Windows activation after CPU upgrade - originally used OEM license / product key

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ss88

Weaksauce
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Dec 1, 2019
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Two years ago, I built a PC on a Z690 board with Intel i5-12400 CPU and installed Windows 10 Pro with an OEM license/product key purchased from Whokeys.
I just upgraded CPU to i5-14600 and upgraded RAM from 32gb to 64gb. Motherboard was not changed, but I did have to update the BIOS given the jump in CPU generations. Now I have the "Activate Windows" watermark on my desktop. I tried re-entering the product key I purchased from Whokeys, but that isn't being accepted.

I guess these OEM keys cannot be reused even after a minor hardware change that does NOT involve replacing the motherboard?

Will buying another OEM key work? Or do I have to buy a retail key for Win 10 Pro?
 
The key is still valid. Like Nobu said you need to call the automated line to re activate it. It’s an automatic system no humans involved.
 
Using the link Nobu provided, I got to the step where it asked for the error code, and then says the product key can no longer be used to activate Windows. No phone number option was provided.
1711202723861.png
 
After searching for Windows activation phone, I found something about running 'slui 4' at win+R run prompt, but nothing pops up.
 
Guess you'll have to call/msg whokeys or buy a new one. :/
 
Nobu said:
Guess you'll have to call/msg whokeys or buy a new one. :/
Click to expand...
Do you think a new OEM key will work? They clearly work for new installs, just not sure it will work for this kind of situation.
 
ss88 said:
Two years ago, I built a PC on a Z690 board with Intel i5-12400 CPU and installed Windows 10 Pro with an OEM license/product key purchased from Whokeys.
I just upgraded CPU to i5-14600 and upgraded RAM from 32gb to 64gb. Motherboard was not changed, but I did have to update the BIOS given the jump in CPU generations. Now I have the "Activate Windows" watermark on my desktop. I tried re-entering the product key I purchased from Whokeys, but that isn't being accepted.

I guess these OEM keys cannot be reused even after a minor hardware change that does NOT involve replacing the motherboard?

Will buying another OEM key work? Or do I have to buy a retail key for Win 10 Pro?
Click to expand...
Yeah... this happened to me when I updated the bios of my Z690 Aorus Elite AX board... I was using a Win 8 retail key, I had used during the free upgrade period (offical time frame).

At first the only option it would give when trying to enter the key was to buy a new key.... HOWEVER... disconnecting all internet from the machine and entering the key and then letting activation fail with a Server unavailable message, resulted in being show the "I have changed hardware recently" option at which point windows 11 reactivated and has been fine since.
 
atarione said:
Yeah... this happened to me when I updated the bios of my Z690 Aorus Elite AX board... I was using a Win 8 retail key, I had used during the free upgrade period (offical time frame).

At first the only option it would give when trying to enter the key was to buy a new key.... HOWEVER... disconnecting all internet from the machine and entering the key and then letting activation fail with a Server unavailable message, resulted in being show the "I have changed hardware recently" option at which point windows 11 reactivated and has been fine since.
Click to expand...
I knew there was a work around I just couldn’t remember.
 
atarione said:
Yeah... this happened to me when I updated the bios of my Z690 Aorus Elite AX board... I was using a Win 8 retail key, I had used during the free upgrade period (offical time frame).

At first the only option it would give when trying to enter the key was to buy a new key.... HOWEVER... disconnecting all internet from the machine and entering the key and then letting activation fail with a Server unavailable message, resulted in being show the "I have changed hardware recently" option at which point windows 11 reactivated and has been fine since.
Click to expand...
After reading your post, I tried the following:
1. disconnect internet
2. Update & Security > Activation > Change product key
3. enter product key > Activate
4. "can't activate because activation servers aren't available right now".
1711213916880.png



5. After closing this dialogue box, I'm brought back to Activation screen, but no "I have changed hardware recently option".
1711214013839.png


Let me sign out of my Microsoft account and try again.

OK, if I'm signed into my MS account, when I click troubleshoot, it goes to my MS account and shows no devices with that key. If I'm not signed in, when I click Troubleshoot (without internet, this goes nowhere, so I have to connect), a popup does have the "I changed hardware on this device recently" option, but clicking that launches a popup to login to my MS account (with no way to bypass); if I disconnect internet before clicking on "I changed hardware ...", then that tries to launch MS account login, but says something went wrong and to try again later.
 
Last edited:
ss88 said:
After reading your post, I tried the following:
1. disconnect internet
2. Update & Security > Activation > Change product key
3. enter product key > Activate
4. "can't activate because activation servers aren't available right now".
View attachment 643351


5. After closing this dialogue box, I'm brought back to Activation screen, but no "I have changed hardware recently option".
View attachment 643355

Let me sign out of my Microsoft account and try again.

OK, if I'm signed into my MS account, when I click troubleshoot, it goes to my MS account and shows no devices with that key. If I'm not signed in, when I click Troubleshoot (without internet, this goes nowhere, so I have to connect), a popup does have the "I changed hardware on this device recently" option, but clicking that launches a popup to login to my MS account (with no way to bypass); if I disconnect internet before clicking on "I changed hardware ...", then that tries to launch MS account login, but says something went wrong and to try again later.
Click to expand...



huh... in my case windows had been activated w/ digital license and showed up in my M$ account... which i selected and then reactivated. However if it isn't listed w/ you Microsoft account I am not sure what else to try at that point? Sorry maybe it is different with an OEM key?
 
atarione said:
huh... in my case windows had been activated w/ digital license and showed up in my M$ account... which i selected and then reactivated. However if it isn't listed w/ you Microsoft account I am not sure what else to try at that point? Sorry maybe it is different with an OEM key?
Click to expand...
Yes, I think that's probably the case. I believe the OEM keys are more easily invalidated by hardware changes than retail keys. I have a message in to the key vendor and will see what they say. It may be that I'll need to buy a new key.
 
ss88 said:
Two years ago, I built a PC on a Z690 board with Intel i5-12400 CPU and installed Windows 10 Pro with an OEM license/product key purchased from Whokeys.
I just upgraded CPU to i5-14600 and upgraded RAM from 32gb to 64gb. Motherboard was not changed, but I did have to update the BIOS given the jump in CPU generations. Now I have the "Activate Windows" watermark on my desktop. I tried re-entering the product key I purchased from Whokeys, but that isn't being accepted.

I guess these OEM keys cannot be reused even after a minor hardware change that does NOT involve replacing the motherboard?

Will buying another OEM key work? Or do I have to buy a retail key for Win 10 Pro?
Click to expand...
Well you have to know that the keys from those sites are not legitimate for use in the US. They are either MAK keys which eventually get turned off, or they copied from an OEM sticker off a PC, or they have gotten keys from resellers in China or some other 3rd world country where Microsoft charges next to nothing because $5 is better than $0.

I just don't get why people don't buy legitimate keys and be done with it rather than dealing with this crap.

I used OEM System Builder keys bought from Newegg since XP and have never had issues re-using them on different builds. It's the tried and true way to get legit licenses that are cheaper than retail. The issue is where you (the vendor) got the key from.
 
ss88 said:
After reading your post, I tried the following:
1. disconnect internet
2. Update & Security > Activation > Change product key
3. enter product key > Activate
4. "can't activate because activation servers aren't available right now".
View attachment 643351


5. After closing this dialogue box, I'm brought back to Activation screen, but no "I have changed hardware recently option".
View attachment 643355

Let me sign out of my Microsoft account and try again.

OK, if I'm signed into my MS account, when I click troubleshoot, it goes to my MS account and shows no devices with that key. If I'm not signed in, when I click Troubleshoot (without internet, this goes nowhere, so I have to connect), a popup does have the "I changed hardware on this device recently" option, but clicking that launches a popup to login to my MS account (with no way to bypass); if I disconnect internet before clicking on "I changed hardware ...", then that tries to launch MS account login, but says something went wrong and to try again later.
Click to expand...
That’s part of the problem. You need to re activate with a local account, without signing into a Microsoft account.
 
ss88 said:
After reading your post, I tried the following:
1. disconnect internet
2. Update & Security > Activation > Change product key
3. enter product key > Activate
4. "can't activate because activation servers aren't available right now".
View attachment 643351


5. After closing this dialogue box, I'm brought back to Activation screen, but no "I have changed hardware recently option".
View attachment 643355

Let me sign out of my Microsoft account and try again.

OK, if I'm signed into my MS account, when I click troubleshoot, it goes to my MS account and shows no devices with that key. If I'm not signed in, when I click Troubleshoot (without internet, this goes nowhere, so I have to connect), a popup does have the "I changed hardware on this device recently" option, but clicking that launches a popup to login to my MS account (with no way to bypass); if I disconnect internet before clicking on "I changed hardware ...", then that tries to launch MS account login, but says something went wrong and to try again later.
Click to expand...

Make sure you are logged into your Microsoft account and use the troubleshoot selection. Through that process, it should get your Windows activated again. I know it did not work for me immediately, when I updated my bios on my Asus X570 board last October. However, eventually, it worked.
 
ss88 said:
Two years ago, I built a PC on a Z690 board with Intel i5-12400 CPU and installed Windows 10 Pro with an OEM license/product key purchased from Whokeys.
I just upgraded CPU to i5-14600 and upgraded RAM from 32gb to 64gb. Motherboard was not changed, but I did have to update the BIOS given the jump in CPU generations. Now I have the "Activate Windows" watermark on my desktop. I tried re-entering the product key I purchased from Whokeys, but that isn't being accepted.

I guess these OEM keys cannot be reused even after a minor hardware change that does NOT involve replacing the motherboard?

Will buying another OEM key work? Or do I have to buy a retail key for Win 10 Pro?
Click to expand...
sign in here with your microsoft account:

https://account.microsoft.com/devices

find the computer name/device, which had the key before you tried to re-use it-----and delete that device.

You will be able to re-use the key after that. But, you may have to wait a couple of days. I have done it several times, with a few different cheap keys from a key site which I like. Changed mobos, swapped laptops, built a computer for some kids, etc.


If you need to activate in a hurry, you can simply purchase another cheap key, and apply that.
 
chameleoneel said:
sign in here with your microsoft account:

https://account.microsoft.com/devices

find the computer name/device, which had the key before you tried to re-use it-----and delete that device.

You will be able to re-use the key after that. But, you may have to wait a couple of days. I have done it several times, with a few different cheap keys from a key site which I like. Changed mobos, swapped laptops, built a computer for some kids, etc.


If you need to activate in a hurry, you can simply purchase another cheap key, and apply that.
Click to expand...
ss88 said:
OK, if I'm signed into my MS account, when I click troubleshoot, it goes to my MS account and shows no devices with that key.
Click to expand...
looks like he tried that.



op, ever talk to the seller?
 
ManofGod said:
Make sure you are logged into your Microsoft account and use the troubleshoot selection. Through that process, it should get your Windows activated again. I know it did not work for me immediately, when I updated my bios on my Asus X570 board last October. However, eventually, it worked.
Click to expand...
I tried both logged in and logged out. Did you have a retail product key, or an OEM key?
 
chameleoneel said:
sign in here with your microsoft account:

https://account.microsoft.com/devices

find the computer name/device, which had the key before you tried to re-use it-----and delete that device.

You will be able to re-use the key after that. But, you may have to wait a couple of days. I have done it several times, with a few different cheap keys from a key site which I like. Changed mobos, swapped laptops, built a computer for some kids, etc.


If you need to activate in a hurry, you can simply purchase another cheap key, and apply that.
Click to expand...
Good idea, but I first logged into MS after the deactivation, so no devices are in my MS profile.
 
pendragon1 said:
nothing, but thought he said he was gonna and was curious.
Click to expand...
Seller response:
"Your order time took too long and has already exceeded our 6 months compensation time period , so we cannot compensate you now , SORRY . if you will , you can make new order in our website , and we can give you a discount code"
 
ManofGod said:
Probably OEM, since it was a Windows 7 Pro key from the Technet subscription I had back in 2012 or so.
Click to expand...
There was reports (I don't remember where I saw it?) that Microsoft had finally decided to blacklist the Technet keys as they were not valid after Technet got shut down 10yrs~ ago, as the technet keys were only valid while you had an active technet sub... my understaning is technet keys no longer work at this point.
 
atarione said:
There was reports (I don't remember where I saw it?) that Microsoft had finally decided to blacklist the Technet keys as they were not valid after Technet got shut down 10yrs~ ago, as the technet keys were only valid while you had an active technet sub... my understaning is technet keys no longer work at this point.
Click to expand...

My keys have been working correctly but, I also never gave any keys out, they are exclusively mine and no one elses.
 
atarione said:
There was reports (I don't remember where I saw it?) that Microsoft had finally decided to blacklist the Technet keys as they were not valid after Technet got shut down 10yrs~ ago, as the technet keys were only valid while you had an active technet sub... my understaning is technet keys no longer work at this point.
Click to expand...

Mine do. :)
 
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