Have you ever had to change computer components, but after that you were unable to activate the operating system? This guide will show you the steps you need to take to use the Activation Troubleshooter tool to reactivate your Windows 10 system.
When you make significant changes to your computer's components, such as changing the hard drive or motherboard, Windows 10 cannot correctly recognize your computer and the operating system becomes inactivated. Previously, if Windows 10 lost activation due to hardware changes, you had to contact Microsoft technical support to reactivate it, which was not an ideal solution.
Now Microsoft has simplified the process. Starting with the Anniversary Update in July, you can link a Microsoft Account (MSA) to a Windows 10 digital license on your computer. The new feature allows you to access the Activation Troubleshooter and reactivate Windows 10.
This Windows 10 guide will walk you through the process of linking your Microsoft account and digital license, and using the Activation Troubleshooter to reactivate your system.
How to link your digital license and Microsoft account
If you used a Microsoft account when upgrading to Windows 10, it was automatically linked to your digital license and you will see the message “Windows is activated by the digital license associated with your Microsoft account.” In this case, you can skip the previous step and move on to the next one.
How to use the troubleshooter to reactivate Windows 10
After linking your Microsoft account and digital license, you can use the Activation Troubleshooter tool to reactivate Windows 10 after replacing parts on your computer.
If your device doesn't appear on the list, there could be several reasons.
First, make sure that you are signed in to the Microsoft account that you previously linked to your Windows 10 digital license.
If you are using a required Microsoft account, you need to consider the reasons why you are unable to complete the activation. Here is a list of possible reasons:
Conclusion
Since the first release of Windows 10, Microsoft has been working to improve the system, including its activation. However, activation problems continue to occur from time to time, so the new tool is designed to solve them and allow you to easily change computer components.
Activation Troubleshooter will become available in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Participants in the testing program can use the tool from build 14371 or later.
Obviously, you cannot reactivate Windows 10 after changing components without adding a Microsoft account to your computer. Troubleshoot is not available if the system is activated.
Microsoft has also renamed the Windows 10 key type from “digital entitlement” to “digital license”.
Soon after the release of the new operating system, it became clear that during the transition of the legal version 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10, the free license was tied to the computer hardware, and not to the Microsoft account as originally intended. In this case, the system automatically receives the same product key for all updated users.
Microsoft does not want to go into details regarding the activation process, so as not to assist pirates, but at the same time it makes the licensing issue unclear.
The Windows 10 free license is different from previous Windows licensing systems. Modern computers with Windows 8 and 8.1, as well as new devices with Windows 10, have the product key baked into the UEFI firmware. If you buy a copy of Windows 10 - for example, to install it on a computer you've built - it will also come with a unique key.
In all of these cases, the product key is used to activate Windows. However, the free upgrade to Windows 10 does not provide a key. It is embedded directly in the installer and is automatically entered during the upgrade process, but if you look at it using a specialized tool, and then compare it, for example, with the key of your friend who also completed a free upgrade to Windows 10, you will find that they are completely identical .
When upgrading from Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1, the installer registers a unique ID that allows Windows activation servers to identify your PC hardware.
Subsequently, if you reinstall Windows 10 on the same computer, the system will automatically contact the activation servers, which, in turn, making sure that this particular configuration allows the use of a free 10 license, will automatically activate your copy. That is, during a clean installation, you can safely skip all those steps where you need to enter a product key, knowing that after installation the system will be activated automatically.
Thus, automatic activation will only work if the computer is using the same hardware as when it was updated to Windows 10.
Replacing the hard drive, RAM or video card should not cause the problem. Of course, the same applies to replacing peripherals.
However, Microsoft says in its FAQ that installing a new motherboard (and likely processor) will void your license. That is, the company’s servers will treat the computer as a completely different configuration without the right to a free update.
In this case, you can also install Ten from scratch without entering the product key, but after installation the system will not be activated automatically and will be considered non-genuine until you activate it. In this case, the activation screen itself will prompt you to purchase a license from the Windows Store.
There's no need to rush into this, however, as Gabe Ohl, vice president of engineering for the Windows & Devices group at Microsoft, says you can simply contact support, explain your situation, and they'll have no problem activating your copy.
The answer to this question is on the official FAQ page and, most importantly, it is clearly stated in the user agreement.
When upgrading to Windows 10 from a pre-installed (OEM) or retail version of Windows 7 or 8/8.1, the user will retain the right to use the license that was allocated to the original version of the operating system.
If you upgrade from Retail, your copy of Windows 10 will have the rights of the retail version, which means it can later be transferred to another computer. However, whenever you transfer the software to another computer, it must be removed from the previous device, otherwise you may be left without a license at all.
Unlike Retail, the terms of provision of the OEM version do not provide for license transfer, but given that when replacing the motherboard, Microsoft support can activate Windows 10, there is a chance that, at your request, the company will also activate a copy transferred to a completely different device. Although it needs to be checked in practice, if this is the case, then the difference between Retail and OEM becomes very blurred.
All those users who switched to the tenth version of the system, following the free offer from Microsoft, or installed it not as a Technical Preview with a subsequent update, but as the official full version, in some cases are faced with the fact that Windows, when re-installed, as many they think they can request it. And then the problem arises of maintaining the license. How real is this, read on.
The first free version was activated automatically, and with the advent of the Treshold 2 update, the activation process became much easier, since the developers decided not to create problems for users.
Now reinstalling Windows 10 while maintaining the license is completely elementary. If the equipment has not changed, you can reinstall the system at least a hundred times. Even replacing a hard drive, for example, from an HDD to an SSD, has absolutely no effect on the activation request. If we talk about the Treshold update, then activation was simplified to such an extent that there are no problems with a “clean” installation of Windows 10 or when updating the seventh and eighth modifications to the tenth. In the tenth version, even activation keys that were applied to previously installed Windows 7 and 8 work!
Before reinstalling the system, you will need to perform a number of simple steps. First, you should create a backup just in case. Secondly, you will need to use removable media from which the installation will be performed.
Both in the case of a “clean” installation and in the case of an upgrade, to create a bootable USB media or disk, you need to use a utility called Media Creation Tool, in which the appropriate partition is selected at startup instead of starting the installation of the system on the hard drive. This application has the undeniable advantage that the user will receive the most current version of the system at the moment along with the main updates.
Reinstalling Windows 10 while maintaining your license begins by setting the priority boot device in the BIOS settings.
If a regular flash drive is used as such, before entering the BIOS parameters it must be inserted into the appropriate port, otherwise the primary I/O system will not recognize it among boot devices. If everything is done correctly, the name of the media you are looking for will appear in the Boot Device Priority section. This should be installed as the first one.
After the start, the standard installation procedure follows. When the process reaches the step asking you to enter a license key, you can simply ignore it and click the continue button. Next, you will be asked to select the partition in which you intend to install the system and format it. Select drive C and agree with the warning (there is no need to format all other partitions). Next, we again specify the already formatted partition and wait for the installation process to complete.
In the case of an update, you should pay attention that files from previous installations may remain on your hard drive, so after installing Windows 10, it is advisable to get rid of them, since they will hang like a dead weight, only taking up space.
However, reinstalling Windows 10 while maintaining the license is not limited to this method alone. Some laptop models can use very specific methods.
As a rule, reinstalling Windows 10 while maintaining the license can be done from special menus that are called up by keyboard shortcuts or buttons on the keyboard panel or on the case. HP devices use the F11 key, Sony VAIO uses the ASSIST button, Lenovo devices use the Novo Button, Toshiba systems use the number 0 key. The only disadvantage of such methods is that in the end a “clean” restored system will be installed without current updates. They will be integrated subsequently (if automatic updates are enabled). Otherwise, you will have to use a manual search followed by installation.
As you can already see, for all cases where reinstallation of the tenth modification of Windows is required, the technique used is quite simple. On some laptop models, this process looks much preferable to the actions performed on desktop PCs. However, we must pay tribute to the developers from Microsoft: the processes associated with the requirements for product activation have been simplified so much that re-installation of the system, when it is necessary to get rid of all its errors, can be performed by a user of any level of training.
As for installing updates into a “clean” system, there shouldn’t be any special problems here, since this function is activated by default in Windows. If updates are not installed automatically, there is nothing easier than using the search for important updates in the Windows Update center, and then installing them, selecting the critical ones (additional updates can be integrated into the system if desired).
Tomorrow it will be exactly 2 months since the release of Windows 10, but Microsoft considered it necessary to describe aspects of activating the new operating system only now. In particular, the “Activation in Windows 10” page talks about a new type of activation that the company calls “digital entitlement.” It comes in addition to activation with a 25-character product key, but the method the operating system will use for activation depends on how the user obtained their copy of Ten.
According to Microsoft, Digital Entitlement is a new activation method that doesn't require the user to enter a key. In this case, activation will occur automatically.
Windows 10 will use this activation method under one of the following conditions:
The product key activation method will be used if:
If you upgraded to Windows 10 from licensed version 7 or 8.1, the system will be activated automatically when you connect to the Internet and a digital entitlement will be created for your device.
According to the documentation, if the operating system is not activated before upgrading, you will not be able to activate Windows 10 using a digital entitlement.
You can reinstall Windows 10 and even perform a clean install on a digitally-enabled device without needing to enter a product key. If you are prompted to enter a key during installation, click Skip. The system is activated automatically after installation.
If you previously activated 10 using a key, you will be required to enter the product key during installation.
Starting July 29, 2015, to install the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build on a PC running Windows 7, 8, or Windows 8.1, you must first upgrade to Windows 10 using a free upgrade.
Once installed, go to Settings > Update & Security > Advanced options and join the Insider program. As a result, you will receive new and activated builds.
Microsoft says that users who received Windows 10 through a free upgrade likely won't be able to reactivate their copy after replacing the motherboard, for example. However, the company suggests that users encountering such a problem contact support for help.
Have a great day!
Over time, file garbage accumulates in Windows 10, records from previously installed programs remain, auxiliary temporary files accumulate and for some reason are not deleted. Failures may also occur due to incorrect installation of system updates or computer device drivers. In addition, viruses or malware can damage system files, thereby leading to errors in the system.
It is practically impossible to predict when failures will begin in the system, and what will trigger them, but at the most inopportune time, the computer may start to work differently, slow down, suddenly begin to reboot, or problems will appear with previously installed programs, etc. In most such situations, it is almost impossible to find and eliminate the causes of the failure. More precisely, the effort that will have to be spent on finding an elimination of the cause will be significant, and no one can guarantee a positive outcome.
Therefore, it is much easier and faster to reinstall Windows 10, just as the failures in it are causing problems. You can completely reinstall Windows 10 in just an hour, everything will depend on the specific computer. Next, it will be worth making an image of the system partition, this will allow you to restore your computer in a significantly short time.
With the release of "tens" to reinstall Windows 10, in general, practically nothing is needed except an Internet connection. If previously we had to search for Windows installation files, determine the system activation code, prepare a bootable flash drive or disk, now we only need an Internet connection.
To reinstall Windows 10 and save the license, you need to go to a specific Microsoft page: https://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/software-download/windows10, here we will download the program that will help us reinstall Windows 10.
We are not considering any pirated software here, and we will not touch on activating Windows using various activators. It is assumed that you are a legal Windows 10 user. This means that you purchased Windows from a store or official website, or bought a laptop or computer from a store with the system pre-installed, or upgraded to a legal Windows 7.
In all these cases, your Windows 10 has a product key, that is, a license. Since we are reinstalling Windows 10 with an auxiliary program, the license will be preserved and there is no need to enter the key. Windows will be automatically activated.
With this program we can both update Windows 10 and create installation media for another computer. As I promised, we won’t look for complicated ways here, so we select “Update this PC now.” As soon as we click the “Next” button, the process of downloading files via the Internet will begin. The volume of these files is more than 4 GB. and the download speed will depend on your internet connection speed.
After downloading, the program will check the files and automatically create installation media. We are not talking about a flash drive or an installation disk; the program will create a certain area on your hard drive, which will later be used to install Windows 10.
Once everything is ready to install Windows 10 and the installer starts. We accept the License Agreement again, after which the program will check for updates again and, if there are any, download them to the computer.
After this, a window will open where the version of Windows that is installed on the computer will be determined. It is also suggested to save user files, where three options are offered:
Depending on your preferences, select the desired item. I would prefer a clean installation, because it is the programs and applications that could cause the computer to crash. Therefore, the correct thing to do would be to remove everything and install the system from scratch.
However, before reinstalling Windows 10, you need to make a backup copy of the files that are important to you. See article: How to back up your files. And so, select the last item and click “Next”. The system will check for free space. and will prompt you to start the installation process.
During the reinstallation of Windows 10, the system will reboot several times, and your intervention will not be required. After some time, our participation will be needed, where we will have to specify the Region, Language, Keyboard Layout Language and Time Zone.
In the next step, we will be asked to make settings or use standard parameters. We won’t talk about settings here, especially since we can do this after installation. Click “Use standard settings”, where you will need to enter your Email and password. If we are talking about confidentiality, then you should not enter anything, click “Skip this step.”
Here we will be asked to create a PIN code, also optional; if you create a PIN code, then click the corresponding button. If not, then "Skip this step."
At the next stage, we are asked to configure OneDrive. The default is "Save new files only on PC". Here we are asked to save all personal documents and images from standard folders in cloud storage. The option is of course dubious, but if desired, you can configure it later.
Then you will need to wait until the system is configured, this will take a long time. When everything is ready, we will see the familiar Windows 10 desktop. The installation process is not yet complete, and we will talk about what steps still need to be taken in the next article.
