Windows 10: Link Microsoft Account to Windows 10 Digital License

If you buy a new PC with windows installed you would have a digital license already.

You can't "go" from Retail to OEM - it makes no sense what so ever.

You could buy something with home and upgrade to a Pro retail. In that case you would pay for it and the license linked to your device would change. You could then at a later date move that license to new hardware.

 

OK, thank you so much for the informative information, really appreciated.

One question, when installing an OEM version of win 10 pro, can you use a retail version and just use OEM key or do yo uhave to use a specific win 10 pro OEM DVD too?

Thanks!

 

Yes you can. You use the same DVD (or USB). There is no difference between OEM and retail when in comes to what Windows you install. All you need to make sure is it is the same as you had before (single language, Chinese, Korean or normal)

When you install (a recent PC) it will figure out for you what version to install (home or Pro) and it will activate automatically. You just choose "I don't have a key" when asked.

You can (if you have upgraded from Home to Pro for example) change your install media and put a file called ei.cfg telling it to install a different version but that is only applicable if you have upgraded what was on there in the first place. You can also install the original version and then upgrade it using the key that you were given.

Either way you will be activated as the activation is tied to the hardware ID of your computers motherboard.

 

headaches!!

Last week I reformatted an 8YO HP Laptop and installed win 10 pro (v1607) with a retail key

In the activation box it said win 10 pro is activated.

Just now I turn it on and it says Digital license. why the 1 week delay?

Also, can Windows 10 Enterprise get a digital license too so it can enjoy what the other versions do?

Lastly, if one updates win 10 pro to the anniversary edition (Instead of clean install of 1607)will that then allow
what happened on my laptop to happen again..namely digital license?

Thanks!

 

Microsoft Account - Link to Digital License on Windows 10 PC - Page 6 - Windows 10 Forums

Cerebrus + Brink - Can you please respond to this post?

 

Hello xbliss, *Smile

Q1) I'm not sure what you're asking, but you will be able to use the license on another PC/VM since it's no longer activated on the nuked VHD.

Q2) Each PC with a separate license can be linked to your MSA.

Q3) There is not a concept of a primary administrator MSA on a PC. So any administrator MSA that is verified on a PC will show as having the HardwareID associated with their MSA and the OS digital license associated with that HardwareID. Don't think of the license as attached to the MSA, but instead think of the MSA as having the authority to transfer the license. If you have two MSAs verified on a PC and you use one to go through the reactivation process to transfer the digital license, then if you try it with the other MSA you will get told it's no longer possible.

 

Hello everyone!

I have an somewhat older high end desktop rig running Windows 10 Pro. Certain parts are due for an upgrade soon, and I'm sure I'll continue to upgrade it in the future. I have a digital license (upgraded to Windows 10 for free) so I've always feared activation not recognizing my computer after a major hardware change. I recently came across this new feature of linking your Microsoft account to the PC's digital license. I thought this was perfect for me, until that I discovered that it converts your local account to a Microsoft account and your PC must always use the Microsoft account for the digital licence to remain linked.

For various reasons I use my PC with a local account, and I individually sign into the apps I use with my Microsoft account. I want to keep it that way. Can I keep my account a local account until I'm ready to upgrade my hardware, and then link my Microsoft account to the digital license? Then once it is upgraded can I sign into my Microsoft account to activate it, then convert it back to a local account immediately after and still have it activated? Seems like an easy solution to my dilemna, but I'm just making sure I'm not missing anything and this will work.

Thanks!

 

Hello apav, *Smile

If you're not replacing your motherboard, you should be fine without having to do anything else.

If you are replacing the motherboard, then what you propose should work if this is for a retail license and not an OEM license. OEM licenses are non transferable.

 

Thanks for these insights. Will read again when fresh in the morning *Smile

PS: Is there any way / any place/ somewhere I can still download 14371?

 

Build 14372 is available using the download in OPTION THREE below if that may help.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/9...d.html#option3

 

Thanks! Hmm that might be a problem. This computer first was running Windows 7 Ultimate, which I bought at my university's store at a discounted rate. It wasn't a boxed version, it was a CD in a sleeve, but I don't know if it was OEM. Then I upgraded to a digital copy of Windows 8.1, then to Windows 10. There's no way of telling if my license is OEM right?

 

This may be able to help determine what license type you have. *Smile

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...il-volume.html

 

Retail channel. *Biggrin Thanks!

 

Set this up ok on my Windows 10 pro PC, but my Windows 10 home laptop doesn't want to know.
there is no link MS account option and I have a local account currently...I am signed out from all Windows live accounts..

can an I do this on my laptop

also I have two user accounts, mine is an admin which I want linked to my MS account ( without any signin ) but the other account local standard should still require a login......maybe that's impossible

thanks

 

Hello Steve, *Smile

Does your laptop have the Anniversary update installed on it?

What do you see in the screenshot under step 2 on your laptop instead?