Windows 10 is only on the intel gaming pc at the minute, I rebuilt an AMD rig forgetting the reason I ditched it in the 1st place was because the hard drive was faulty. Last night swapped out a hard drive from my gaming pc and used a windows 10 home 64 bit image from scratch install it wouldn't accept the key, tried the windows home 8.1 iso typed the 8.1 pro key in it activated. After install, first thing it asked was to upgrade to windows 10 clicked upgrade, failed, 2nd time it went straight back to 8.1. Will reinstall at a later date it gives me an excuse to play around with an alternative and I may install windows 10 in Virtual box and where I have used it in the past for alternative OS I can try it in reverse.
This is the page M$ issued http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/activation-in-windows-10 This page is for Windows 10, but you have a previous version of Windows. Learn how to upgrade to Windows 10—it’s free! Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. Depending on how you got your copy of Windows 10, activation will use either a digital entitlement or a 25-character product key. Digital entitlement is a new method of activation in Windows 10 that doesn't require you to enter a product key. How you got Windows 10 Activation method You upgraded to Windows 10 for free from an eligible device running a genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. Digital entitlement You bought genuine Windows 10 from the Windows Store and successfully activated Windows 10. Digital entitlement You bought a Windows 10 Pro upgrade from the Windows Store and successfully activated Windows 10. Digital entitlement You’re a Windows Insider and upgraded to the newest Windows 10 Insider Preview build on an eligible device that was running an activated previous version of Windows and Windows 10 Preview. Digital entitlement You bought a copy of Windows 10 from an authorized retailer. Product key (On a label inside the box Windows 10 came in.) You bought a digital copy of Windows 10 from an authorized retailer. Product key (In the confirmation email you received after buying Windows 10 or in a digital locker accessible through the retailer’s website.) You have a Volume Licensing agreement for Windows 10 or MSDN subscription. Product key (Available through the web portal for your program.) You bought a new device running Windows 10. Product key (Pre–installed on your device, included with the device packaging, or included as a card or on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the device.) For more detailed info, see the section about activating Windows 10 that applies to you. Hide all Activating Windows 10 after the free upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 If you upgraded to Windows 10 for free from an eligible device running a genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, Windows 10 will automatically activate online and create a digital entitlement for your device. If your current version of Windows isn’t activated, you’ll need to enter a product key to activate it before you can upgrade to Windows 10. To check activation status for your current version of Windows: • In Windows 7, click the Start button Picture of the Start button, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. You can see your activation status under Windows activation. • In Windows 8.1, go to Control Panel, click System and Security, and then click System. You can see your activation status under Windows activation. After you complete the free upgrade to Windows 10, your device will automatically activate online. To check activation status in Windows 10, go to Start Start button icon, then select Settings > Update & security > Activation. For more info if Windows 10 isn’t activated on your device, see Get help with Windows 10 activation errors. For info about upgrade requirements, system requirements, and feature availability, see the Windows 10 specifications page. Important In order to successfully activate Windows 10 on eligible devices after the free upgrade, you need to upgrade through Windows Update or run Windows 10 installation media directly from your device running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. Booting from Windows 10 installation media and performing a clean installation isn’t supported as part of the free upgrade offer for Windows 10. Windows 10 can’t be activated using a Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 product key. Activating after reinstalling Windows 10 How you activate Windows 10 after reinstalling it depends on how Windows 10 was originally installed on your device. If you activated your free upgrade to Windows 10 or bought and activated Windows 10 from the Windows Store, you have a digital entitlement for your device. This means you can reinstall the same edition of Windows 10 that your device has a digital entitlement for without entering a product key. During reinstallation, if you’re asked to enter a product key, select Skip. Your device will automatically activate online after the installation is complete. If you previously installed and activated Windows 10 using a product key, you’ll need to enter the product during the reinstallation. Notes Before you reinstall Windows 10 make sure to check your activation status. Go to Start Start button icon, then select Settings > Update & security > Activation. For more info if Windows 10 isn’t activated on your device, see Get help with Windows 10 activation errors. For more info about how to create installation media for Windows 10, go to the Microsoft software download website. When creating installation media, make sure to choose the edition of Windows 10 that matches the edition that’s already installed on your device. Activating a new installation of Windows 10 You’ll need to use a Windows 10 product key to activate a new installation of Windows 10 on a device that has never had an activated copy of Windows 10 on it. You’ll also need to use a Windows 10 product key if the new installation is for an edition of Windows 10 that wasn’t previously activated on the device. For example, if you install Windows 10 Pro on a device that had Windows 10 Home installed on it. During the installation, you’ll be asked to enter the Windows 10 product key. After the installation is complete, your device will automatically activate online. To check activation status in Windows 10, go to Start Start button icon, then select Settings > Update & security > Activation. For more info if Windows 10 isn’t activated on your device, see Get help with Windows 10 activation errors. Activating the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview If you’re a Windows Insider and have been running Windows 10 Insider Preview builds, you’ll automatically receive new builds and be activated, so long as your device was activated before upgrading to the new build. To check activation status in Windows 10, go to Start Start button icon, then select Settings > Update & security > Activation. For more info if Windows 10 isn’t activated on your device, see Get help with Windows 10 activation errors. If you want to get the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build, but your device is running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1, you first need to upgrade to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer. After your device is upgraded to Windows 10, go to Start Start button icon, then select Settings > Update & Security > Advanced options and then check Get Insider Builds to become part of the Windows Insider Program. Notes Installing Windows 10 Insider Preview on a device that never had an activated copy of Windows 10 on it will require using a Windows 10 product key or buying genuine Windows from the Windows Store. This also applies if the new installation is for an edition of Windows 10 that wasn’t previously activated on the device. For more info, see the section Activating a new installation of Windows 10 in this topic. If you’re reinstalling Windows 10 Insider Preview, automatic activation occurs by digital entitlement if the same edition of Windows 10 or Windows 10 Insider Preview (builds newer than 10240) was already activated on the device. For more info, see the section Activating after reinstalling Windows 10 in this topic. Activating Windows 10 after a hardware configuration change If you upgraded to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer and then made significant hardware changes to your device, such as replacing the motherboard, Windows 10 might no longer be activated. For help on how to activate your device, contact customer support.
But... but... but if I upgrade from Windows 7 retail to Windows 10, and later upgrade my motherboard, will my computer still turn into a pumpkin?
For some reason my pc seems to have put the boot mgr on my hard drive rather than my SSD, any ideas how to move it easily and safely?
I think you could try disconnecting all hard drives except the SSD you're using for the OS, and then when Windows fails to boot, using the repair option to rebuild the partition table. Might want to double check that with some judicious Googling as this is just off the top of my head
Yes, it does. I asked Microsoft what the score was during the height of the OEMgate hysteria. I posted their response earlier in this thread somewhere. Edit: Here it is (from the 20th of August):
Well actually they say in a recently published guide on activation that you would need to contact customer support after making a significant hardware change. So if customer support and/or Microsoft are feeling benevolent it could be no problem at all, on the other hand if you get a less than helpful rep or Microsoft change their mind you could be up s**t creek without a paddle.
Lol. You couldn't make it up! Edit: I'm on Windows 10 and I'll gladly try this out if someone wants to buy me a new mobo (...and CPU...and RAM).
If it's anything like ANY version of windows since 'Activation' was implemented (i.e. Windows XP, 14 years ago) then the process goes like this: - Install Windows to 'new' machine (new motherboard or whatever) - Call Microsoft support number - Enter phone activation code - Given activation code through automated system OR - Passed to rep, explain changes, receive activation code (or get told "sorry, you cheaped out and bought an OEM key") The only time I've had a significant activation issue was accidentally redeeming an expired Windows 8 media centre code on Windows 8.1, managing to create a product that technically did not exist so couldn't activate. Resolved by receiving a Windows 8.1 Media Centre key (effectively a free extra copy of Windows). If you have a genuine key, and are not trying to 'cheat' an OEM upgrade (you get a discount in exchange for tying that key to specific hardware), then Microsoft are VERY accommodating with activation.
That's probably the main reason (imo) why they've chosen to not to automatically re-activate W10 that was upgraded from a retail license when there's a major hardware change, i could be mistaken but wasn't the OEM license system abused to some extent? By forcing people that upgraded from 7/8.1 to contact customer support when a major hardware change is performed they can weed out the legitimate retail keys from the OEM keys. That and they could if they wanted reinterpret the terms of the free upgrade offer.
That's not the reason: OEM keys for 7 and 8 already fail to activate automatically if you make a major hardware change. That's how key abuse is weeded out. The real reason is the move away from the type-a-key-then-activate-the-key fandango. If you have a Microsoft Account, then you don't need to do anything at all after a hardware change: re-install, sign in, and that's it, everything is activated. And if you use a local account without hardware changes, again it just installs and activates without any key entry (hashed combination of hardware serial numbers used as a unique ID). And if you have a retail key because you bought a physical copy, then that works too after a hardware change. It's that edge-case where you upgrade from a retail copy of an older OS (so don't have a key) AND don't have a Microsoft Account (to obviate the need for the hardware hash) AND make a significant change to hardware (that invalidates the hash) that requires the phone call.
I was under the impression that previously OEM keys have been abused and installed more than once on different PCs, maybe I'm mistaken but i could have sworn Microsoft have said as much themselves. No keys, digital or alpha numeric are tied to your MS account (afaik), having to phone customer support applies equally to all version of W10 that have been upgraded from a qualifying product, be those retail or OEM after a major hardware change.
I'm having issues with windows 10 as after a normal shutdown I got BCD issues and even trying to boot to the system USB, it will just hang at the blue windows logo. not sure what to do?
Fired my lounge pc up today (doesn't get used that often) to find that my preview version that I was using through the insider version should have been updated before the 5th of October so looks like I've missed out there. Rather an expensive mistake but I'm not sure how much longer it would have carried on for anyway.
