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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Riot’s published guidance reviewed here does not say that a second-hand motherboard or SSD triggers a VALORANT hardware ban, or that a restriction transfers with either component. Riot does document Vanguard access restrictions and security requirements for some systems, but those are not proof that a used part carries a ban. The transfer question remains unanswered in the cited guidance.
What Riot says about Vanguard restrictions
Riot’s Vanguard restrictions guidance says a computer may be restricted from Riot games if it appears to facilitate cheating, citing outdated Windows or certain settings as examples. It also says the VAN: RESTRICTION message identifies settings that need to be changed to lift that restriction. This describes a computer-access restriction; it does not identify a second-hand motherboard or SSD as its cause.
Why a restriction message may be about security settings
Riot’s Vanguard security requirements page says that, depending on system configuration, Vanguard may require security features before a game launches. The listed features include TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, HVCI/VBS, and IOMMU. A requirement to enable one of these features is a configuration issue to diagnose using Riot’s guidance, not by itself evidence that a component is carrying a hardware ban.
What is not established about used parts
The official pages cited here do not disclose which hardware identifiers a hardware ban uses, whether a prior owner’s restriction follows a motherboard or SSD, or whether replacing either component changes a restriction. They therefore cannot support a definite yes or no about component-based transfer. Do not assume that buying, replacing, or reusing a part will clear or cause a ban.
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What to do if you see a Vanguard error
- Read the exact VAN error and follow the settings or troubleshooting steps Riot identifies for that message.
- If the message concerns a security feature, check the relevant Windows and firmware settings against Riot’s security requirements guidance.
- If Riot identifies an enforcement restriction, or the message remains unclear after the documented steps, contact Riot Support about your account and system. Do not guess at the identifiers involved.
A message naming a security setting should not automatically be called a hardware ban. The message and its corresponding Riot troubleshooting instructions are the useful starting point.
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