I purchased a RETAIL (not OEM) license for Windows 10 Pro FROM THE MICROSOFT WEBSITE (shows up in my order history on my account) back in April of 2020. I changed to a new motherboard yesterday, carried everything else from the system over (including the boot drive) and was unable to activate my license. According to their own website, this shouldn’t have been an issue as my RETAIL license should have been able to carry over.
I was on the phone for 3 hours, spoke with 3 different representatives (all very nice, kudos to them) and the only option that I was left with was to purchase a new license. Given Microsoft’s history, this feels like a deliberate tactic to extort more money out of already paying customers.
Just getting the word out. Time to finally switch to Linux.
Welcome aboard! I made the upgrade to Linux 8 months ago on all my PCs. Only was tempted to go back in the first 2 weeks…changing habits was the hardest part really.
I’ve been toying around with the idea for several years, trying out different distros in VMs trying to find the right one for me. I was hoping to wait until SteamOS 3 was available for PC, but I guess I’ll just build out Arch in a VM and transplant it to an NVMe drive.
Did the rep suggest booting back up with the old board, de-registering, then switching?
I never tried, but I know the licence sticks to a board, and would honestly know if it can be un-stuck for a sale of either the board (on to a new home) or a license for the replacement system.
it really seems MS wants a cut of each sale of each board, but that is against their own terms.
Technically, if you sold, instead of storing the mobo, then the next user would need to buy windows for themselves, if you kept your license key. And I am sure it would not use the old licence, so MS would end up double dipping in the transaction.
SteamOS is kind of annoyingly locked down for a desktop OS (things like limitations on what external software you can install). You’re better off just installing any other distro and just using Steam, which will provide basically all of the same functionality.
I had already removed the license from the previous board before switching, which I did tell them I had done. My digital license would not activate, which is why I had to contact support.
SteamOS 2 (Debian based) is, yes, but the new Arch based one for Steam Deck isn’t. Valve just hasn’t released the image for desktop yet. I’m just going to setup Arch in a VM.
Does anyone happen to know offhand if PrimoCache, Macrium Reflect, MakeMKV, QNAP External RAID Manager and reWASD work through Wine? Those are the only programs that I own licenses for/need for backup purposes. I know there are backup alternatives, but I haven’t sat down to research if a QNAP device works yet.
Never purchased one of their digital licenses, but I’m still using the same retail key I got with my Windows 8 Pro media, used across multiple systems, sometimes in parallel. After I use the key and I reinstall I don’t have to reinstall the license as it says “Activated with digital license”.
However, there is a workaround for your issue, enter your key manually, let it fail on-line action then call the number it gives you for manual activation. Enter all the letters and numbers though the tedious process. Usually activation will succeed and it will read back a bunch of letters and numbers you have to enter. From that point on, should you ever re-install, it will correctly activate with the digital license.
Only once it failed over the phone, it transferred me to an agent. I had the same argument but because I’m a tenacious little b*stard and I escalated the crap out of it they were able to override and activate my key.
This seems in stark contrast to my experiences in Europe, probably because of that ECJ ruling regarding used licenses (highest court in EU basically said reselling software licenses is fine). I have had Windows not activate, called up MS, straight up told them I have bought a used license and need to activate it, and got the activation key no problem. And it wasn’t always the Polish helpdesk either - I usually call in the evening, when the Polish one is closed and they redirect me to someone English speaking elsewhere in the world.
Not going to work under Linux. There are alternatives, but IMHO, nothing really worth using.
No Linux version, and does not work under Wine. And I don’t think there are any third party alternatives that work with it’s proprietary backup format.
Native Linux version available, works great.
No Linux version, and does not work under wine.
However, there should be equivalent programs available, they just might require a bit more manual setup.
Never had an issue like this personally, but this is also why CDKeys and co exist and no one cares.
You can get a valid license for like $10; I paid $120 off Amazon years ago, but that was cause I didn’t have the time to deal with playing “maybe” when I didn’t know if anything else was legit
Edit:
Would also say, good on you for moving to Linux, but beware that horror stories around what should be non-issues is common with any large company, especially in consumer electronics/software
had a similar when i killed my x470 board.
although i had a different outcome.
for mine i called em, they asked for proof that i only swapped the motherboard.
when i gave it, the guy remoted into my machine and added a new key.
as far as i know. upgrades are allowed and microsoft lifted there restriction on hardware changes needing a new install.
they also said something about once windows being activated on your account it was tied against your account not your machine.
Another point to add - setting up Bluetooth controllers under Linux seems to require some doing. Take a look at the sheer size of the Arch wiki article on gamepads
I did all of that, but I didn’t escalate the crap out of the call. I’ve been wanting to leave Windows for a while, I just didn’t want it to be this soon.