Can't activate my license after switching external hard drive to internal SATA

Hello, I'm independent advisor A&K. I'm glad to be able to help you.

Please let me confirm:

1. Have you logged into your Microsoft account?
2. Did you run the troubleshooter and select "I recently changed the hardware"?

If it's WIndows 7 to 10 Upgrade it uses a Digital License which can only have the Generic Version Key present - that's the key that exists if you don't insert a key during install. So make sure the Home Generic Version Key from http://winaero.com/blog/generic-key-to-install-... is copied and pasted into Activation Settings and then run the Troubleshooter again.

If it's lost it's Digital License for some reason then you can try inserting the WIndows 7 OEM key off the sticker which sometimes will work although it is not supposed to once a Digital License is derived from it, only the Version Key.

How was the WIndows 10 install done on the external drive? Is this the original drive that came installed in the PC? If so you can try reading it for a retail key by running Produckey from https://www.techspot.com/downloads/7128-produke..., eliminate the OEM BIOS (WIndows 7) key, the Generic Version key and the one left should be the retail key, so you can try it.

But it could also be a Volume License key legallyl used only by businesses and large organizations, or by pirates trying to illegally activate Windows.

If you get this far and you're still stuck then I'd contact Microsoft Support at https://support.microsoft.com/help/4051701/glob... or at https://support.microsoft.com/contactus choose Get Help, then Contact Us toward the bottom, then answer Yes you can Sign In, then Select Product: Windows, then tell the Issue, it should offer Messaging and/or a Call Back on week days.

They will validate whether the retail key is good, and if not likely activate it with the Windows 7 OEM key.

Keep me posted on your progress as I will be here to help until the case is resolved.

Hi Greg. Thanks for the quick, detailed reply!

Here's what I know at this stage:

• Yes, I was as surprised as you were about being able to boot from a USB external. It's an SSD, and as far as I can tell, moving it from USB to SATA has caused zero problems besides the activation issue.
• I'm not exactly sure (or can't remember) how my Windows installation was activated. I bought the computer used, with Windows 10 Home pre-installed, but the product key sticker on the machine is for Windows 7. I'm guessing that whoever owned the computer before me must have upgraded?
• I don't see anything in my Microsoft account about a digital license.
• I used a few downloadable programs to get more information on my product key, and they tell me that it's "Retail."
• Nothing came up when I ran Command Prompt to get details on the OEM license, which I assume means there's no license in my hardware.
• My Windows is in Japanese, so I don't know the English equivalent of the error message at the top of the Activation screen in Settings, but it gives me the error code 0x800705B4 and tells me to either try again later or buy a license from the Microsoft Store.
• When I run the troubleshooter, it says it couldn't activate at this time and tells me to either go to the Microsoft Store or contact Microsoft about having changed my hardware.
• Obviously, typing in the product key in Activation returns an error.
• The sfc /scannow operation completed without finding any problems.

If I choose to do a repair install, will I be able to use that product key? That's what I'm worried about--I just want to know if the product key itself is no longer valid, which would make it pointless to try to use it in a fresh install.

Hi TMK. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP specializing in installation, performance, troubleshooting and activation, here to help you.

It is strange to move an external USB HD to internal Windows drive since Windows isn't even supposed to boot from external and would be badly throttled by USB, but that is another issue and doesn't change the fact that you should be able to change the hard drive and still be able to reactivate with the existing license, and you should be able to move a WIndows 10 install to different hardware and have it reactivate as long as an incorrect key isn't blocking it. Only a motherboard change should require a new activation, whether via Activation Troubleshooter or MS Support.

How was Windows 10 originally Activated on the PC? Did it come preinstalled from Factory, was it Upgraded with free or paid Upgrade, or was it a retail copy and license?

For Upgrade when you first upgraded and it activated it assigned a permanent Digital License to the PC in Microsoft Activation Servers so you can reinstall any time and in any way you want as long as you reinstall the licensed version. It should reactivate soon after going online.

A Digital License is keyless and uses only the generic version key which is what is used when you install Windows without a key. If this key is changed then a Digital License will never activate until it's changed back to the generic version key given here:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/95922-gener...

Factory installs have the Product Key embedded in BIOS or UEFI firmware and should activate themselves, but you can manually derive your OEM-BIOS key using the Command Prompt, type CMD in Search, Run as Administrator, copy and paste the command here and press Enter:

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Then copy and paste the key into Windows Activation Settings

Retail keys must be reinserted for reinstalls during install or in Settings.

What is the Status and Edition shown at the top of the page at Settings > Update & Security > Activation?

Run the Activation Troubleshooter at Settings > Update & Security > Activation and report back it's findings.

Sometimes the activation files get corrupted, so if you think it should be activating you can run System File Checker and DISM from Step 10 in this checklist:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

If that doesn't help then you can run a Repair Install which reinstalls WIndows while keeping your files, programs and most settings in place, by installing the Media Creation Tool from this link http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m..., open the tool and choose Upgrade This PC Now. This will solve most problems and also bring it up to the latest version which you need anyway and by the most stable method.

If this fails you can contact Microsoft Support at https://support.microsoft.com/help/4051701/glob... or at https://support.microsoft.com/contactus Choose Get Help, then Contact Us toward the bottom, then answer Yes you can Sign In, then Select Product: Windows, then tell the Issue, it should offer Messaging and/or a Call Back on week days.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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Hi there. Thanks for helping out.

1. Yes, I have, but I completely forgot to link my installation of Windows with my Microsoft account before I switched the drive. I don't see any digital licenses in my account.
2. Yes, I tried that. When I did, I saw a reactivation option for another computer of mine--not the one I'm trying to activate now.

Thanks.