got a giggly woman with an Indian accent on the phone, and could hear people laughing in the background. I'm guessing these people work and take calls from home.

Anyway, since his OS was upgraded to 10 from a Windows 7 Pro retail key, she instructed me to just click the enter new key button and type in my Windows 7 key, and it worked.

Auburn_Tigers said:
You can tie the key to your Microsoft account so it no longer depends on what hardware
you have in your system. Also, if you have a windows 7 key that you used to upgrade to windows 10 with,
then just use it. The windows 10 key will be the same, but it will register the new pc.
Click to expand...

I refuse to tie my PC to an online account of any kind. I use local user accounts only, and don't have a Microsoft account. I've also never used the Microsoft Store.

I'll never do this on principle. A computer is a local machine, not something that should be tied to anyone's cloud service.
 
Is your computer windows registered with Microsoft? What is your principle on that? Just saying!!!!
 
Domingo said:
I had to do the remote nonsense last month when I got a new Coffee Lake Proc/Mobo. It wouldn't activate no matter what I tried.
The person at MS said my serials (I tried using a Win 7 one to no avail, too) were legit but they wouldn't work. He remoted in and literally did the exact same steps and couldn't get them to work either.
Eventually just used a different/brand new serial to eventually got it to work.
The whole process probably only took the same amount of time as doing the old phone activation, but it was a lot more stressful.
Click to expand...
The is pretty much what happened to me also. I've upgraded and reactivated many times over the years, but this was my first problem, and I assume it's related to win10.
 
Here is a link I got when I had to reactivate from a mobo swap. http://m.vivr.io/EcOzLsJ
Yeah I know it is a funky link but it is an amazing alternative to the phone or call Microsoft support alternative. It is a link to Microsoft's product activation page I promise.
 

Attachments

  • microsoft mobile activation page.JPG
    microsoft mobile activation page.JPG
    66.8 KB · Views: 18
Same thing happened to me last week. Swapped out my 2600k/P8P67 Pro for an 1800x/x370 and did a new install on an NVMe drive. My Win10 is the upgrade from Win7 Ultimate. I linked the Win10 to my MS account before the swap, but it wouldn't activate. I went on online chat and the tech RDP my pc, eventually giving me a new code when the original Win7 wouldn't take (the code I had to give him). I also had to show an image of my Microcenter MB receipt which, luckily I could access online on my gmail account since my normal email wasn't set up yet. Good thing MC emails receipts too. Took about 45 minutes to complete, but it all ended well.
 
So not only they extended the free Win10 period again, they hand out new keys for free. There's something very fishy going on.
 
I've been provided new codes for several different versions of windows on several different occasions. so not fishy...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top