Win10 licence after hardware upgrade? "Device type doesn't match"

bahnstormer

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Jan 5, 2015
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Short:
I've recently had to replace several bits from my HTPC and now I'm getting "Device type doesn't match" when I try to activate win10 again.
Long:
I had a Lenovo X230i laptop that had been pretty badly smashed up (Screen, chassis, etc) - but I'd recovered it to the point where I could use it as an HTPC: Remote in using my win7 Ult licence, a decent (Crucial MX200 250Gb) SSD and 16Gb RAM.... but then the case damage got to the point where the fan kept grinding - with the cost of the replacement components and what I was using the laptop for, I decided it wasn't worth spending ~£200 recovering an i3-3110 laptop... so I bought a mITX motherboard, CPU and mITX chassis (for ~£150) and now I've got a better CPU in a more convenient package...... and the idea was to keep using the existing install of win10pro, 16Gb RAM and the SSD.
BUT when I try to activate the win10 install, it just says "Device type doesn't match".... and when I go through the recommended "troubleshoot" steps on the MS site and choose "I have made significant hardware changes"... they're saying that that there is a win10pro licence bound to that outlook.com account, but it is for a Lenovo laptop and it won't let me activate it on the new motherboard and CPU.... even though those are the only parts of the computer that were still working?

Options???
Is there any way to get Microsoft to let me activate this?

I'm not paying for a new licence, so if they can't my options are either
1) to roll the install back to win7 as I should be able to move that licence over.
2) to install Kodibuntu (Linux) - I've not tried this before, but I'm reasonably familiar with Kali+Ubuntu.
3) any other suggestions?!?
 
Solution


I understand you don't want to come out of pocket to pay for a new product key.
However if you prefer windows over linux just save up the money and a buy a new product key.
If you have had that many changes I don't think microsoft will allow it no matter how good your story is...
The windows license is tied to the motherboard it is initially installed on, given that you've replaced the mobo, you'll want to get a new copy of Windows, or you can contact microsoft and ask them for a new key because your motherboard broke, they've been known to transfer copies in the past if contacted.
 


I understand you don't want to come out of pocket to pay for a new product key.
However if you prefer windows over linux just save up the money and a buy a new product key.
If you have had that many changes I don't think microsoft will allow it no matter how good your story is.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-Window-10-Pro-USB-3-0-32-64-Bit-Full-Version-FQC-08788-Retail-Sealed-/152375005816?hash=item237a421278:g:n30AAOSw9GhYZbZ0

Thats a retail key so it will save you from the horrorship of oem os by microsoft.

Good luck
 
Solution

bahnstormer

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Jan 5, 2015
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I think I'm going to try rolling back that win7 Ult install and see if I can free up that licence.....

That said, thanks Maikutech -

I've just been looking at eBay (UK) and it looks like win10pro licences are only ~£25(<$30)?!?

Am I missing something here? eBay.co.uk advert.... I thought they were >£100?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Prior to changing the hardware, you should have done this:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

This links the OS license to your MS account, rather than to specific hardware.

Now, after the fact, call Microsoft and speak to a human.
They will probably let you reuse, or give you a new license.
Don't go back to Win 7, don't buy a license on ebay.


And the what you're missing from that ebay sale is validity.
Yes, a valid license for WIn 10 Pro generally costs ~$120.
That guy on ebay is selling that same license key a few dozen times...;)
 


:) no problem and don't fall for that, it may look cheap smell cheap but its not legit.
If its coming from msdn account microsoft will get him as well as ebay.
Now if you wanted to you could get a microsoft windows 7 pro iso bootleg it until you can pay for a new legit key.
Whatever you do is your own business until you get caught red handed.

happy new year
 

bahnstormer

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Jan 5, 2015
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I had already extracted the key AND linked that license to a MS ID.... the problem is that they're also picky about the PC type (technically it's changing from "laptop" to "desktop".... to be fair, they're not to know that the laptop is a smashed up laptop with no screen and the "desktop" is physically smaller and uses the laptop's memory (2x8Gb SO-DIMMS) and the same hard drive....
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


I think the issue there is not laptop vs desktop, but rather the laptop OEM license.
I believe a preinstalled OS (as you find on a laptop) is not applicable to the above function.

An OEM license that you buy and install, is applicable.
 

bahnstormer

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Jan 5, 2015
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I'm splitting up the tasks:

HTPC: Ubuntu is going on a spare 60Gb SSD (Vertex 2E) that I have and can't use for too much else since it's the old 9mm thick one - only really fits in IBM X61 netbooks and not much else!

Captive win10 Pro licence: I'm going put the Crucial MX200 drive back into the old "laptop" and have a go at rolling back to win7 Ultimate - that's a full Ultimate licence key, not the Home version that came with the laptop!

Then I might try moving the drive over, re-installing and re-running the upgrade (I think you still can - if you choose the "ease of access" version - or something like that).
 

bahnstormer

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Jan 5, 2015
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problem is the original motherboard is clearly a laptop one... and now I've got a mITX.