upgraded motherboard and CPU, cant activate windows

Question

upgraded motherboard and CPU, cant activate windows

sufyaan 0

I recently changed my CPU from intel to AMD. my widows is a windows 10 retail version that had been upgraded to windows 11 for free. the activation status shows ''activated with a digital licence linked to your Microsoft account'' in the old PC. i moved the disk from the intel to the AMD system, and while logged into my Microsoft account i used the activation troubleshooter and pressed the ''i changed hardware on this device recently'' option, however it showed the following error: Unable to activate WindowsWe can't reactivate Windows as our servers aren't available right now. Wait for a few minutes or try adding your Microsoft account again.
i have tried using a local account to troubleshoot activation and logging in when prompted but had the same result. i have tried running the trouble shooter many times in the past two days and always get the same result
any advice would be appreciated

sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-10T18:24:00.99+00:00

some additional info i forgot to add:
-my wifi works perfectly fine, in fact i am using the same device to type this
-i am logged in with the same Microsoft account i used in the old PC

2 answers

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sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-10T18:24:00.99+00:00

some additional info i forgot to add:
-my wifi works perfectly fine, in fact i am using the same device to type this
-i am logged in with the same Microsoft account i used in the old PC

Answer 1

It seems that you are encountering issues with Windows activation after changing your motherboard and CPU. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the activation problem:

Check Internet Connection: Ensure that your new system is connected to the internet, as activation requires a connection to Microsoft's servers.
Use Activation Troubleshooter: Since you have already tried the troubleshooter, ensure you are logged into the same Microsoft account that was used for the original activation. If you receive the error about servers not being available, it may be a temporary issue on Microsoft's end.
Wait and Retry: Sometimes, activation servers may be temporarily unavailable. Wait for a few hours and try the activation troubleshooter again.
Re-enter Product Key: If you have the original product key for your Windows 10 retail version, try entering it manually. You can do this by going to Settings > Update & Security > Activation > Change product key.
Contact Microsoft Support: If the issue persists, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for assistance. They can help verify your account and provide guidance on reactivation.
Consider Hardware Changes: Since you changed significant hardware (motherboard and CPU), Windows may require reactivation. If the activation fails, it could be due to the hardware change being detected as a new device.

These steps should help you troubleshoot the activation issue after your hardware upgrade.

Answer 2

EmilyS726 186.2K Independent Advisor

Can you please type cmd in the search on the taskbar and hit enter to launch command prompt, then run the following command:

slmgr /dlv

Then share a screenshot please. Thanks!

sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-11T06:20:33.4+00:00

this is while im on the un-activated AMD system is that's important
EmilyS726 186.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-12-11T13:10:09.6433333+00:00

Did you purchase the license from Microsoft, or from third party?

Is it originally a Win7/8 key?
sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-11T17:11:27.31+00:00

i got a HDD with windows from a friend.
i just asked and he says he got it from a prebuilt pc bought from a local pc shop.
After getting the HDD i cloned it to a SSD before moving it from the intel system used to clone to the intel system i mentioned in the question. that worked without having to reactivate or anything.
it was originally windows 10
EmilyS726 186.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-12-11T17:14:30.0033333+00:00

Is there any reason you were not doing a clean install in the SSD to begin with?
sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-12T00:27:12.33+00:00

i wasn't sure how to to be honest, would doing a clean install make any difference in this issue? keep in mind i already moved systems once(intel to intel) after the cloning so i didn't think this was a problem. both then and now i just unplugged the ssd from one pc and plugged it into the next. i only had to set my password again last time. i understand i need to reactivate this time because its intel to amd but not sure why its not working.
EmilyS726 186.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-12-12T00:30:20.07+00:00

I cannot guarantee that the activation will work after a clean install since the license type /status is quite unclear in this case. But there's definitely a chance it could work, since by cloning the OS your installation ID is not organic, and when you change hardware like that, you should always consider a clean install anyway since the firmware and drivers are significantly different.

Here is clean install instruction:

The following steps should be done on a working Windows computer:

Download the Windows Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's official website. https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11 click on the "download now" button under "Create Windows 11 Installation Media"

Run the tool and select "Create installation media for another PC."

Choose "USB flash drive" as the media to use for the installation and select "Next."

Connect a USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of free space to your computer.

Select the USB flash drive you want to use, and then select "Next."

The tool will then download the required files and create the installation media.

=====================================================

Now these steps will be done on your problematic computer:

Go to the computer's BIOS boot menu to have it boot from the USB drive.

Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 11, making sure to choose "Custom install" and select the option to delete all existing partitions.

Once the installation is complete, you'll have a clean installation of Windows 11 on your computer.
sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-12T00:34:23.2933333+00:00

edit: accidentally commented twice
sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-12T00:46:03.9333333+00:00

how would I back up my data when doing a clean install? will i have to manually back up things like local game files and configs or is there a easier way? most of my data is in the c drive right in the os files. will i be able to use the apps on my HDD after a clean installation or will the paths not work?
EmilyS726 186.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-12-12T00:48:19.2+00:00

Apps will need to be reintalled. And yes, you have to manually back up your data.

Cloning typically only works if you are moving the disk between identify hardware, not really for such different hardware configurations.
sufyaan 0 Reputation points

2025-12-12T01:01:33.6633333+00:00

i see, this is also a reason I originally opted to clone my drive. thank you for your help
i will give this a try
EmilyS726 186.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-12-12T01:03:35.01+00:00

You are welcome.

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upgraded motherboard and CPU, cant activate windows

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