Described below are some of the possible scenarios where you may be prompted to activate Windows 8 on your Toshiba PC. If you purchased your Toshiba Laptop with Windows 8 pre-installed you will not need to activate Windows 8.

NOTE: If you are being prompted to Activate Windows 8 and the scenarios below do not apply then first try and restore your factory image using the system recovery options in Windows 8 or see the video titled Toshiba How-To: Using the system recovery utility in Windows 8

Hardware Changes

Hard Drive

• If you changed your Hard Drive no activation will be required as long as you recover the factory installed software from recovery media you create or ordered from Toshiba and the original motherboard is still intact

Motherboard

• If your motherboard was replaced with an original equipment motherboard by an Authorized Toshiba Service provider, contact the Authorized Toshiba Service provider that replaced the motherboard to activate the factory installed Windows 8 operating system
• If your mother board was replaced or upgraded with a non-original equipment motherboard, you must purchase a new copy of Windows 8 from Microsoft or a retailer as the version that came installed on your original PC was only for the original equipment motherboard that came with your PC​

Other Hardware Changes

• Hardware changes other than the motherboard should not impact the Windows 8 Activation

Software Changes

Windows 8 OS

• If you installed a retail version of Windows 8 you will need to enter the product key from the retail version or contact Microsoft
• Restoring your computer back to factory default using reset, refresh or recovery do not impact the Windows 8 activation as long as the motherboard has not been replaced

Other Application Software

• Other application software changes do not affect the Windows 8 Activation