Windows 10: Multiple Keys associated with MS Account?

Am I right in thinking that with the Anniversary method of dealing with Product Key activation, that
1) if the key is associated with my MS account, if I buy a new PC, replacing the old one, then the product key will validate through my account on the new PC?
2) is it OK to have multiple keys associated with the one account in the case of owning more than 1 PC, e.g. laptop and desktop?

:)

 

Windows 10 Media Creation Tool Error 0x80070002-0x20016.

Products: Belarc Advisor

simply run this, free and safe, application to recover all your keys.

Hope that helps

A few quick Belarc license notes:

License: The license associated with this product allows for free personal use only. Use on multiple PCs in a corporate, educational, military or government installation is prohibited. See the license agreement for details.

It makes an html report tht gives you all your MS keys and more...

 

Upgrade Windows 10 Pro: finding which CD key was used

Hi,

Thank you for those links! Just one clarification about the "digital entitlement" to see if I understood.

Does "Digital Entitlement" mean that I don't need to concern myself with the key since she will be associated with my MS account?

If it does, can we have more than one key associated with the same MS account? I was thinking of upgrading my other keys to W10 before the free upgrade expires.

 

1. No. Windows Activation "validates" through Microsoft Activation servers, not your Microsoft Account.

2. Yes you can multiple digital licenses for Windows 10 associated with your Microsoft Account. I've got about 10 showing on mine.

 

Thanks but I'm confused! I thought things had changed in Anniversary, like as stated in these links:
http://www.windowscentral.com/how-re...ardware-change
Microsoft Account - Link to Digital License on Windows 10 PC
Am I misunderstanding what is said there?

 

What are you confused about?

Digital licences are activated via the MS servers.

It's then your responsibility to connect/store it via your MSA. Those links are fully explanatory.. IMHO.

 

I'm confused by the fact that I understood those links to suggest that there was no longer the fussy activation process that used to exist in Windows, and that now a product key was linked to your MSA rather than a bunch of hardware IDs.
So, for example, if one changed computer, input the product key, the servers would look at the MSA and see if there was a match and then validate, rather than the old 'sorry can't do this as I'm seeing a different motherboard, etc.'

 

OK... after digital activation product keys are no longer needed for activation - they are merely there to tell Windows which edition to install (hence .. generic or default keys)

The digital licence stored at MS has your original activation based on a combination of H/W ID and Product ID of Win 7/8 even 10, and by assigning that to your MSA you are now able to use the transfer wizard to assign it to new H/W, specifying a H/W change.
So via MSA it checks that you have a valid licence, then if by a H/W change it will update the digital licence with the new H/W ID and assign a new digital licence... that's the way I understand it, anyway

 

OK thanks. That makes more sense to me now. So basically I don't have to worry about buying another product key if I change my PC? I just have to go through the wizard?

 

AFAIK, yes... but for a max of 3x on different H/W. - unlike "normal" retail key method which can have over 10 activations on different H/W...

 

If Windows 10 does not activate automatically via the Microsoft Activation Servers - which it will activate automatically if that computer's unique ID (Installation ID) matches one already stored there - there are two ways to activate it:

1. Enter a valid product key. Currently Windows 7, 8 and 10 product keys are being accepted (if they are not blocked from automatic online activation). We don't know when or if Microsoft will stop accepting Windows 7 and 8 product keys to activate Windows 10 with.

or

2. Run the activation troubleshooter which has the ability to retrieve digital license information from a Microsoft Account. This information is then sent to Microsoft Activation servers by Windows 10 to gain activation.

The activation of the installed Windows 10, however, will always occur as a result of the return of the proper activation code from Microsoft Activation Servers - either automatically online or over the phone - and Windows 10 will never be activated from the Microsoft Account login alone. Retrieving the digital license information from the Microsoft Account only provides information which is sent to the Microsoft Activation server in order to receive the activation code in return.

 

Sorry guys, I don't mean to be awkward here, but I am confused again.
From your reply, NavyLCDR, I can't see much difference from the old method. Are you saying that the key/activation code is still linked to hardware?
The basic question is, will I be OK to use my key on a new PC which will be replacing the original one the key was validated on?

 

Yes, it is still linked to hardware. That has never changed. If you look at the device listing in your Microsoft Account you will see a list of DEVICES that have digital licenses for Windows 10.

Yes, you can still reuse retail product keys. The only obstacle is if it is a Windows 7 or 8 product key that has been blocked from online activation by Microsoft - then you would have to use other activation methods.

Licenses for Windows 10 are still issued on a per DEVICE basis, not a per user basis. Microsoft has only added the ability to store a DEVICE's license for Windows 10 in a user's Microsoft Account.

 

Thanks again.
So, if I look on the list of devices on my MSA, there are some that I don't even own any more. Can I delete them and free up whatever key was used on those devices to be used on another device?

 

Deleting the old devices from your Microsoft Account will not affect your ability to reuse retail product keys one way or the other. I say leave them on there. You should be able to use those devices to transfer a digital license to a computer in the event that a valid product key you have is not being accepted for some reason. Right now I have three computers listed on my Microsoft Account that were all upgrades from Windows 7 that were activated with the same product key because I have a family three pack Windows 7 license which uses one product key for all three installations.

I will always attempt product key activation first, then only if that fails, fall back on transferring a digital license from my Microsoft Account.