Missing BIOS license

[stebbinsd]

I just got a Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P motherboard in the mail. The ebay listing said it was manufacturer refurbished.

My copy of Windows 7 Ultimate said that, due to a hardware or driver update, I need to re-activate Windows.

So I go into the Activate Windows app and enter my product key. I get error code 0xC004F063.

When I click on the link to provide more information, I get this message:

The BIOS is supposed to be a part of the motherboard. This makes sense, since it's the biggest piece of hardware I recently swapped out for, plus the board was manufacturer refurbished. So everything definitely fits together.

Ok, so ... how do I upgrade the BIOS license to fix this problem?

 

[Lutfij]

Can you please tell us where you got your copy of Windows 7 Ultimate?

 

[stebbinsd]

Can you please tell us where you got your copy of Windows 7 Ultimate?

From a disc.

Mind if I ask why this matters?

 

[BFG-9000]

Clearly your Windows 7 Ultimate was an OEM version that auto-activated because your previous motherboard's BIOS had the proper SLIC table to match your disc's certificate. Such installation does not require entering a key as it's in the BIOS.

As OEM copies of Windows are tied to a single computer it is unlikely you will get much help from Microsoft over the phone, as you have changed the computer. However this auto-activation suggests your product key may never have been used so might work with a clean install on the new hardware!

 

[Lutfij]

I'm asking if the install disc is pirated.

 

[stebbinsd]

Clearly your Windows 7 Ultimate was an OEM version that auto-activated because your previous motherboard's BIOS had the proper SLIC table to match your disc's certificate. Such installation does not require entering a key as it's in the BIOS.

As OEM copies of Windows are tied to a single computer it is unlikely you will get much help from Microsoft over the phone, as you have changed the computer. However this auto-activation suggests your product key may never have been used so might work with a clean install on the new hardware!

Okay, so ... what do I do?

 

[stebbinsd]

I'm asking if the install disc is pirated.

Oh for god's sake! Not this again!

IT'S NOT PIRATED! For the hundredth's time, it's not pirated!

I'm not going to go into detail ... AGAIN ... just look up my post history!

 

[kaptainkuftic]

Mate, it's not on us to do research into your post history to determine whether or not it's a legit copy. The error you got is one that can be caused by illegitimate copies of Windows, and so asking about it is perfectly reasonable.

 

[stebbinsd]

Mate, it's not on us to do research into your post history to determine whether or not it's a legit copy. The error you got is one that can be caused by illegitimate copies of Windows, and so asking about it is perfectly reasonable.

I don't remember, but I do know that this copy of Windows was activated without issue before I switched the motherboard out.

Plus, the error message very clearly states that it's the bios - not the install disc - that lacks the required license.

I don't see what's so complicated about this!

 

[Corwin65]

Mate, it's not on us to do research into your post history to determine whether or not it's a legit copy. The error you got is one that can be caused by illegitimate copies of Windows, and so asking about it is perfectly reasonable.

I don't remember, but I do know that this copy of Windows was activated without issue before I switched the motherboard out.

Plus, the error message very clearly states that it's the bios - not the install disc - that lacks the required license.

I don't see what's so complicated about this!

We all have checklists we follow based on the problems inquired about. Throwing a fit won't help.

/soapboxoff

I agree with BFG9000's response. It seems it's an OEM version and it may not transfer to a new motherboard.

Contacting Microsoft seems to be your best bet.

 

[DSzymborski]

Did you not actually reinstall Windows after changing out the motherboard? That's usually the first step in best practice and would certainly be done after having a problem after the hardware change.

Don't get all surly, people are going down the checklist of problems and you've been less than helpful.

 

[stebbinsd]

Did you not actually reinstall Windows after changing out the motherboard? That's usually the first step in best practice and would certainly be done after having a problem after the hardware change.

It's the exact same make and model as before. I switched from a broken-down Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P motherboard to a working one.

I made a note to make sure it was the same board as last because I was explicitly told by local computer experts that this would negate the need for me to reinstall my OS.

 

[DSzymborski]

Did you not actually reinstall Windows after changing out the motherboard? That's usually the first step in best practice and would certainly be done after having a problem after the hardware change.

It's the exact same make and model as before. I switched from a broken-down Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P motherboard to a working one.

I made a note to make sure it was the same board as last because I was explicitly told by local computer experts that this would negate the need for me to reinstall my OS.

Knowing that this was an exact motherboard swap would have been helpful information at the start, along with the provenance of your Windows. This is why people keep asking you these questions.

Assuming the Windows is one from a prebuilt, you'll need to call Microsoft as the install is tied to the motherboard and your install is looking for that OEM code. They will probably be cooperative as this isn't a new build, but clearly a repair of an existing one.

 

[stebbinsd]

*If* you had a retail copy instead of version that came with a prebuilt

My OS was purchased and installed separately from the rest of the machine.

 

[DSzymborski]

*If* you had a retail copy instead of version that came with a prebuilt

My OS was purchased and installed separately from the rest of the machine.

And did you buy Windows from Microsoft or in a box from a retailer, like Amazon or Best Buy? Or did you buy a key on the internet?

 

[stebbinsd]

This is why people keep asking you these questions.

No, Lutfij was clearly accusing me of piracy. [strike]S[/strike]he clearly stated "I'm asking if the install disc is pirated."

If you had asked me "what was the motherboard you had previously" and "was this OS already installed when you got this computer or did you install the OS yourself" then I would have answered those questions.

But no, you instead asked me "did you pirate this OS." That's why I got defensive!

 

[stebbinsd]

*If* you had a retail copy instead of version that came with a prebuilt

My OS was purchased and installed separately from the rest of the machine.

And did you buy Windows from Microsoft or in a box from a retailer, like Amazon or Best Buy? Or did you buy a key on the internet?

I got my product key online. Don't remember who it was from, though.

 

[DSzymborski]

This is why people keep asking you these questions.

No, Lutfij was clearly accusing me of piracy. She clearly stated "I'm asking if the install disc is pirated."

If you had asked me "what was the motherboard you had previously" and "was this OS already installed when you got this computer or did you install the OS yourself" then I would have answered those questions.

But no, you instead asked me "did you pirate this OS." That's why I got defensive!

It's a normal question in this situation, when poor information is provided. A question about the source is not an accusation. And accusation in the form of a question would be more along the lines of "Why did you pirate this OS?."

 

[stebbinsd]

Maybe if you had asked all the standard questions at the outset ... e.g. in a numbered list, then maybe I would have caught on that you were just being (no pun intended) systematic.

Anyway, is there anything else you need to know, or do you just think I need a different product key?

 

[DSzymborski]

*If* you had a retail copy instead of version that came with a prebuilt

My OS was purchased and installed separately from the rest of the machine.

And did you buy Windows from Microsoft or in a box from a retailer, like Amazon or Best Buy? Or did you buy a key on the internet?

I got my product key online. Don't remember who it was from, though.

Well, that's pretty important information. If this was a discount key from an online seller, it's very likely that the key has been blacklisted at some point. There are a lot of gray market key sellers out there.

Either way, you need to call Microsoft at this point.

 

[Lutfij]

Clearly a question and an accusation are two different terms. As others have stated, I have a checklist to follow and that checklist progression broke down the moment you lashed out when asked about the source of your OS.

If it's pirated, we can't help you as it's in breach of the terms of use, rules which you'd agreed upon when registering here to this site. As an agent of Purch(and this site) I'm at liberty to stomp down on those who diverge from those rules. Period!

Back on topic:
you are advised to reinstall your OS even if the motherboard is exactly identical to the last threading. If the key doesn't work during installation, you're going to have to call up Microsoft and verify that the key is legitimate. If the key has been black listed by Microsoft then it was due to the fact that it's pirated. If you've purchased the key from an online seller for a price less than what Microsoft was selling it for, then it's probably because it was obtained through illegitimate means.

 

[Wolfshadw]

If you've purchased the key from an online seller for a price SIGNIFICANTLY less than what Microsoft was selling it for...

Fixed that for you...

-Wolf sends

 

[Lutfij]

 

[Wolfshadw]

I would also note that there are two separate revisions of that motherboard: 1.0 and 2.x. If the replacement motherboard you received was of a different revision number from the original, that may be what cause the Microsoft Windows activation to fail.

Either way, this should be resolved (one way or another) by a call to Microsoft.

-Wolf sernds

 

[probablecause]

Can you please tell us where you got your copy of Windows 7 Ultimate?

From a disc.

Mind if I ask why this matters?

I don't think his question was what hardware medium did you install it from.