Asking to activate windows after warranty motherboard replacement

[KevinGEliuk]

Good morning,

I am using an HP EliteDesk 800 G1 SFF

I recently had a motherboard and processor replacement performed by an HP service technician.  Everything was fine at the completion of his work and the problem I was having was resolved.

The complication appeared later that evening when Windows 10 did its background tasks and began urging me to Activate windows.  I followed the instructions of going to Settings > Update & Security > Activation where I have the error shown here

I used Troubleshooting and I went as far as logging in using both my skype and live.ca logins, but since I do not (refuse to) login to windows with those credentials, there is no record or recorded devices stored there.  I was able to use restore to reverse the affects of that move, thank expletive lord, and did a little more research.  I discovered from process of elimination where to find the OEM Key for my current OS and the new motherboard, as shown below.

The questions are:

• Do I  change the product key in windows activation? OR
• Do I ask for the way to change the OEM Key in the BIOS?

I ask first because I would rather not deal with an irreversible mess with Microsoft.

[DGroves · Accepted solution]

the free windows 10 upgrades from win-7/8x has expired when the MS upgrade was active, it bound the digital license to the existing motherboard (this is very much like the OEM serial activations)

you will have to call microsoft support and explane that the board was replaced under  mfgr warranty

ms should then give you a new serial to activate windows on your new motherboard

note the MS is under no legal reasion to actually activate your new board, as the free upgrade period has expired but they usually will do so in cases like yours

Microsoft Corporation/Customer service   1 (800) 642-7676

[Skylarking]

If your system originally came with Windows 7, then the OEM license mechanism requires a SLIC table to be active within BIOS. This SLIC table is added and enabled at manufacture time using proprietary HP tools. Then an associated xrm license file and OEM product key, which are included in the HP reinstall disk along with the install scripts, are processed and this results in the OS becoming "activatated" the install without needing internet or user action.

However, to use the HP reinstall disks, the firmware needs some HP special sauce which the technician that replaced the mobo should have added. This special sauce is the featurebyte, BuildID and other data that the HP reinstall disks uses to work out what should be installed on your PC.

Jumping into BIOS and hitting "CTRL" and "A" key at the same time, before jumping to "System Information", will expose some of these special sauce data fields that the tech should have filled in. If they are not filled in, you should be able to find that data on the labels of your system and do it yourself - just don't put the wrong data in the wrong field

If at a later date you upgraded from Windows 7 to the free Windows 10 install, MS license servers would have taken note of this fact so a reinstall should occur without issue. However, if some major components are changed after the free update was made, then the system may not longer be seen as 'the same' comupter you installed the free Win10 on. As such you will need to call MS and explain what has happened and as @DGroves stated, MS is usually OK with such issues and so should provide you with a new Win10 license (write it down).

However, if your system came with Windows 10 from HP, which uses a different OEM activation mechanism to Windows 7, then likely the technician didn't enter the appropriate Windows10 5x5 license key into the firmware (which is where i believe it should be stored and tools can read it)...

In either case, and especially if the special sause data fields are not populated in BIOS, i'd call HP tech support and get them to come out and fix the system they failed to fix the first time around

[edited to add following]

This HP forum thread also provides some info about the 5x5 product keys you may see while this HP doc discusses Windows 10 activation issue.

As such, what you do depends on where you came from (Win7 or Win10) but the firmware should have the correct "special sauce" data within BIOS in any case, and HP tech may need to fix that for you...

[KevinGEliuk]

@DGroves, @Skylarking,

Thank you for the answers thus far. I agree with your responses backed up by a white paper on HP's site.

I am, thus far, not happy with the solution provided by HP Elite support(David), who is sending me the 8.1 Pro restore media.  He claims there is a path to the free Windows 10 upgrade still out there somewhere!? That is an elusive answer, and I want to find a conclusive statement to back that up, from someone of authority.

Being that the reason I had to have a new board and processor installed because of the latest (since pulled) BIOS update for my system, rushed to release by Intel and provided by HP, I think they both are responsible for the costs, even my inconvenience, for this.  I am not done with this by any means.

[SDH]

To the OP..... google Windows 10 still free 2018.

Some added info:  Skylarking a long time ago helped me with a related project, and the following will reflect some of his input, and some of mine.

Some expensive programs are allowed to work only if the MAC address of the communicating workstation matches a centrally stored authorized MAC, and an even higher level of security is based on matching of the UUID of the workstation instead, or one we use requires match of both the UUID and the MAC.  Reportedly the central Microsoft W10 activation servers store the UUID of a W10-activated workstation and thus you can reinstall W10 of the same type without having to have access to your W10 license code ever again (your purchased code or your MS gift code).  Since that is based on the UUID if you get a new motherboard and try to reinstall W10 the central MS servers won't recognize the new motherboard unless it was programmed with the original motherboard's UUID.

When you get a brand new motherboard out of its HP-sealed wrapper the chassis serial number comes starting with a C, and the tech (or you if you know what you are doing) get one shot to enter the critical values.  After that they can't be changed.  So, if you are using one of the highly secure type of programs noted above you'd want to capture that info ahead of time, and keep it in your files.  A HP FSE might program all but the chassis serial number by mistake, I believe, but you can fix that to match what is on the labels of your box using the access method below.

You can get to what Skylarking is talking about by F10 into BIOS, tab over to the Security tab, arrow down to System IDs so it is highlighted, and then use CTRL + A.  That does not need to be hit simultaneously... use the usual pattern of CTRL first and then A immediately after while still holding down CTRL.  Then lift up and hit ENTER.  You'll see more than you see usually inside System IDs.  Copy that, and keep for if you ever need to "clone" these settings with a brand new motherboard.

From what I have seen you can change the chassis serial number as often as you wish and that will stick, but the other stuff won't after the first time.

[KevinGEliuk]

Thanks,

I did call Microsoft support and allowed them to take over my desktop and reset my license. By going back in and looking at ProduKey it is a bit of a hack.

I'm sorry I didn't get the name of the MS Tech to give a shout out to.

[KevinGEliuk]

@SDH,

Thanks for this further info.  I have gone in and poked around with the system ids. I did not and as far as I can recall,  see the service tech alter the UUID but did set the serial number.  I had to set the Product Id and Model myself.

The sub-contractor they did send out admitted to me that he was a hardware specialist rather than an HP specialist, so I don't fault him.

[SDH]

Kevin,

Wanted to get back to you about the google search topic I gave you..... the upgrade to W10Pro64 still works fine today if the current W7Pro64/W8Pro64 is activated and proper.  There is still also another method if you use assistance as you'll see.

Why, you ask, can this still be?

I'm typing this from a HP workstation just upgraded today to W10Pro64 from an official install from my HP OEM COA W7Pro64SP1 installer DVD, and the install now has been upgraded without cost to W10Pro64 - without trickery or hassle.  The answer is that it is a win-win-win for MS, HP and us.

MS wants as many of us on W10 as possible, HP wants that too and knows its base will upgrade later when ready to upgrade hardware, and we all want flexibility still on the issue of W7 vs W10 using our current hardware.  There still is a MS income stream from upgrading by those who don't read up on the issue.  Actually, if you do some reading you'll see that the upgrade fees are small potatoes to MS in the big picture.

My current new W10Pro64 install on this workstation is now activated with a digital license, which means later when I'm really ready to shift to W10Pro64 my workstation's UUID is forever registered centrally with MS as W10Pro64 activated, and I'll not need to enter any codes during a re-install of W10.

I'll add my usual sticker to the back of this workstation reminding me that it is W10Pro activated with MS centrally, and keep using my W7Pro64 build for now (recloned back on as of today).  I have an Acronis clone of my optimized W7Pro64 build that I use...... but I am liking W10Pro64 more and more.

[SDH]

Deleted.... somehow double posted.

[MtothaJ]

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@SDH wrote:

Kevin,

Wanted to get back to you about the google search topic I gave you..... the upgrade to W10Pro64 still works fine today if the current W7Pro64/W8Pro64 is activated and proper.  There is still also another method if you use assistance as you'll see.

---

As per the info on the MS website, the free upgrade offer for assistive technology users to WIn10 supposedly ended at the end of 2017: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade

It is possible that if someone still has the installer for the upgrade such an upgrade could still be run but officially at least it seems that this path is no longer being offered.

From what I recall Microsoft did not want to keep this path open indefinietly since it was subject to abuse -  in practise it was possible to install Windows 7, activate it with 'less than official' tools and then trigger the upgrade to WIndows 10, the result of which was for all intents and purposes a 'legal' fully functional and activated Win 10. registered on the MS servers.