Windows not Activated

[srtudas]

Hello everyone, 

I am aware that this issue has been addressed in many other forum posts, however, my issue is somewhat different. My original motherboard that came with the PC died/broke/etc. a.k.a it needed to be replaced, so I upgraded to the Z97 chipset while I was at it and went with an Asus LGA 1150 motherboard along with an Intel Core i5-4690k processor. (Note: this computer has been moved into a different case, new 850 Watt Corsair Modular power supply, and Cooler Master 212 Evo CPU Cooler). My problem is now that certain Windows 10 features have been disabled due to the loss of my product key which is within the bios of the dead original motherboard. Is there any way I can retreive my product key through HP? Currently I cannot find the bag of documentation and paperwork that came with the computer in 2013. 

[TheOldMan · Accepted solution]

Looking at the support page says that PC came with Windows 8 which means product key for Windows was imbedded in the BIOS.  Also means that Windows 10 recognized the motherboard was changed and the "activation code" for that PC was no longer valid.  Finding any documentation that came with the old motherboard will not help.  It is not exactly clear if the motherboard that was the replacement was an HP unit, but if it was a regular motherboard, then the only way to activate the Windows 10 install is to get a Windows 10 key.  You could try to sweettalk the Microsoft telephone support people but it is not expected they will issue a new key, but it will not hurt to ask.

[srtudas]

Darn, well I guess I will just buy a copy of windows 10 from the windows store because I am tired of the limitations on windows because it is "not activated." The motherboard I purchased is an Asus motherboard so I highly doubt it would be used in an HP computer :smileyvery-happy:. Thank you for your help.