Windows activation after bios update

Information from tanker59 helped me, but my experience to get reactivated required an extra step. Here is the full series of steps I did:

1. Updated MSI Mortar Max B660 DDR4 bios, this caused windows to say it needed to be activated.
2. Tried the activation troubleshooter, clicking on "I changed my hardware recently" and it failed to activate. Attempted multiple times.
3. Followed the steps of tanker59 in admin powershell: 3.a.Type slmgr -upk then hit Enter 3.b.Type slmgr /cpky then hit Enter 3.c.Type slmgr /rearm then hit Enter
4. Rebooted Computer (important)
5. Again, tried the activation troubleshooter, clicking on "I changed my hardware recently" and it failed to activate. Attempted multiple times.
6. Input my OEM windows 10 product key which I had used when originally installing windows 11 on this computer, which was converted to a digital license as part of that original install process.
7. OS finally activated.

I don't think step 6 is "supposed" to work, but it did for me. Thanks tanker59 for saving me a call to MS Technical Support. I hope this extra trick may assist others.

Same problem here with MSI motherboard (Z790 Mag Tomahawk wi-fi ddr5), I purchased a digital license of Windows 10 professional (Retail),

directly from Microsoft store. I used it for some years on al old PC, last month I changed machine and made a license transfer from the old PC

to the new one.

Worked like a charm until BIOS update, which lead to deactivation issues. My new PC was listed twice in Microsoft account, together with old PC

and a laptop I own. I tried pretty much every solution in these posts, no luck till now. Luckily I made a system image just before the BIOS change,

so I performed every method you could possibly think, using the activation troubleshooter:

• fresh install of the OS
• restore of the system image
• recover the key from regedit

Finally I just deleted the two instances of the new PC from the account. Now, after yet another fresh install of Windows, I can see this PC only showed inside my personal Microsoft account, while the troubleshooter only shows the old PC and the laptop.

I already opened a support ticket, attaching a copy of my windows license and motherboard invoices.

The only way to contact Microsoft support available in my country (Italy) is to open a support ticket, leave a cell number and hoping for the best, waiting

to receive a call from customer care. Both phone and live chat are unavailable for me.

My question: any of you guys have to deal with this kind of customer support where you leave your phone number and wait for a call? How much time did you wait before to be able to speak with an actual person trying to solve your problem?

Thanks all in advance,

best regards

Bios update on a Gigabyte Z790 borked Windows 11 Pro activation. Finally, I just re-entered the digital key that I bought earlier this year and it took. This is the first time in my nearly 30 years building PCs that a mere bios update nuked Windows activation.

Quick update:

a whole week after the ticket was opened, and no call from Microsoft support yet.

This is beyond disappointing, I trusted this company and spent for a retail license just to discover that customer care is M.I.A.

There is no way I will purchase another license just because they don't care at all to solve customer's problems;

I should've buy an OEM license for less than 20€, even if the process would fail 10+ time.

That should've cost me considerably less money than a retail license failing just for a bios update, this is insane.

There is no chance to talk to a person capable to solve this problem; I'll continue to open one ticket per week till someone will answer at least

via mail a way to unlock this license.

This is just not professional, to say the least -.-'

same here happened now 3rd time, opened a ticket and NO calls received I don't know what kind of stupidity is driving MS support???? what next, lawsuit?