Windows 10: Microsoft Explains When You Need a Windows 10 Product Key and When You

Source

 

My scenario was a little different. I installed an early insider build, about 6 months ago, into an empty partition.
No qualifying older OS. The system was activated and continued to be through later builds.
Eventually build 10240 appeared, and then the next insider build. So far so good.

Then an unrelated problem arose and I was forced to do an OS reset through the GUI. After Windows rebuilt itself
it had dropped back to 10240 and I was no longer an insider, yet the OS was still permanently activated.

Later I rejoined the insider program and I'm running well on the latest insider build. My case seems closest to example 4 you mentioned. If I had left it as-is after the reset to 10240, would it have fallen out of activation after 30 days?

:)

 

Do you need a product key if you are upgrading from Windows 7/8.1 Update

I was wondering if you need a product ley if you were upgrading from Windows 7/8.1 Update. If so where do you find the product key.

 

Do you need a product key if you are upgrading from Windows 7/8.1 Update

No product key required.

 

I don't understand how this can work without a key since it implies you can buy Windows 10 from the store (any store or just the Microsoft store?) and Clean Install with it and it will activate without you entering the key. Is there some kind of pre-activation or registration done on what you buy?

I think what is missing is that the computer you are installing on has to have been previously activated as a Windows 10 system. If so then this is no different than using MCT to download a Windows 10 ISO to Clean Install with and that makes sense.

 

I bought Windows 10 Pro through the store. I got an activation key in the receipt. Installed to a new self-built computer (i.e., no prior O/S installed). Entered the activation key code when prompted. Windows activated.

From the article I gather that were I to perform a clean installation of Windows 10 on the same hardware for some reason, I would not have to enter the activation code again...that the installation would be recognized as legitimate via the electronic entitlement.

I have not tried this myself.

 

"(manual re-activation is needed when you make significant changes to your PC configuration, such as replacing the motherboard)."

That's the statement I've been waiting for, up until this a lot of users were under the impression they would have to purchse a copy of Windows 10 if they significantly updated their PC. It appears not.
Good to hear as I'm planning on a new motherboard, CPU and SSD early next year. Have to see if it works without having to make a phonecall to MS support.

 

Link doesn't work. It's just the same text but in a URL tag.

 

No Problem with the Link. Works for me!

 

I find the wording ambiguous at best. It should say:

This means that, even if you purchased Windows 10 from the store, you are allowed to clean-install once the purchased Windows 10 has been installed and activated, without the need for the product key. You can re-install as many times as you want and re-activation should be performed all automatically.

The way it reads now, at least the article above, it sounds like you can clean install the purchased Windows 10 immediately and that is not true.

Edit: Or change clean-install to clean-reinstall and all is well *Smile

 

I'm not sure if it would work in the case you stated, as it's virtually a new computer, replacing the motherboard is different to buying a completely new motherboard and CPU as well as a new SSD.
I hope it works for you but I'm not sure, maybe someone else can add a bit more light to the subject.

 

I think it is worded wrong for sure.

 

What I'd like to know is, if you install with a Product Code and then activate, does it then become a digital entitlement? Or do you have to enter that product code every time you clean install? I'm going to test it out at some point but likely not for a while. I did the free upgrade on all 4 of my home PC's. And I'm not building a new system until Christmas. All my current systems already have a digital entitlement to 10 Pro.

 

If you change the mobo you will need a retail key to activate Windows 10. The license dies with the old mobo.

 

Yes it does. No need to re-enter.

No you do not.

You can if you want but there is no need - it is only the first time you activate with that hardware. That can be through the initial install (using a purchased key) or by changing the key on an existing install (upgrade from Home to Pro or swapping the generic upgrade to a retail one for example). After that you can enter your key or not as you wish - it activates anyway.

I swapped one license from VirtualBox to Hyper-V. Then I had to reactivate (obviously in retrospect as the hardware had changed). This was done automatically by the slui 4 robot.