Windows 10: Can I reinstall Windows on an OEM license and still have the license

Discus and support Can I reinstall Windows on an OEM license and still have the license in Windows 10 Software and Apps to solve the problem; I have a laptop and it came with an activated copy Windows when I bought it. When i checked, It has an OEM license. I know that the license is bound to... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Software and Apps' started by Sanjana Ayesh, Apr 28, 2025 at 12:12 AM.

  1. Can I reinstall Windows on an OEM license and still have the license


    I have a laptop and it came with an activated copy Windows when I bought it. When i checked, It has an OEM license. I know that the license is bound to the hardware. My question is if I reinstall Windows like a clean Windows install do I still thave the Windows license because its the same device and the hardware?

    :)
     
    Sanjana Ayesh, Apr 28, 2025 at 12:12 AM
    #1

  2. Question about OEM licenses

    For an OEM license Windows, do I have to get a new Windows license everytime I upgrade the mobo? I read that it was tied to the BIOS. Thanks.
     
  3. Windows 10 OEM Licensing

    Hi

    I have a few questions about windows 10 OEM licensing:

    1. Is OEM licensing acceptable for business use?
    2. What restrictions does OEM licensing have other than the transfer rights?
    3. Can the OS be reloaded without breaching the license agreement, and if so, can I also replace the HDD with an SSD?
    4. What other hardware upgrades can be done under OEM licensing?
    5. What would be a breach of OEM licensing?
    6. What benefits would a business get if they move to Microsoft 365 vs OEM?
    Thanks in advace
     
    Adriaan Rautenbach, Apr 28, 2025 at 12:13 AM
    #3
  4. 95Viper Win User

    Can I reinstall Windows on an OEM license and still have the license

    Question about OEM licenses

    Quoted from Microsoft Web site:Licensing FAQ

    "Q. Can a PC with an OEM Windows operating system have its motherboard upgraded and keep the same license? What if it was replaced because it was defective?"

    "A. Generally, an end user can upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on a computer—except the motherboard—and still retain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created. Microsoft OEM operating system software cannot be transferred to the new computer, and the license of new operating system software is required. If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do not need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC as long as the replacement motherboard is the same make/model or the same manufacturer's replacement/equivalent, as defined by the manufacturer's warranty.

    The reason for this licensing rule primarily relates to the End User Software License Terms and the support of the software covered by that End User Software License Terms. The End User Software License Terms is a set of usage rights granted to the end user by the PC manufacturer and relates only to rights for that software as installed on that particular PC. The system builder is required to support the software on the original PC. Understanding that end users, over time, upgrade their PCs with different components, Microsoft needed to have one base component "left standing" that would still define the original PC. Since the motherboard contains the CPU and is the "heart and soul" of the PC, when the motherboard is replaced (for reasons other than defect) a new PC is essentially created. The original system builder did not manufacture this new PC, and therefore cannot be expected to support it."
     
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Can I reinstall Windows on an OEM license and still have the license

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