Activation loss after BIOS update

antspants · 26 Sep 2015

Halo thar. Nice to post again.

I am a little concerned as I want to update my BIOS but I am seriously going to crap my pants (I'm old) if I lose activation on 10. After a health issue my ability to focus and or sit up for any long periods of time is limiting. Also I am a grumpy old fart and I have no patience anymore for re-installation. (used to love it though) Sure I could probably afford to buy a new copy of 10 every time I upgrade a bios but should I have to?

I've been reading a couple of threads claiming that after updating a BIOS windows 10 Activation was gone. I couldn't find anything in here which surprises me because if such an oversight exists then I would expect my family of wizards here would know about it.

Can anyone here shed any light on this issue? if it's true, what may be being done about it or if it is at all even being acknowledged as an issue (or a windfall) by our dear friends at Microsoft.

Interested and eager to read your replies.

Cheers

antspants (Sin)

NavyLCDR · 26 Sep 2015

What issue are you having that requires you to update the bios?

antspants · 26 Sep 2015

Hi Navy, I always update a BIOS regardless if I have an issue or not. When a new BIOS comes out for my board I load it. Call it preventative, OCD, whatever but I believe it should be my right to update my own hardware without fear of being disadvantaged.
I'm really just interested in the facts of my inquiry more than a BIOS discussion.

Apart from my own fears I find it to be an extremely important issue. I don't believe any company should be able to dictate how I treat my property as long as I am not disrespecting or abusing theirs.

I'd really appreciate some knowledge on this if any is available.

NavyLCDR · 26 Sep 2015

As with any situation, there will be people that tell you that upgrading their bios caused Windows 10 to deactivate and there will be those that will say that's nonsense. This single thread contains both:
Windows 10 Activation Gone After BIOS Update!

The real answer, I think, is could the updated bios cause Windows 10 to deactivate? I think it is possible. Is it supposed to happen? I don't think so. Looks like one of the biggest questions is, will you have the old bios file that you can revert back to if Windows 10 does not stay activated? That would seem to be the easy workaround if it doesn't stay activated. Or if it doesn't stay activated you could call Microsoft and complain loudly and longly and hopefully they would give you a unique product key to activate your Windows 10 with and you would really be the winner then.

Myself, before I flashed my BIOS it would be ready, at this point in time, to reinstall a Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 and redo the upgrade if Microsoft absolutely refused to give me a product key if my Windows 10 deactivated which I would hope that I would not have to do.

Joergi · 26 Sep 2015

If a BIOS upgrade deactivates Windows, I consider this a bug in the Windows operating system. If Microsoft then gives you a new key, then you can maybe call that "nice" or whatever, but this only is a workaround, not a bugfix. The bugfix would be to make sure Windows really stays activated when it in fact should.

antspants · 26 Sep 2015

Ok thanks, and thanks for that link I am off yto read the posts.
however my first thoughts on what you said is that if I was to;

A. Backup my BIOS.
B. Update with the new BIOS
C. Find that updating has deactivated my install.
D. Downgraded to my backed up BIOS

Wouldn't the new fingerprint already have been sent to Microsoft servers? Meaning Microsoft now looks at me as xyz non activated, do we think that the system is smart enough to say "Oh its xyz back again, with the original BIOS, re-activate" ?
EDIT: I see it worked for the guy in that link

@Joergi, I agree, this surely is a bug. Or a clever way to get people to pay after all :P

otisdog · 26 Sep 2015

If I was you I think I'd just call Microsoft and see if they can fix it for you. They should be able to.
I don't like messing around with the bios.. especially reflashing to an earlier version - sounds dangerous and it might not help anyway.
Jim

Cliff S · 26 Sep 2015

@antspants
I just updated my BIOS a couple weeks ago with no negative effects, it was for the PC in my specs and 4 versions higher, extra for Windows 10.
Just a bit more information for you:)

NavyLCDR · 26 Sep 2015

antspants said:

Wouldn't the new fingerprint already have been sent to Microsoft servers? Meaning Microsoft now looks at me as xyz non activated, do we think that the system is smart enough to say "Oh its xyz back again, with the original BIOS, re-activate" ?
EDIT: I see it worked for the guy in that link

A failed activation won't push anything to Microsoft activation servers. That's also why people who have attempted to install the wrong version of Windows 10 and get an activation failure can go back and install the correct version and it will activate.

Rocky · 26 Sep 2015

I have never updated my BIOS. I have read so much against it that I am thinking that it is not a good idea. I have an Asus Z-97 A motherboard and it works just fine.