Windows 10: Multiple MS Accounts; Digital License; Changing Hardware; Windows Activation

I have Windows 10 Home digitally linked to a MS account. That appears to be an account to which Windows 10 Home is linked. We can no longer access this account because it is very old, we forgot the password, and MS password recovery is too tedious, requiring multiple circular validations. We created a second MS account and logging into that account in Windows 10 shows my current devices so it would seem that Windows 10 is now using this second account as the "account of record," or the one to which the digital license is linked. Although when I go to "Your info" the first account appears as the Windows 10 account, it seems like the second account is the valid one. So, questions,tout de suite:


1. Has my Windows 10 digital license been linked automatically to the second account or is it still linked with the first account? To my knowledge I never performed a formal transfer process.

2. To which account is my digital license linked? How do I verify which?

3. Can I remove the first account from Windows 10 and use the second account now? How?

4. If the Windows 10 came pre-installed with a laptop purchase, can I make a major hardware upgrade without reactivating Windows 10 e.g. New motherboard, just plug and play old hard drive andvoilà everything works as normal?

5. If I do have to reactivate, e.g. add a device, which account would I have to use - the first one whose login credentials I no longer have, or the second one whose login credentials I do have?

6. If this account is the administrator account, linked to the first account whose login credentials I no longer have, can I change the account to the second account and thereby possibly link the digital license to the second account if necessary, or do I have to perform the upgrade using the first account whose credentials I no longer have?

7. Would it be easier to get these answers over the phone with MS Support?

:)

 

OEM install errored, MS account activated

First and foremost, the digital license is linked to the unique hardware ID of the PC. It is this that is stored on the Microsoft activation servers and linked to your digital license, The link to your MS account is an additional optional extra, but is not required. It is the hardware ID (mostly the motherboard) that is used to check you are licensed. The additional link to an MS account can help reactivate should your hardware ID change (eg, replacing the motherboard).

You could switch from using an MS account to a local account. But as this is a new box it is probably simplest to clean install again, this time setting it up with an offline local account from the start. See Step 24 in the Clean Install tutorial. You can skip entering a key as it will activate from your existing digital license on the activation servers.

Clean Install Windows 10

Switch to Local Account in Windows 10

 

Activation w/digital license linked to MS Account after motherboard change

Hi,

Yesterday I received new motherboard.

My current Windows 10 Pro is w/digital license linked to MS account.

I am one of the participants of the Windows Insider Program.

My question is, because I need to reinstall my Windows complete and to prepare for my work, do I need to call support again like 2 years ago to activate remote by live assistant or I can activate it via troubleshooting after installation how's explained
in reactivating Windows 10 after h/w change w/digital license on the MS account link provided?

Do I need to connect to my Windows Account before motherboard change or afterwards to erase information of this PC I am currently using, to avoid being 2 copies of Windows w/license?

I just don't wanna stuck with some unnecessary steps, or to miss some.

Or should I just contact MS Support like before?

 

multiple windows license linking to account

Hi Jirka

Thanks for participating in Microsoft Community, I'm Independent Advisor, Skypper G

I'm afraid there is not such MS Portal where you can check each MS Windows Licenses you already have.

If you already have used a Microsoft Account to sign in to your activated Windows 10 Home or Pro PC, your MS Account will be automatically linked. You can use this MS account linked digital license to re-activate your Genuine Windows 10 device by running the
Activation troubleshooter,

Using the same Microsoft Account on multiple devices does not imply that the same digital license will work across all the Windows devices with same Microsoft Account. This is due to digital licenses are unique based on the hardware signatures of the Computer
you are using.