I updated the windows installation again and the product key still isn<|pad|>.
I updated the windows installation again and the product key still isn<|pad|>.
You're facing an issue where Windows is detecting your product key on another machine, even though you think it was removed. This can happen after hardware changes like a new motherboard and CPU. You've already reinstalled Windows, but the problem persists. If you're unsure whether a new key is needed, consider contacting Microsoft support or checking if your product key is still valid.
You didn’t need to purchase a new key again; this occurred recently after updating the motherboard. All you had to do was reach out to Microsoft customer support (the phone number appeared when you clicked on Windows activation—just select your country), and they provided a long list of numbers so you could get a reactivation key. It took me no more than five minutes.
You purchased the OEM/System Builder version, so the following may not apply.
That's why I opted for the word "might." With Windows 7 it was a 50-50 choice.