Hi i have a issue that i don't know if it can be fixed.

[Ryan7251]

Ok it's kind of a long story but here we go.
Like 2 months ago i got parts for a gaming pc however out of fear i paid a place to install said parts now a few days ago i got my pc back at first everything looked cool issue is i just noticed i have a windows 10 watermark telling me to activate thing is when i gave them the pc it was activated i would say maybe they did a clean install issue is they said they did not and i have all my files so why is my pc asking for my key?
Anyway you see the issue here is this OS is like 3 years old and we got the system with windows 7 or 8 on it (I upgraded to 10 when it was free) anyway point is i have long lost my key to get rid of the watermark is the only way to buy Windows 10 for like over 100 bucks now i mean if i just have to live with the watermark i will i mean as long as that is the only bad thing and windows 10 can still use all it's normal things.
I just don't get it it was a normal upgrade all it was was a new GPU and PSU oh and the MOBO had to be changed the old one was really old.

 

[drkatz42]

if it's the original installation then this guide will help you retrieve the product key

https://www.howtogeek.com/206329/how-to-find-your-lost-windows-or-office-product-keys/

 

[Wolfshadw]

...oh and the MOBO had to be changed

This is why your OS in no longer activated. Have you attempted to activate? You may need to actually call Microsoft and go through the telephone prompts to be reactivated or you may need to actually talk to a Microsoft representative.

The bad news is that since it was an OEM version of the OS and you changed out the motherboard, Microsoft is under no obligation to reactivate your OS as it was tied to the original hardware (motherboard).

-Wolf sends

 

[USAFRet]

oh and the MOBO had to be changed

Before the hardware change, you should have linked that OS install to a Microsoft account.
Here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Since it is too late for that, you will need to call and talk to a Microsoft rep to get it activated.


Why is it doing this? The motherboard change presents itself as a whole new system.

 

[Ryan7251]

...oh and the MOBO had to be changed

This is why your OS in no longer activated. Have you attempted to activate? You may need to actually call Microsoft and go through the telephone prompts to be reactivated or you may need to actually talk to a Microsoft representative.

The bad news is that since it was an OEM version of the OS and you changed out the motherboard, Microsoft is under no obligation to reactivate your OS as it was tied to the original hardware (motherboard).

-Wolf sends

Ok thanks i may try drkatz idea because the key maybe in my hard drive since like i said the hard drive was not wiped.

 

[USAFRet]

...oh and the MOBO had to be changed

This is why your OS in no longer activated. Have you attempted to activate? You may need to actually call Microsoft and go through the telephone prompts to be reactivated or you may need to actually talk to a Microsoft representative.

The bad news is that since it was an OEM version of the OS and you changed out the motherboard, Microsoft is under no obligation to reactivate your OS as it was tied to the original hardware (motherboard).

-Wolf sends

Ok thanks i may try drkatz idea because the key maybe in my hard drive since like i said the hard drive was not wiped.

The 'key' is not in your hard drive.
With an upgrade to Win 10, the 'key' is what is known as a "digital entitlement".
It is a hash of your system info and the original license key. Which is stored at Microsoft.

You changed the system (the motherboard) so that entitlement is no longer valid.
You need to call MS and tell them what happened.

Without all the back story....

"The system had Windows 7 (or 8)"
"I upgraded to Windows 10"
"The motherboard broke and I had to change it."
"And now it is showing as unactivated"
'Pretty please can you help me'

That's all you need to tell them.

 

[USAFRet]

The shop that did the parts change should have warned you about this and assisted you in preventing it.

It would have taken all of 5 minutes to prevent this.

 

[Ryan7251]

The shop that did the parts change should have warned you about this and assisted you in preventing it.

It would have taken all of 5 minutes to prevent this.

Yeah thats what i get for having someone else do the hard work but thanks anyway good news is it seems like it only really has the watermark there nothing is really locked out.
Anyway any idea what info they may need when i call i like to be ready when i talk to people.

 

[USAFRet]

The shop that did the parts change should have warned you about this and assisted you in preventing it.

It would have taken all of 5 minutes to prevent this.

Yeah thats what i get for having someone else do the hard work but thanks anyway good news is it seems like it only really has the watermark there nothing is really locked out.
Anyway any idea what info they may need when i call i like to be ready when i talk to people.

What to say is listed above. I don't believe there is any specific hardware info you need to prepare with.