[SOLVED] Cloned my Windows 10 to another SSD, can't reactivate even with newly bought key ?

[Jobjanusz]

Hello, everyone. I cloned my Windows 10 SSD with license to another SSD for my new PC. But Windows is deactivated now. I get an error message that my Hardware is changed and I cant reactivate it if I try to do so through the troubleshooter. All components are new, none is the same as former pc. I already cloned my windows 10 to another SSD before this one. I even bought a Windows 10 pro Product key. But it doesnt work. What can I do?

https://flic.kr/p/2mjFQjN

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/182540781@N03/51407296762/in/dateposted-public/

https://flic.kr/p/2mjQGHF

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/182540781@N03/51409027185/in/dateposted-public/

Thanks for reading.

Regards,

Jobjanusz

 

[USAFRet]

Cloned for use in a whole different system?
Bad idea.

Where did you buy this Win 10 Pro license?

 

[punkncat]

Probably an issue of version. Download and create the installer USB from Microsoft and install Pro, clean. Then try your key.

I also echo the above. If you paid one of these "cheap key" sites or eBay you are about as likely to have been ripped off.

 

[Colif]

Another option is contact Microsoft as the only people who could help with activation problems are them. they may be able to fix it from their end.

 

[Jobjanusz]

Cloned for use in a whole different system?
Bad idea.

Where did you buy this Win 10 Pro license?

I don't really know. I bought the pc from someone on tweakers.net. I will try to contact the seller, but I didn't have a key from the start. Back then, I didn't know it, I needed it later.

 

[DSzymborski]

First things first, install Windows properly, instead of janky corner-cutting. Anything worth doing is worth doing correctly and then you can review if the problem still persists.

 

[USAFRet]

I don't really know. I bought the pc from someone on tweakers.net. I will try to contact the seller, but I didn't have a key from the start. Back then, I didn't know it, I needed it later.

You bought a used PC, and then cloned that drive for use in a new PC?
Really bad idea.

Do not do this.

1. You should never ever trust the software that is on a used PC. You have no idea what the previous users had in there, or where it came from. Any used system needs a full wipe and reinstall.
2. Cloning across systems is a bad idea. Windows is not modular like this.

Your new system needs its own fresh OS install.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

And considering the unknown status of the "license" on that used PC, your new system also needs its own Windows license.

 

[Jobjanusz]

You bought a used PC, and then cloned that drive for use in a new PC?
Really bad idea.

Do not do this.

1. You should never ever trust the software that is on a used PC. You have no idea what the previous users had in there, or where it came from. Any used system needs a full wipe and reinstall.
2. Cloning across systems is a bad idea. Windows is not modular like this.

Your new system needs its own fresh OS install.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

And considering the unknown status of the "license" on that used PC, your new system also needs its own Windows license.

1. No I didn't. The pc was new. All the files on the SSD our mine.

2. So you are saying it is not possible to get my files back and place. And I need to reinstall all programs that are on the other SSD?

 

[Jobjanusz]

Looks like your license is OEM. It's preinstalled on the computer and tied to the motherboard, so you cannot simply clone it to a new PC with dissimilar hardware. Even if it's a retail license which can theoretically be transferred between computers as you like, if it is an upgrade from windows 7 or windows 8, the number of transfer will also be limited to one.

Anyway, if you have trouble proving to Microsoft support that the license belongs to you and expect them to resolve the issue, then you can try this backup and restore method to move Windows 10 to new computer. It may not be as simple as cloning, but the universal restore feature does help to boot Windows on different hardware.

Thank you for your reply. This is what I'm looking for (what I think). I don't want to reinstall all programs and reapply all my windows settings.

 

[USAFRet]

1. No I didn't. The pc was new. All the files on the SSD our mine.

2. So you are saying it is not possible to get my files back and place. And I need to reinstall all programs that are on the other SSD?

?
"I bought the pc from someone on tweakers.net. "

OK, I'm confused.

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you for your reply. This is what I'm looking for (what I think). I don't want to reinstall all programs and reapply all my windows settings.

In any case, have a known good backup of all your personal files, and the install files for your applications.

 

[Deleted member 2849646]

Hello, everyone. I cloned my Windows 10 SSD with license to another SSD for my new PC. But Windows is deactivated now. I get an error message that my Hardware is changed and I cant reactivate it if I try to do so through the troubleshooter. All components are new, none is the same as former pc. I already cloned my windows 10 to another SSD before this one. I even bought a Windows 10 pro Product key. But it doesnt work. What can I do?

https://flic.kr/p/2mjFQjN

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/182540781@N03/51407296762/in/dateposted-public/

https://flic.kr/p/2mjQGHF

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/182540781@N03/51409027185/in/dateposted-public/

Thanks for reading.

Regards,

Jobjanusz

If you're not using the old PC you could try call microsoft and tell them "my old machine broke so I bought a new one and I'd like to transfer my licence please. I'm not using the licence on the old one anymore". I did that many years ago and was successful. Obviously if you try run windows on the old machine and it's connected to the internet they can detect it, but if you only use the licence on one machine, they should be able to activate it over the phone fine.

Hope it works out for you!

 

[USAFRet]

Depending on where the original license came from, MS has a built in thing to transfer the license to different hardware.
But you have to start that process before doing anything else.

For the OS activation, read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change


This does not relate to moving the actual OS install between systems.

 

[Jobjanusz]

?
"I bought the pc from someone on tweakers.net. "

OK, I'm confused.

He selled it from a company on Tweakers. So it wasn't the owner, he was just the man in the middle.

 

[Jobjanusz]

If you're not using the old PC you could try call microsoft and tell them "my old machine broke so I bought a new one and I'd like to transfer my licence please. I'm not using the licence on the old one anymore". I did that many years ago and was successful. Obviously if you try run windows on the old machine and it's connected to the internet they can detect it, but if you only use the licence on one machine, they should be able to activate it over the phone fine.

Hope it works out for you!

I'll try that!

Regards,
Jobjanusz

 

[USAFRet]

OK, so....

System A, from Tweakers.
Came with its own OS and valid license?

You wish to clone this whole C drive, and put that clone in System B?
That may or may not work, even after sprinkling magic software on it.

Then...a newly bought Win 10 Pro license will not properly activate on System B?
Where did this license come from?

 

[Jobjanusz]

OK, so....

System A, from Tweakers.
Came with its own OS and valid license?

You wish to clone this whole C drive, and put that clone in System B?
That may or may not work, even after sprinkling magic software on it.

Then...a newly bought Win 10 Pro license will not properly activate on System B?
Where did this license come from?

I bought it from an external website: 123softwarelicentie.nl

 

[Jobjanusz]

Looks like your license is OEM. It's preinstalled on the computer and tied to the motherboard, so you cannot simply clone it to a new PC with dissimilar hardware. Even if it's a retail license which can theoretically be transferred between computers as you like, if it is an upgrade from windows 7 or windows 8, the number of transfer will also be limited to one.

Anyway, if you have trouble proving to Microsoft support that the license belongs to you and expect them to resolve the issue, then you can try this backup and restore method to move Windows 10 to new computer. It may not be as simple as cloning, but the universal restore feature does help to boot Windows on different hardware.

I have one more question. Is it possible my OEM license isn't linked to my motherboard? My original motherboard broke and it got replace and Windows was still activated. Over the years I replaced all most every part except the GPU, RAM and PSU. So I think Windows can detect other hardware parts as well and activate Windows based on that.

 

[Quanticriver]

I bought it from an external website: 123softwarelicentie.nl

Hallo kaaskop

"I think Windows can detect other hardware parts as well and activate Windows based on that. "

Correct, but the only part it "recognizes" is your motherboard

The windows license is bound to your mobo
you can transfer it once, depending on the license

win 10 migration to other pc

Hi guys I have a friend who still runs win 7 and want to upgrade to win 10 I have an hdd that i salvaged from an office pc, that has a win 10 on it However my friend has an 256gb ssd that he wants to use as a boot disk I heard that win 10 doesn't like it when it gets installed in a different...

forums.tomshardware.com

The website you got your key from looks legit

reinstall windows and apply key

 

[DSzymborski]

Hallo kaaskop

"I think Windows can detect other hardware parts as well and activate Windows based on that. "

Correct, but the only part it "recognizes" is your motherboard

The windows license is bound to your mobo
you can transfer it once, depending on the license

win 10 migration to other pc

Hi guys I have a friend who still runs win 7 and want to upgrade to win 10 I have an hdd that i salvaged from an office pc, that has a win 10 on it However my friend has an 256gb ssd that he wants to use as a boot disk I heard that win 10 doesn't like it when it gets installed in a different...

forums.tomshardware.com

The website you got your key from looks legit

reinstall windows and apply key

Yeah, I'm sure that 15 euro Windows 10 Pro totally looks legit.

 

[Quanticriver]

Yeah, I'm sure that 15 euro Windows 10 Pro totally looks legit.

ehh, 9/10 it's an older key from a decommisioned pc

while not ideal it should work

 

[USAFRet]

while not ideal it should work

Yet here we are, with it not working.

 

[Deleted member 2849646]

I have one more question. Is it possible my OEM license isn't linked to my motherboard? My original motherboard broke and it got replace and Windows was still activated. Over the years I replaced all most every part except the GPU, RAM and PSU. So I think Windows can detect other hardware parts as well and activate Windows based on that.

Explain that to microsoft when you call them. They're quite helpful and understanding, at least that was my experience when I did something similar.

 

[Jobjanusz]

Explain that to microsoft when you call them. They're quite helpful and understanding, at least that was my experience when I did something similar.

I understand. I will do that. Thanks!

 

[DSzymborski]

ehh, 9/10 it's an older key from a decommisioned pc

while not ideal it should work

That's not legit.

A Blu-Ray that "falls off a truck" will work too. But it's not legit. Whether something will work and whether something is legal are two entirely distinct issues.