Re-Activate Win7 (out of warranty)

[StormyxxClouds]

So it was my understanding that reactivating was as easy as getting a decently nice rep on the chat support and explaining your mobo died so you could get a new key. Apparently I was very wrong.

Upon explaining how my old PC broke and the mobo was now in the trash, they told me I had a valid CD key that could only be reactivated if I paid for their $99 "support desk program" that would take care of it for me all because it was "out of warranty". I didn't even know a CD key had a warranty on getting fixed?

Luckily I have my old hdd still with win7 installed (installing new version on ssd) and I've read online there's a way to deactivate it if I can boot from that drive somehow?

I understand driver conflictions but I'm only upgrading from an older 2500k to the new i5 z98 chipset. Do you guys know of any safe ways of doing this so I don't have to shell out more money to these jerks?

 

[i7Baby]

First I've heard of a $99 fee from Microsoft.

Google 'migrating windows to ssd' and you get, eg -

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1937507/ssd-move-windows-hdd-ssd.html - problems with migrating vs clean re-install

http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows - using migrating software

 

[StormyxxClouds]

I don't have access to any software because I don't have an OS installed, my CD key isn't valid or activated right now. I'm aware of how to google or I wouldn't have come here asking if there was a workaround to the issues using my old hard drive to boot.. lol

 

[i7Baby]

I thought you said your old hdd still had win7 on it.

Put that back in and do as I suggested.

 

[mbreslin1954]

Who is "they" that you called and who told you that you needed to pay $99 to get your CD key "reactivated"? If it was Microsoft then they were telling you that you needed to buy another license key. If it was someone else, such as the manufacturer of the computer, then who knows what they were trying to sell you.

The licensing rules are that if your PC was made by a company, such as Dell, HP, Acer, Lenovo, etc., then the Windows license is an OEM license and it dies with the motherboard, so you replacing your motherboard would require a new license and $99 is about the right price for Windows 7 Home Premium. If you built the PC and bought an OEM license, same answer. If you built the PC and bought a retail version of Windows 7, then you can transfer the license to new hardware without having to buy a new license.

 

[StormyxxClouds]

Who is "they" that you called and who told you that you needed to pay $99 to get your CD key "reactivated"? If it was Microsoft then they were telling you that you needed to buy another license key. If it was someone else, such as the manufacturer of the computer, then who knows what they were trying to sell you.

The licensing rules are that if your PC was made by a company, such as Dell, HP, Acer, Lenovo, etc., then the Windows license is an OEM license and it dies with the motherboard, so you replacing your motherboard would require a new license and $99 is about the right price for Windows 7 Home Premium. If you built the PC and bought an OEM license, same answer. If you built the PC and bought a retail version of Windows 7, then you can transfer the license to new hardware without having to buy a new license.

I spoke with the Microsoft customer support techs. They (support desk) told me my retail key would have to be reactivated since I replaced the motherboard on the PC I built. My old one died. When I asked them to reactivate it since I would be doing a fresh install on this new build they told me that "the warranty on the retail cd had expired" and would have to use their support desk pro help for a fee of $99 to get my key reactivated (along with some ridiculous chatter about scanning for issues on my pc after the install etc). Which is absurd considering I can get 8.1 for $70 using a college discount but that's a totally different issue I won't touch.

As of now I'm trying to boot the new build with the old hard drive and see if I can get the key detatched or something.

 

[i7Baby]

If you look at Control Panel, System and Security, System It gives you the product ID but not the key.

As I said, you can try to migrate Windows to your ssd though.

 

[sonexpc]

If you buy an OEM Copy or retail Box Copy Windows 7 you for sure can reuse in the new system you build... But if your old system is some brand name one like Acer / Lenovo / HP ... then you may not able to use it again. because that license is bundle with that package... unless you use same chipset MB to replace you may able to by pass it but now you have a totally new chipset ... you need to buy a new OEM license... Just buy a new OEM Widnows 7 Home Prem for ~ $99 if next time you change MB again you should be able to use it again...