Windows 10 rumour?

[Mick_Berg]

I read amongst some reviews that if you install a new CPU in a Windows 10 computer, you lose the authentication of Windows 10. Surely that can't be true, it would be utterly unacceptable I would think. Can anyone confirm or deny?

(If it was just a matter of re-entering your serial # I wouldn't have a problem with that)

Thanks.
Mick

 

[pdkoester]

"contact support from within Windows 10, explain the situation, and they'll activate Windows 10 for you" If you change the motherboard with the CPU, then you might see it become deactivated. There is three things it looks at... that I know of, but:

The actual algorithm that Microsoft uses is not disclosed, but we do know the weighting of components is as follows, from highest to lowest:

• Motherboard (and CPU)
• Hard drive
• Network interface card (NIC)
• Graphics card
• RAM

 

[John514]

From Microsoft:

If you made a significant hardware change to your device (such as replacing the motherboard) Windows 10 might no longer be activated. If you're running Windows 10 (Version 1607) and added your Microsoft account and linked it to the digital license on your device, you can use the Activation troubleshooter to reactivate Windows. For more info, see Using the Activation troubleshooter.

The above applies for the free-upgrade versions. If you have actually bought Windows 10 and have a product key, you just have to reenter it.

 

[norfolksouthern37]

In addition, this has been windows policy going pretty far back. I remember changing components while running XP and Vista and having the same thing happen. If the software determines that you have changed your machine enough that it becomes a 'new' machine it may need re-validation.

 

[JCitron]

I recently ran into this problem after I replaced a failed motherboard. I attempted to obtain a new activation code for the Win10 I had purchased for the original motherboard, however, the online process failed. After multiple attempts, I gave up and chatted online with a Microsoft support specialist who worked through the problem. The person worked through something, chatted with another support manager, escalated the support chat to yet another rep. Finally after showing the original purchase receipt I uploaded as a PDF along with a PDF scan of my replacement motherboard packing slip, as well as letting them snoop my C: drive for anything weird, they sent me an authorization code which put my system back online.

The process took about 45 minutes. The support rep apologized for the long ordeal, but since I worked in a similar position at one time, I understood. She thanked me for having the receipts handy and able to supply the necessary documentation.

Graphics cards, memory (RAM), and hard drives seem okay, but the heart of it all - the motherboard and probably the CPU too - triggers the "new computer detected" process.

 

[Vostrail]

If you have a retail copy, you should be able to transfer Windows 10 to another PC / motherboard / CPU without an issue.

If you purchased a lower cost OEM version, it is tied to the motherboard. If you change your motherboard, you need to buy a new copy of windows. However, if your previous motherboard failed then Microsoft does allow you to transfer the OEM Windows licence to your replacement. Perhaps this is the process that John (JCitron) went through above.

 

[JCitron]

If you have a retail copy, you should be able to transfer Windows 10 to another PC / motherboard / CPU without an issue.

If you purchased a lower cost OEM version, it is tied to the motherboard. If you change your motherboard, you need to buy a new copy of windows. However, if your previous motherboard failed then Microsoft does allow you to transfer the OEM Windows licence to your replacement. Perhaps this is the process that John (JCitron) went through above.

It sure is the process I went through. I felt like I was in front of the Spanish Inquisition during the procedure.

 

[Vostrail]

I don't doubt it!

Just to add, for those that aren't so computer savvy....
If you bought / own a pre-built PC from one of the big names (e.g. Acer, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Asus), the Windows licence will almost certainly be an OEM one. If it was for Windows 7 and you upgraded to Windows 10, it still remains an OEM licence with the same restrictions on transferability.

John

 

[frogpipe]

What if you bought win 7 and free updated it (biggest mistake of my life...)

 

[JCitron]

What if you bought win 7 and free updated it (biggest mistake of my life...)

That license is tied to that motherboard. If you have technical difficulties, contact Microsoft and have it transferred to other hardware if that's necessary, otherwise you'll need to purchase a new license.

This has always been their policy even with Windows 7 and Windows 8.x.

Windows 10 is not that bad, Ted.

I hate the big button start menu myself and do everything from the desktop. I put all my shortcuts for things I use often in a folder called Desktop Apps. Everything else to me runs pretty much like Windows 7, even more so than Windows 8.x did.

If you want, you can try Classic Shell which will give you the Windows XP or Windows 7-style start menu. It works pretty well and I've used it before.

 

[big_b]

What if you bought win 7 and free updated it (biggest mistake of my life...)

I installed w10 from win7 free upgrade
Then had to replaced the Mobo cpu & ram due to mobo failure ( old board type no parts )
Installed all the new gear & reinstalled win10 from boot usb ( downloaded files )
entered win7 -win10 upgrade product key - running without any problems

Used a program I downloaded called produkey to find keys on my PC for future use.
Checked 4 other pc's & laptops family had that had been upgrade and all had the same product key.

dave

 

[pdkoester]

What if you bought win 7 and free updated it (biggest mistake of my life...)

Sorry to hear you're having troubles, but cannot be that bad, just you had a bad egg to install it onto, right?

 

[PC_Ace]

When you can so easily configure Windows 10 to look almost identical to the Windows 7 desktop or even earlier versions of Windows, I have to wonder whether those complaining about the UI have properly explored and experimented at all with this, the most powerful and capable OS that Microsoft has ever delivered.
On a touch-screen tablet, the tiled Start menu makes sense, but desktop computer users never have to give the tiled interface a second glance as it is possible to run almost everything you want to from the Taskbar and/or Start menu button.
A big percentage of the more that 350 million users have now discovered that Windows 10 is the fastest, most capable and secure version of Windows so far to date.
It's certainly the best OS for playing games and demanding simulators (like T:ANE).

 

[wholbr]

​Hi everybody.
Just when are Microsoft going to give up on this ridiculous shirad of putting their customers through an “inquisition” every time they wish to make repairs or changes to their PCs. I would have believed that with year on year the bottom dropping out of the PC market, Microsoft would have wished to have the ever diminishing users of the Windows PC system encouraged and not discouraged with this re-authorization “piffle”.

What company would wish to witness their employees or contractors having to spend endless time contacting Microsoft just because the organization had changed a component in a workplace desktop. No company other than the Redwood dinosaur tries to impose such an outdated system on their users. With other operating systems it is repair or replace the device, log in when asked, and “off to go again” right from where the user left off, and that is the way it should be.

Microsoft now distribute Windows 10 to manufacturers free of cost to encourage then to develop devices for the operating system, so why all the fuss when a device is faulty and components need replacement? The user has not paid anything for the OS system, Microsoft will not directly lose from the re-installation of the operating system if necessary, so why all the fuss?

In the above, is it little wonder that Windows 10 has not been the success that Microsoft hoped it would be when launched last year. Microsoft believed and publicly stated that there would be one billion upgrades to the new system in the first twelve months. In the foregoing once again Microsoft have failed with approximately only one third of that figure (350 million) coming forward for the free upgrade. So, anyone has to ask what has happened to other six hundred and fifty million?

Some have gone to Microsoft Mobile by purchasing the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 tablet which is a great device and marketed as a direct replacement to the PC. However, tablet sales worldwide are now starting to fall as smartphones have now become so powerful that they are replacing tablets due to their portability, versatility and voice recognition for all their operation.

In the above, the problem is for microsoft that they do not have a recognizable windows 10 phone currently in production to challenge for any share of that market since the ending of their involvement by way of Nokia. Figures for the first quarter of 2016 demonstrate that Microsoft's share of the huge worldwide mobile phone market has now fallen to one half of one percent.

So, Microsoft should wake up and smell the coffee and start treating their customers with respect as they are not these days the only producer of operating systems or even the best system. Anyone only has to look at user purchasing movement and preferences across all platforms to witness evidence of that.

Bill

 

[robd]

I am using Win10 Home 64x, a bought copy, not the free d/load I hasten to add, although I qualified for the free upgrade.

This copy of Win10 is registered to me through a Microsoft account and has so far been through two motherboard changes along with CPU/GPU upgrades and I haven't had to get in touch with Microsoft once. Indeed, on the first hardware upgrade I didn't re-install Win10, I booted into the then current Win10 installation without problems.

On the second motherboard upgrade I reinstalled Win10 on to a brand new ssd, again no problems encountered.

Prior to the first upgrade I signed up for a Microsoft account and all as Microsoft required on both hardware upgrade occasions was that I sign in to my Microsoft account. All very easy peasy and no hassle!

I think Win10 is a good OS, easily on a par, if not better than Win7. I don't know if I'll encounter any MS inquisitions in the future if I decide to upgrade hardware again but so far so good.

Maybe the problems with reinstalling are confined to free upgrade versions - I don't know.

Rob.

 

[wilts747]

If you purchase a full version (not an OEM version) of Window, the Microsoft Licence allows you to reinstall it as many times as you wish. You can even uninstall/remove it from one machine and install it onto another. Conversely if you purchase an OEM version it is tied to the first machine it gets validated to, and the same applied when you purchase a computer with Windows pre-installed where with few exceptions these days the manufacturer/provider has installed an OEM version of Windows to keep costs down. As pointed out Microsoft will re-validate your installation should you need to replace a major component of your computer but try getting round their security and run more than one copy of a particular version and they will block any installation they perceive as a copy. Peter

 

[wholbr]

Hi everybody.
How many "full versions" do Microsoft expect to sell when all other operating systems are free in all versions. The days of users purchasing an operating system is long gone. If pushed they will simply move on to Google, Amazon, Apple IOS, Steam or even soon to be Facebook, you name it, they are all free.

Only PC gamers are "stuck" with the Windows system, all others are able to move on.

Bill

 

[wilts747]

While Intel and the majority of hardware manufacturers are in bed with Microsoft the consumer is a bit on a hiding to nothing. I think those who are a little computer savvy start with what they want to do then determine the application to achieve it and finally which OS is then needed to run those applications. If its free all well and good however if like Windows you may need to purchase a copy then it's viewed as an overhead. Peter

 

[wholbr]

Hi again Peter and everybody.
I appreciate what you say Peter. However many business users and education establishment's in the UK and Europe have moved on to Google OS already with good broadband becoming widely available. With Google Android and Apple IOS becoming available to large screen devices throughout the world this autumn, anyone has to ask "where is the market need for the purchasing of the Windows 10 operating system" when it can all be carried out on other systems and devices with the exception of very high end gaming.

Bill

 

[wilts747]

If to enjoy Trainz I have to put up with Windows (I us Linux for most of my computing) I can live with as I'm sure other have with dedicated gaming platforms to enjoy their favorite games. What frustrates and annoys me is how hard work and intrusive Windows has become over the years. Originally it was nothing more than DOS with a graphical front end, which after using DOS commands to achieve anything made sense. Today somewhere in there is still an OS I guess smothered under a stack of unwanted, unused and more importantly inferior applications (sorry I'm showing my age 'Apps') which is spoiling my and probably many others enjoyment of Trainz. We are then told after spending our hard earned monies, the point raised at the beginning of this thread, you can only do the following with this software, not that we want to get anything for nothing, just keep our old trusted computer going or give them a bit of an overdue boost. Can you imaging car manufacturers stopping you building or repairing a vehicle using salvaged parts or a timber merchant preventing you doing likewise to a fence with a discarded pallet. Perhaps I and many others need to get a life, the world and commerce has moved on, well may be it has but my Android version on Trainz with all its perceived shortfalls still works with no intervention on my part, first time, every time, after 4-5 major revisions to Android. Am I really being that unreasonable? Peter