Why can't I activate after changing to a different hard drive?

Question

I switched my windows install to a different hard drive and now I cannot activate windows. When I use the trouble shooter I select I changed hardware on this device recently. I choose the machine I am using check the box and hit activate. It then tells me "We can't reactivate Windows on this device. Try again later." Then a learn more link that has nothing helpful and a link to buy another key. there is no error code or anything.

It tells me on the settings page to contact support but the support page just gives me a bunch of articles that don't help at all and won't let me contact support at all... I tried the get help app and that asks me to sign in to get help but then says I can't sign in... I am signed in on the computer, I have signed in on the website... doesn't tell me why I can't sign in and I can't talk to anybody.

Answer 1

When you switch your Windows installation to a different hard drive, it can sometimes lead to activation issues due to hardware ID binding. Windows activation is linked to the hardware configuration of your system, and changing the hard drive may alter the hardware ID that Windows recognizes.

Here are some steps you can take to resolve this issue:

1. Run Activation Troubleshooter: Since you already tried this, ensure you select the option indicating that you changed hardware.
2. Reactivate Using Command Prompt: Open an elevated Command Prompt (right-click and select "Run as administrator") and run the command slmgr.vbs /ato. This attempts to activate Windows using the current product key.
3. Check Your Product Key: Ensure that the product key you are using is valid and has not been used on another device.
4. Contact Microsoft Support: If the issue persists, you may need to reach out to Microsoft Support for assistance. Since you mentioned difficulties with contacting support, try accessing support via a different method, such as through the Microsoft website or using a different device.

If you continue to experience issues, it may be necessary to consider that the activation might require a new key, especially if the hardware change has affected the licensing validation process.

Answer 2

Hello,

How did you obtain your license initially?

Did it come with the device preinstalled, or did you purchase it?

If you purchased it, did you purchase from Microsoft, or from third party?

Is it originally a Win7/8 key?

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!

Answer 3

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

May I please know how you activated Windows earlier? Was the key already pre-installed on your device (OEM) or did you purchase a retail key from a seller or from the Microsoft Store?

Additionally, open a Command Prompt window,

Type slmgr.vbs /dlv and click enter.

Post a screenshot of the resulting dialog box.