I have a watermark that says, "Activate Windows Go to Settings to activate Windows". I upgraded from windows 7 and then I replaced my cpu and mother board a month ago and now this message appears and I do not have a product key to activate it with.
Hi Bumzz
I'm not sure if I will be able to help you with your problem entirely as it seems that the most likely solution would be to buy a new product key.
What I am wondering is had you activated Windows 7 before you upgraded? What version of Windows 7 did you have before you upgraded?
I am not entirely sure if replacing your cpu and motherboard would make a difference unless you have a OEM product key which is specifically bound to your computer when you purchase it. I am thinking that this is the most likely scenario and unfortunately you might have to go purchase another key or get someone to embed your previous product key into the new motherboard (I am not sure if this is physically possible). This will require you to look at the UEFI firmware on your old motherboard.
Have a look at this tutorial
Your first activation from doing the free upgrade gave you a digital entitlement to run windows on that original hardware. A digital hash of that hardware was saved on the activation server. Swapping out the motherboard and CPU has changed the digital hash so they don't match anymore. As far as the activation server is concerned, its a different PC. One that doesn't have a digital entitlement for Windows 10. The product key you would have gotten was a generic key that can't be used to transfer your license to a new PC. The free upgrade is free for the life of the device, and IMHO, not transferable.
If your original Windows 7 install was retail, you could use that product code to install and activate windows 10.If it was OEM you can't.If you can read a key off of the COA sticker it should work.
Another option is to select the activate by phone option and dial the number shown on screen. Then plead your case with the Microsoft representative.
Or just buy a new license.
Windows 7 factory OEM motherboards do not store a key in the BIOS. There is an OEM marker in the BIOS called a SLIC table but doesn't actually have a product code in it. OEM embedded keys didn't start until Windows 8. Just a heads up for future reference. Also, an off the shelf motherboard that you'd buy at Newegg for example, won't have an embedded key. Only factory OEM systems that ship with Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10 pre installed will have them. Embedded key's are injected by the OEM.
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