Activation Issues

Question

Activation Issues

Sabien Ruffin 0

I had an ASUS b550m prime wifi motherboard with genuine windows on it. Unfortunately, that motherboard's sata_g4 port has gone completely kaput, which I suspect to be the cause of the motherboard shorting out. Fortunately, I had another motherboard laying around that was compatible with all of my equipment: a gigabyte b450m d3sh-v2. The trouble is, I was not able to get windows running on this motherboard after I had spent an entire week trying to get my computer to start at all. So, I created a partition of Linux Mint, installed Ventoy, an imaging software, to a USB, downloaded an iso of Windows 10 onto the Ventoy USB, then used that USB to install a fresh copy of Windows 10 to my computer. I am still in the process of recovering all of my data, apps, preferences, and other things. It has been long and arduous. One of the biggest roadblocks right now is that windows believes that I am not on a genuine copy. I am told that if one's motherboard came with a windows license, usually, windows will just acknowledge the license key directly from the motherboard. I don't know if this b450m came with such a license, because when I originally tried to install it a few years ago, it didn't work. I am about to RMA the B550M motherboard. Is there a way I can find my product key on either board?

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Answer 1

DaveM121 939.2K Independent Advisor

If your PC has an ASUS b550m prime WiFi motherboard, that usually indicates that is a custom built PC and the motherboard usually does not come with an OEM Windows licence on the motherboard and if it did, an OEM licence does not have transfer rights to a new motherboard..

1

Do you still have the drive with the original Windows installation, or have you reinstalled Windows on that same drive?

2

In the meantime, open the Settings App.

Go to the Windows activation settings window.

Click the Troubleshoot button, then choose 'I changed my hardware'.

Are you able to see the previously activated device in the list to move the Windows licence to the new motherboard.

Sabien Ruffin 0 Reputation points

2026-08-18T17:04:32.5333333+00:00

I have the drive with the original installation, but after many days of trying everything to log in, I gave up. I couldn't load into Windows normally. After putting in a bunch of CMD commands, I was able to get to the log-in screen in safe mode, but it said my pin wasn't said up and wouldn't give me any options to set one up. So far, when I go to ' I changed my hardware' I'm not able to see the previous device list.

Another caveat is that the instance of Windows 10 that I had on that computer had been installed since 2015. It's just lived on one different storage drive to the next for many years.
DaveM121 939.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-18T17:12:28.55+00:00

Thank you for that information.

If you were able to re-install Windows on the old motherboard on different drives since 2015 and Windows activated correctly each time, that would indicate that was an OEM licence, however, that licence cannot be transferred to a new motherboard, it is tied to the original motherboard.
Sabien Ruffin 0 Reputation points

2026-08-18T17:19:12.2633333+00:00

Well thanks for your help anyway Dave. I will continue to seek solutions for my predicament.
DaveM121 939.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-18T17:19:48.77+00:00

Glad to help!