I installed a new motherboard and video card in my Dell (mother board went bad) and now i go to log in and its says i need to activate i click ok and the box pops up and says its ALREADY activated. I click OK and it logs me out. It just does this over and over. What can i do?

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You could do one of two things:

1: Call up microsoft and tell them your situation, they follow you through the whole process to reactivate your OS.

2: Whenever you change your system mobo, you get only three minor changes. Do this, install the old motherboard with the new video card. After this, install the new motherboard and see if this fixes anything.

well i thought of doing #2 but the Mobo is dead. The program that has the phone numbers in it wont launch because it says it already activated and the program wont launch in safemode.

I had already this problem two times, and I have reformatted systems, I havn't found any solution, repair windows doesn't work, tweaking OOBE regkey doesn't work. Calling Microsoft and explain your problem is good idea, please inform us if there is solution.

Goodbye

anyone got the number to the activation line for the USA?

888-571-2048

You need to change the CD-Key fron the factory key to the COA-Key. The factory key cannot be activated and the COA Key can only be activated by phone.

In my case, I did a repair install so the key has aksed to me, so it's the good key (key of the sticker) so I can activate by phone, but windows always says Already activated. Now, it's okay because, I have re-formatted the system, but I think Microsoft has already seen that problem. So I wait Trigga ..

Erm, i thought microsoft were now telling consumers and OEMS that changing the mobo constitues a new PC, therefore a new windows license is required? Im sure I read this somewhere. PLease correct me if I'm wrong.

If the MB is being replaced because the origional MB is defective than it is not considured a new PC.

well im a pc tech and the dell i got (didnt buy it myself) the mobo is done but the new mobo is $399.00 im not paying that so i got a faster CPU and new mobo for like 300.