Windows 10: Unable to activate windows after hardware change saying previous computer was Home and now Pro

Hello,We have two computers in the house we bought from a local used computer store. They have worked fine, windows was activated and no issues.One computer had Windows Home on it and another had Windows Pro. Well, we got a new computer so I was looking to move some of the parts from the slowest used computer and rebuild the second used computer we have.I was able to take the SSD out of the Windows Pro computer and replace it with the slower hard drive but faster processor in the Windows Home computer. I was ready to reinstall Windows 10 Pro but to my surprise when I booted it up, it did with

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Unable to activate Windows after hardware change

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Usually the error code 0xC004F213 comes when there is a hardware change done on the computer (like Motherboard or Hard drive). The Windows license is associated with the device hardware. If there is any significant hardware changes, such as replacing
motherboard or hard drive, Windows won’t be able to recognize the license.

I suggest you to try the troubleshooting steps from the article
Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change and see if Windows gets activated.

If you are using an OEM computer that came with Windows 7, and the motherboard has not been changed, then you can follow the steps to retrieve the product key that came with your OEM computer. To retrieve the product key follow the steps mentioned
below:

1. Type Command prompt in the search bar, that is on the taskbar.
   
2. Right click on Command prompt icon and select Run as administrator.
   
3. Type the command and press on Enter: wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
   
4. You will find the product key.
   

Hope it helps.

Please reply with the status of the issue, we will be glad to help you further.

Nikhar Khare

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

unable to activate windows - after new hardware installation

I put a new motherboard, ram and cpu into my computer and now it says I am unable to activate windows. I go to settings>activation>troubleshoot>I changed hardware on this device recently>I choose my computer from the list>activate and it says "unable to
activate windows

 

Activation troubles after hardware chnage

Here's what happened:

• Linked my Windows 10 Pro Licence to my Microsoft account.
• Switched out to a new motherboard, new install linked to my Microsoft account.
• Activation has failed, (Error Code: 0xC004C003) when I try to troubleshoot:
  • Press I recently changed hardware on this device
  • Select the old computer in my Microsoft account
  • Says unable to reactivate windows - try again later - and links to here:
  • Reactivating Windows after a hardware change - Microsoft Support
  • I've been through it nothing is relevant or helps
• Have been trying for 3 days now - still not activated.

Anyone got any ideas or suggestions on what I can do?

Thanks