Windows 10: Activation:"Digital License" form in-use before input of Retail Key...

Discus and support Activation:"Digital License" form in-use before input of Retail Key... in Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade to solve the problem; What would cause Windows to activate prior to the input of a CD-Key? From some supposed "digital license"? I had installed an OEM version prior to this... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade' started by endag, Nov 21, 2020.

  1. endag Win User

    Activation:"Digital License" form in-use before input of Retail Key...


    What would cause Windows to activate prior to the input of a CD-Key? From some supposed "digital license"? I had installed an OEM version prior to this but deleted the partition and formatted prior to my (current) retail version.

    :)
     
    endag, Nov 21, 2020
    #1

  2. Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"


    After doing the upgrade from Windows 10 Education 1511 to 1607, Settings > Update & security > Activation, switched from "activated with a product key" to Activated with a Digital License".
    Activation has changed with the upgrade to 1607.
    To clarify what I'm talking about I'll add some info.
    I originally installed Windows 10 Education 1511 with my MSDN Retail key. Settings > Update & security > Activation would show "Activated with a Product key" and show the last 5 digits of the key I used to activate it.
    After it upgrading to 1607 via Windows update, it now says "Activated with a digital License tied to your Microsoft account". It has switched to a Digital license?

    As a test, I did clean install of Windows 10 Education 1511 on a PC that never had that version installed on it. I did a " I don't have a key" option and it installed and showed as not activated.
    I then entered one of my Retail MSDN keys and activated it. It then showed as "Activated with a product code" in Settings > Update & security > Activation.
    I then did a clean install on that same PC, with a " I don't have a key" option and it showed as not activated. If it had a DL it would have activated automatically.
    I then entered my MSDN key and activated it. It showed activated with a product key as before. To me that indicates it does not have a digital entitlement.
    As one last test, I installed windows 10 Education 1511 with a skip key, then upgraded to 1607, and it still showed as not activated, this PC does not have a digital license.

    I was told by another forum member that any activation of Windows 10 will get you a digital license, and that's its always been that way. Which, as far as I can tell, is not true.
    The PC I'm referring too, was activated twice with Windows 10 1511 but still shows as unactivated on a clean install of 1511 and 1607.
    All installs being switched to a digital license only happened with the release of the anniversary edition. Before that Retail installs stayed as activated with a product key.

    If anybody has upgraded from a retail install of Windows 10 1511, I would be very interested to know what , Settings > Update & security > Activation shows for you?
    Doesn't matter if its Home, Pro etc? My keys were Retail keys.
     
    alphanumeric, Nov 21, 2020
    #2
  3. NavyLCDR Win User
    Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"


    This webpage has been updated to reflect what is new with version 1607 of Windows 10:
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...-10-activation

    It clearly states that if your Windows 10 is activated with a retail product key, then you get a digital license in return. The unanswered question is whether or not that digital license is stored on Microsoft activation servers based upon installation ID or whether the user must re-enter their retail product key on a new clean install. The answer to that question would be to do a clean re-install the version 1607 Windows 10 Education edition in the OP and skip entering the product key and see if it activated automatically online - or if the product key will be required to be entered to obtain activation.
     
    NavyLCDR, Nov 21, 2020
    #3
  4. RonTG Win User

    Activation:"Digital License" form in-use before input of Retail Key...

    Windows is activated by a digital license

    Hello,
    I have a Dreamspark's Windows 10 multiple edition key which is retail.
    I installed it for the first time on a new laptop and its status was "Windowa is activated.".
    I had to return the new computer because it was faulty, and got a new one. I dont know what Lenovo did with my older one which had the Windows key on it.
    Anyway, I installed Windows 10 using the same key but now the status is "Windows is activated by a digital license".
    Can someone tell me what caused the change and what are the differences? What about validity issues - is digital license need to be confirmed in Microsoft database once in a while?
    Thanks
     
    RonTG, Nov 21, 2020
    #4
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Activation:"Digital License" form in-use before input of Retail Key...

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