I'm having this same problem. I got a new motherboard and Windows refused to reactivate. I was also having the timezone problem - it kept auto-setting to Amsterdam when I'm US EST. I had to call MS support to have a tech activate my Windows install for me. I just now opened the weather app and it's showing me ITALY. WTF? I bet that's why I couldn't activate. I have no VPN services running and lookups on my IP all show the correct location. Windows is just drunk and needs to go home.