Windows 10: How do I deactivate my Windows 10 Pro retail license before selling my computer?

I'm going to sell my old computer. At the time I bought a Windows 10 Pro retail license so I can use again on another computer in the future.

I just did a secure erase of the PC and did a clean install of Windows 10 Home. Before doing this I went to my Microsoft account and removed my old PC from the list of devices and also removed it from the Microsoft Store.

After installing Windows 10 Home I saw that my PC was activated with a digital license. So I did some searching and found out you can remove the product key with the command:

slmgr.vbs /upk

So I tried that and it said Windows 10 was no longer activated. To be sure I did another secure erase and clean install of Windows 10. Again it said Windows 10 Home is activated with a digital license. Also note I have a Windows 10 Pro license not Home.

How do I make sure the new owner doesn't get my digital license so I can use on another computer in the future?

submitted by /u/Mannekino
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:)

 

MSFT acknowledges some Win10 Pro licenses being mistakenly deactivated

Source: Microsoft acknowledges some Windows 10 Pro licenses being mistakenly deactivated - Neowin

More:

• Windows 10 Pro goes Home as Microsoft fires up downgrade server - The Register
• Windows suddenly deactivated - Microsoft Community
• Windows 10 activation bug baffles, angers users | ZDNet

UPDATE: You can now run the Windows Activation troubleshooter to activate again.

*Arrow Use Activation Troubleshooter in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

 

MSFT acknowledges some Win10 Pro licenses being mistakenly deactivated

Source: Microsoft acknowledges some Windows 10 Pro licenses being mistakenly deactivated - Neowin

More:

• Windows 10 Pro goes Home as Microsoft fires up downgrade server - The Register
• Windows suddenly deactivated - Microsoft Community
• Windows 10 activation bug baffles, angers users | ZDNet

UPDATE: You can now run the Windows Activation troubleshooter to activate again.

*Arrow Use Activation Troubleshooter in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

 

How to deactivate Windows 10 I got from Microsoft Imagine in order to sell PC

My university is part of Microsoft Imagine program and this is how I got product key for Windows 10.

In meantime I got new machine and installed Windows 10 with same product key.

I want to sell my old PC.

What I have tried in order to remove license on old PC:

1. Formatting hard drive of old PC did not work, as soon as I reinstalled windows it activated itself with digital license.
   
2. Running slmgr /upk (In order to uninstall product key) did not work, as soon as I restarted Windows activated itself with digital license.
   
3. Running following commands:
   
   slmgr /upk in order to uninstall product key
   
   slmgr /cpky - this clears product key from registry
   
   slmgr /rearm - to reset licensing status of the machine
   

At first this seemed to help, I restarted machine several times and Windows was deactivated.

But when I performed update of the machine (Windows Update) it activated itself again.

I simply can not believe there is no easy way to do this.

I do not want to sell my PC in this state, because even if completely format my HDD, the person who buys it can simply reinstall and get copy of Windows for free.

I know that license is somehow tied to my hardware components(motherboard mostly) but changing motherboard is not an option and I find frustrating there is no easy way to do this.

Also linking to Microsoft account is not an option, it requires login with account password but new computer is used by multiple people.

Edit in response to comments:

• I built new computer myself.
  
• Old machine was not connected nor installed with Microsoft Account.
  
• Running slmgr /dlv on command line gives "Retail" for "Product Key Channel" so type of the license is Retail I suppose.
  
• Trying to activate Pro edition, also Pro edition was installed on old pc.
  
• When installing Windows on new machine I did not enter product key, I entered product key after installation in Settings.