Windows 10: Installing Win10 Pro with my Product Key on a new computer while having an active license...

Ok, I realize I need to be better with titles.I'm getting a new computer and i want to install Win 10 Pro on it using the copy I already have bought it for the current comp.So basically my question is: how does that work? I've seen some instructions, but they aren't too clear on the one point I'm interested in - I might be forced to have a few days overlap while the old computer with the active license is still working barely, on a bad day it gives me 14 BSODs a day and the new computer already has a new copy of Windows installed on it.1 Can I use my Product Key to install Windows on a ne

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Windows won't activate a digital license but will with a product key?

If you plan on "transferring" a digital license from one computer to another using the activation troubleshooter and your Microsoft Account, then yes, start with the generic product key on the new computer. Actually, on a new install, you select the option for "I don't have a product key" and then after the install use the Activation Troubleshooter. Otherwise, if you are using a unique product key, either purchased or embedded in the firmware of the computer by the factory - let Windows 10/11 activate for the first time from that product key. AFTER it is activated, change the product key to the generic. One advantage to doing this is that if the original product key was OEM, changing it to the generic retail product key will also change the digital license type to retail and make it transferrable to another computer.

 

Win10 Home to W10 Pro Upgrade Error using Product Key

The keys are there because 1. It is the product key you end up with when you gain a digital license for Windows 10 Pro through legitimate means and 2. When you do a clean install of Windows 10 (without adding an ei.cfg file), on a computer with a product key for Windows 10 Home stored in UEFI, you can use the generic product key to upgrade the Windows 10 Home that installs by default to Windows 10 Pro - but only if you have an existing digital license for that computer for Windows 10 Pro previously stored on Microsoft Activation Servers.

The reason the generic Windows10 Pro product key will not upgrade your Windows 10 Home to Pro is because you do not have a preexisting digital license for Pro for that computer stored on Microsoft activation servers.

 

Activating Windows Pro Product key from another computer.

Hi,

I am trying to activate my new laptop with a Windows 10 Pro license key from another computer. The other computer has two licenses, one home, and one pro.

I got the pro license free from Microsoft because I was in the insider program during the early preview builds.

That computer doesn't have a pro license key. ShowKeyPlus shows it using a Generic Windows 10 Pro license key, VK7G-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T.

When I was upgrading the laptop to Windows 10 Pro, I couldn't use the generic key above as it wouldn't work. I had to use another Window 10 Pro generic key.

The computer with the Windows 10 Pro license key is activated by 'Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account'.

When I select, 'I recently changed hardware on this device', I get this window that shows my computer, but it doesn't show my new laptop.





Can I get the laptop to activate with the pro license key?

The computer is deactivated.

Thank you.