Windows 10: How to upgrade hardware on a digital-entitlement installation

I rebuild my computer every few years, like I'm sure most people do. In Win7, I could move to new hardware with certain restrictions of course.

Then I read this: "If you have a retail license, you can transfer your Windows 10 license to a new PC without issue. You can not transfer your Digital Entitlement to a new system."

My Windows 7 WAS a retail license, but now in 10 it say digital-entitlement.
Does this mean that by accepting the upgrade to 10 from Windows 7, everyone loses the ability to upgrade their hardware in the future without buying a new copy of Windows?

:)

 

Windows 7 Installation/Upgrade to Windows 10 on Refurbished Computer

Becky,

During upgrades, Windows 10 licenses are not tied directly to a product key. Instead, the license status of the system's current installation of Windows is migrated, and a "Digital entitlement" is generated during the activation process, which
is bound to the hardware information collected during the process.

Even If Windows 10 is reinstalled cleanly and there have not been any significant hardware changes since installation (such as a motherboard change), the online activation process will automatically recognize the system's digital entitlement
if no product key is entered during installations.

As with previous versions of Windows, significant hardware changes will invalidate the digital entitlement, and require Windows to be re-activated.

So purchasing windows 7 and upgrading to windows 10 will be free till windows call off upgrade process and after the upgrade your machine id will be migrated to Digital entitlement.

Even you rollback to windows 7 after upgrading to Windows 10 still your machine will hold the valid license to Windows 10.

 

can i reinstall windows 10 after 1 year? and is it for free?

If you have digital entitlement activation then you can re-install Windows 10 whenever you like as long as you do not change hardware. (this refers to motherboard/processor)

Digital Entitlement following the upgrade is for the life of the device.

 

Yes, that is correct, basically you accepted the free upgrade from Win7 which gives you a W10 digital entitlement on that system. You can upgrade it with new drives, new memory and new CPU but a new motherboard will not automatically reactivate. This is one of those areas where I would contact Microsoft and look for a goodwill gesture on their part to reactivate you but I do not know what the official response will be.

 

Are you sure about this? I read if your previous license was retail you copy of Windows 10 will remain retail.
@basildane
Use this guide to determine if you copy of Windows 10 is retail or oem. It would be nice if you let us know if it remained retail.

Windows License Type - Determine if OEM, Retail, or Volume - Windows 10 Forums

 

My previous OS, Windows 7 Ultimate is most definitely Retail. I built the machine myself.
And after allowing the strong-arm upgrade to 10, it is most definitely saying "digital entitlement".

If this actually prevents people from upgrading hardware after they've been practically forced to upgrade, there are going to be a LOT of angry customers.

Not saying I was tricked or forced, I wanted to upgrade, just saying.

 

Additional info:
In activation panel, it says "digital entitlement".
However, in the slmgr -dli output it says:
Windows RETAIL Channel.

With that I assume I'm good for the future.
Thank you all for the tips.

 

This is taken from the Upgrade details:

You do not get a product key with the free upgrade of Windows 10. Instead, the activation for the free offer of Windows 10 is registered on the Microsoft activation servers for the PC when you upgrade from an activated Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. If you make a meaningful change to your PC's hardware (ex: motherboard), you may need to contact customer support to activate by phone.

This statement seems to imply that you will be activated but that it will require a phone call.

 

My understanding is that the free upgrade can't be transferred. Your old Windows 7 retail license could be used on another system (one system at a time), but the Windows 10 upgrade wouldn't follow it. I assumed that was the plan all along for Microsoft, to give Windows 10 away for free, but eventually, people would have to end up paying for it to keep it. But, remember, we are a small group who build their own computers. The vast majority of people will just buy new computers over time that will come with Windows 10.

 

There is a new system now to transfer digital licences that will be available from 2nd August with Redstone update. i have moved licences between VMs using it as it is in latest Insider versions.

How to re-activate Windows 10 after a hardware change | Windows Central

Whether this can be used to transfer licences that were upgraded from oem remains to be seen.

 

Hopefully, your retail licence will let you use W10 on a new PC. I just checked on Amazon UK at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Windows-Pro...rds=windows+10 and you can buy a Windows 10 key for £30 so the cost of a new licence if needed is not excessive.

 

Would not touch that amazon key with a 10 foot pole. Too cheap