Windows 10 activation key

[itstopsecret]

Yesterday I upgraded my motherboard, CPU, RAM, and got an ssd. when I tried to start my computer it would not load windows and made me re install windows. I had previously upgraded from windows 8 to 10 while they had their promotion going on and I never had this issue. I now have a watermark in the bottom of my screen saying "Activate Windows go to settings to activate windows" it is still on the same hard drive that I had it on before any suggestions?

CPU: Intel core i5 7600k 3.8GHz
Cooler: Cryorig M9
GPU: XFX Radeon R9 380 2GB GDDR5
PSU: Rosewill PHOTON-750
RAM: 16 GB G. Skill Ripjaws V DDR4 2666
SSD: intel 600p 512GB
HDD: 1TB 7200 rpm
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z270M-D3H (Z270 micro ATX)

 

[DRagor]

Since you changed motherboard, Win thinks it's new computer, that's why it ask for activation. The fact that hard drive has not been changed is meaningless here, unfortunately.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Did you have it linked top a Microsoft Account , if so use it to Activate.

 

[Supahos]

Usually in Windows 10 if you'll log into your Microsoft account it'll pull the licence over

 

[itstopsecret]

Did you have it linked top a Microsoft Account , if so use it to Activate.

how do I do this?

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
Details here.

 

[Kurz]

Did you have a microsoft account setup on the old computer.

 

[sizzling]

Was your Win 8 OEM? If no you could reinstall 8 again and do the upgrade to 10. You only need to do this if your previous Win 10 was not linked to your Microsoft account.

 

[boosted1g]

Did you have it linked top a Microsoft Account , if so use it to Activate.

how do I do this?

You will have to reinstall windows on your old computer hardware with that hard drive (as that is the motherboard your current windows license is linked to), then link your microsoft account to it, and then you can remove the drive and re-reinstall windows for that motherboard.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

This is why I use a Microsoft Account on all my PC's and not a local , reactivation is a breeze with the Microsoft account.

 

[itstopsecret]

Did you have it linked top a Microsoft Account , if so use it to Activate.

how do I do this?

You will have to reinstall windows on your old computer hardware with that hard drive (as that is the motherboard your current windows license is linked to), then link your microsoft account to it, and then you can remove the drive and re-reinstall windows for that motherboard.

I am currently trying to do this but nothing will load in my old computer, i think this may have to do with doing a clean install of windows on my hard drive. Any tips?

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Yes if you clean installed it might not boot.

Should have linked it before the upgrades.