I'm away for a week, and suddenly I need to reactivate Windows 10 Pro

Just like the title says. I was away for a week. Oh, just before I took this trip, I reinstalled a motherboard that was sent in for repair to ASUS. I checked the sn, and I did get the same board back that I sent in. I left on this trip less than one day after doing the re-install.

Also, if this matters, Office 2013 wants to be activated. Plus Norton Internet Security, which I get through Comcast.

Is the motherboard the root cause here? How do I get well with Microsoft?

Before the repair, everything was running fine. Both Windows and Office were up to date with patches. I got this Win 10 as an upgrade from Win 7 Pro.

x509

Hi x509.

Something has changed on motherboard, something that may indicate that machine is different.

Have a look at this tutorial, in the "Tip" section. You likely want the fifth tip, Activation Trouble shooter.

Activate Windows 10

Yes 2013 is seeing the same thing. You will have to renter your 25 digit key. If they refuse, sometimes this happens if the license has been activated recently or a lot, then go through the phone activation process. I find painful but easy, just have a good pen and a large piece of paper.

For Norton you will have to talk to Comcast first. Normally, if you only had one license you would head your Norton account, then de-authorized your machine, which gets your install count down to zero, then down load and install. Not sure how it works with Comcast offering.

Ken

Caledon Ken said:

Hi x509.

Something has changed on motherboard, something that may indicate that machine is different.

Have a look at this tutorial, in the "Tip" section. You likely want the fifth tip, Activation Trouble shooter.

Activate Windows 10

Yes 2013 is seeing the same thing. You will have to renter your 25 digit key. If they refuse, sometimes this happens if the license has been activated recently or a lot, then go through the phone activation process. I find painful but easy, just have a good pen and a large piece of paper.

For Norton you will have to talk to Comcast first. Normally, if you only had one license you would head your Norton account, then de-authorized your machine, which gets your install count down to zero, then down load and install. Not sure how it works with Comcast offering.

Ken

Quick update. I was able to reactivate my Norton Internet Security after going through the process several times, on the web. The first time, it confirmed that I was re-activated, but ten minutes later, I wasn't activated. Eventually I got activated. Their system is not easy to use. If you exceed the 7 license limit, you either buy another license, or deactivate a current system. Problem is, their system treats old, retired systems as active until you deactivate them. But you can only deactivate an old system when you hit that limit. Even their tech support confirmed that you can't manage your account by deleting as many old systems as you want. If I didn't get this product free from Comcast, I would be looking at other security product vendors.

Still need to deal with the Windows and Office activations. I know that I will need to activate Office over the phone. Not yet sure about Windows.

Agree Norton system is not intuitive but when you are right panel you just uninstall from device. I had similar hell with support but eventually found correct spot.

Irrespective of the motherboard's serial # being the same, if the components thereon have changed, the hardware ID will be different and thus a "new" PC in the eyes of MS, which will need a new digital licence.

You will need the original key that it was activated with or if used with an MSA the activation transfer wizard (which I'm not too familar with, but guess needs the old hardware ID saved to the MSA account before it can transfer it to the new one)