Windows 10: Deactivate Windows 10 Activation Keys w/o The System They Were Installed on

I have 2 Win 10 Pro activation keys that I used on some old systems that I have since donated to charity. The charity is NOT using my licensed version of Windows and I need to deactivate my activation keys so that I can use them again. How can I do this without having the original systems that the keys were used on?


TIA,

Jon

:)

 

Installing Windows 10 using Windows 7 key

Nope, you need to install Windows 10 first and make sure the Windows 7 key is transferred to your Windows account after you've installed Windows 10 (not quite sure how that works). I missed the last step and I could not activate Windows 10 after a re-install... Microsoft seem to have done everything they can to make it a PITA. Also, it's technically too late to do this now anyhow, as the upgrade offer has expired. But KMSPico works quite well...

As for getting rid of Windows, delete the Windows folder.

 

Installing Windows 10...and then reverting back. Help!

Current builds allow direct installation of Windows 10 with Windows 8.1 or 7 keys. Only requirement is that Win7/8.1 keys have been activated before. Once it is registered with MS servers, that's that.

You can do the disk cloning, but you'll have to activate each individual system afterwards. Just to be sure, you can test this on just one workstation, just to be sure and not waste too much time.

I bought unused Windows 7 key and I couldn't clean install Windows 10 because the Win7 key was never activated before. So I had to first install Win7, activate it, upgrade it to Win10 and from then on, I can install Windows 10 clean. No need to activate, Windows links itself to server automatically and activates itself.

 

Installing Windows 10 using Windows 7 key

Two quick ways to use your Windows 7 key during the install:

1. When asked for the serial #, put in that Windows 7 serial # and continue on. It should activate as soon as it hits an internet connection.

2. When asked for the serial #, at bottom of window click on the I don't have a serial # text (or whatever it says). It will then ask what version you want to install, ie. Home or Pro. Be sure to install the right version that matches your Windows 7 key. Then once you get into windows you can activate by putting in the key. Some people prefer this method, not sure why honestly. Easier to do #1, since the installer will see your key and know which flavor of Windows 10 you are trying to install.