Windows 10: Moving Win10 (upgrade Win7 Full Retail Licence) to another PC

Removing it from the old computer before activating on the new computer is the legal way to do it. Microsoft Activation servers are very lenient regarding what will be physically allowed to exist because they have to be. Lets say I had my old computer on a boat and it fell overboard. Can't very easily remove a Windows installation from that and there would be no chance of the computer contacting Microsoft to indicate that Windows on it was deactivated, therefore they have to allow activation on the new computer with no actual verification it was removed from the old computer - if a product key is used too many times you just have to tell the Microsoft computer voice that you have it only installed on one computer..

In addition they cannot require computers to contact Microsoft in order to remain activated once they are. I've had operating computers that have not been on the internet for months at a time when deployed and Windows remained activated the whole time.

 

Hi
I have another question if I may....

Have just upgraded my new laptop from Win10 Home to Win10 Pro by entering the Win7Pro RETAIL licence key that I used to upgrade the old laptop.

My question is about this process. Is this an 'upgrade' in the old sense of the word, i.e. as opposed to a full clean install?

Or does it just effectively 'unlock' the pro functionality that was already there?

If an upgrade in the old sense of the word, once Win10Pro has been activated on the new laptop (and of course deactivated on the new laptop) can I then reinstall Win10Pro as a clean install now that my new machine has been associated with the Pro key? Update: or is there no need?

SECOND UPDATE SOLVED
"Preparing for upgrade window" 100% Complete and stuck with rotating dots..... do I wait or will I have to try something else? It kicked in so wasn't stuck - just looked like it. Took about 45minutes looking stuck.

 

If it`s anything like Windows Anytime Upgrade, then it just unlocks the Pro features and I so no need to do a clean install, but that decision is up to you. But I don`t see why you couldn`t.

 

It just unlocks the Pro features in the current install. Some files may be uncompressed and installed but its not a reinstall, or upgrade like when going from one OS to another. I've done it a few times. Home to Pro, Pro to Education, etc.

 

OK thanks. Thought so. If there's no downside tot he upgrade as there used to be with the 'upgrade of one O/S to another' scenario, then no problem.

 

No, there shouldn't be any issues going from Home to Pro this way. You don't even need any install media. I've never been prompted for it. Everything needed is already there to add the missing features. I think that's also why Home and Pro is on the same ISO.