Windows 10 license issue after mobo replacement

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by dj831, Aug 18, 2016.

  1. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    Hi folks,

    I'm requesting help here, since I had words with Microsoft yesterday and I no longer wanna have Microsoft morons at phone ... ;)

    Here's the full story. We have a colleague who has an HP laptop running W7 Enterprise. In order he can have W10 when we give him his computer when decommissioned next year, I installed W7 pro on a spare HDD (SLIC 2.1 activation, i.e. cert & HP pro key, but has a W7 pro sticker anyway), upgraded to W10 prior july 29th. Reinstalled W10 (1511), everything went smoothly, W10 activated.

    No luck. Mobo failed 2 weeks ago (video failure). Since laptop is under warranty, HP replaced mobo, tagged new one with same serial (seems obvious), and reused processor, wireless card, RAM, DVD burner. So, same computer with a different mobo, same serial.

    When testing W10 activation, I got error message : licence is already used on another computer. No worries, this is a normal behaviour after replacing mobo. No worries, I'm gonna call Microsoft, they will reset licence for that laptop. What an error ...

    When guy asked key, I told him OEM key (since it was activated that way), then he told me that key was blocked (yes, this is an OEM key). When I told him that it was an OEM key, he seemed not to know what means OEM activation, that I have an hacked licence, and so on. I prefered hang off, telling him he was useless and should learn first what means an OEM activation (he even asked me to prove that licence was used only once, and was upset when I told him that all HP computers running W7 pro in the world has same license key :eek:).

    So, do you have an idea on how to get W10 genuine on that computer? Sure, mobo was replaced, but it is still same computer.

    Such a shame that Microsoft hires such morons, such a shame that is much more easier to find a working licence key on the web than to reset an activation of a computer that failed. That kind of things that makes you prefer Apple over Microsoft, that makes you prefer W7 over W10, that encourages piracy (yes, I'm upset!). Of course, computer is running now W7 enterprise, and runs fine on W7.

    Thanks for your help on that topic (and for taking time to read that loooong post :biggrin:)
     
  2. Kouryu

    Kouryu MDL Senior Member

    Jan 19, 2011
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    just do your "install W7 pro on a spare HDD" trick again, then upgrade to 10 (the free upgrade is still working) and swap the drive back... it should reactivate
     
  3. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    Hi Kouryu, thanks for your follow-up, I already tried, but does not works ... I already did that on another computer few days ago, and you're right, it still works ;) But on that case, Microsoft has one mobo serial (and µP, DVD, RAM, Wireless) already registered. I'm afraid that it ends on W7 (or W10 key from the web).
     
  4. Katzenfreund

    Katzenfreund MDL Expert

    Jul 15, 2016
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    It seems to me, when HP replaced the mobo, they should have taken care of the OEM license too.
     
  5. LatinMcG

    LatinMcG Bios Borker

    Feb 27, 2011
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  6. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    Hi Katzenfreund, yes, you're right, but anyway, I guess I still can call them to debug the issue.

    LatinMcG, really nice tip! :clap:I will try next week, when computer is available (or before, if I can put hands on one that skipped W10 for free). Meanwhile, I guess that if I declare that I use assistive technology, I download an installer that downloads W10 1607, then I get activated. Do you know/have you tested if I can then format computer then install W10 1511 and get activated ?

    BTW, some people at Microsoft should really susbcribe to MDL forums and learn what real life computing means ... ;)

    Thanks anyway for the great help!
     
  7. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    Silly me, your right LatinMcG !!! I pickup any key, I activate, and voilà, done! Gonna test that ASAP (but probably next wednesday, now)

    A BIG thanks!
     
  8. LatinMcG

    LatinMcG Bios Borker

    Feb 27, 2011
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    #9 LatinMcG, Aug 18, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2016
    yes once u activate via assistive upgrade 1607.. u can wipe and reinstall 1511.

    mike, the msdm has win 8 key and his is likely a generic blocked so even with uuid as the ms hwid doesnt rely on it only.. the generic key in bios makes it fail likely.

    if he has the old mobo and he can boot it with say external vid. he can dump the .dat info of the hp with the slp marker tool for it. (laptop right ?) but he still would need to insert win8 key to the msdm of it..

    btw its w7 lenovo pro key i sent u not home.
     
  9. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    Hi FunkyMike, I would have love to take a picture of F1 page (computer information given by BIOS) prior exchanging mobo, but video failed (and external video is not available on that model, until it has passed BIOS) :(

    About Assist, here is what they say in their FAQ:


    • When does the free upgrade offer extension end?
    • We have not announced an end date of the free upgrade offer for customers using assistive technology. We will make a public announcement prior to ending the offer.

    So, it should be okay 'till next wednesday (at least, let's hope!)

    Anyway, that's funny: when piracy helps you to be genuine again :biggrin:
     
  10. LatinMcG

    LatinMcG Bios Borker

    Feb 27, 2011
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    dj831 u could boot blind dos with autoexec to do the reading to usb. and what about a usb spi programmer dump of chips.. or a windows tool to do such if u only have vid after bios/dos screens.
     
  11. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    LatinMgC, thanks a bunch! Unfortunately, mobo was sent to HP, since techs have 3 days to return HP parts, so I have nothing left. The only thing I kept was the genuineticket.xml file I kept, but wouldn't be easy to decypher to have UUID (LOL!).
     
  12. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    Again, many thanks LatinMcG! I have a friend who still has a computer still in W7. I will test today, and let you know.
     
  13. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    #15 Enthousiast, Aug 18, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2016
    You can register/(re-)establih as many HWID's as you like (by upgrading from 7SP1/8.1 to 10).

    I have HWID's for all versions on all of my systems.
     
  14. dj831

    dj831 MDL Novice

    May 7, 2014
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    Hi Enthousiast, you're right, it works all times, but not in this case, since there is a mix of 1 serial with 2 UUIDs having HW devices in common. Reason why I got message 'cannot activate because this license is used on another computer', despite installing W7 from scratch, activating with OEM key/cert (slic 2.1), and upgrading to W10.

    Anyway, method given by LatinMcG worked! (tested 1 hour ago).

    All: thanks a lot for your help/support/messages :worthy: MDL members help: 1. Microsoft support: 0.
     
  15. MS_User

    MS_User MDL Guru

    Nov 30, 2014
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    is always best to have a MS account....HWID does not always work.
     
  16. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    It does for about 1year on 100+ systems here ;)
    And still available thru free upgrade :)