Windows 10: OEM or Retail Windows?

Hello Microsoft Community!


I changed my laptop's drive from HDD to SDD to make it faster and because my laptop is experiencing some problems that frequently brings me to the Windows Blue Screen of Death. Since I can no longer make a bootable USB device to reinstall windows again, I ordered a bootable USB online. The seller told me that the installer is auto-activation. He/she also told me that this is OEM. To make the story short, I used the bootable USB I ordered online, and yes, it automatically activated my windows. But I don't' like OEM, I want a retail version, the one that I already have, so I navigated to the settings-activation-change product key. I entered my original product key the one that already exists on my laptop when I bought it.


My question is this, is my Windows 10 still an OEM since I used an OEM installer or it is already back to retail since I entered my product key? I am not sure because I noticed when I went to settings - system - about, in the device information, the device ID is different from before. I hope you can enlighten me folks. Thanks!

:)

 

windows oem and retail

Maybe buy it from Microsoft & not a local shop ?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-windows-10?step=OSresultsHome

 

Question On OEM Windows clean install......

"Flavors" of Windows licenses

Windows can be a little "odd" about license keys. There are at least 4 categories:

• Retail
• OEM
• Volume (electronic download)
• Corporate (no key needed)

For guaranteed success, the license key and media should be in the same category. If you have retail media, you may not be able to install it using an OEM or Volume license key, even though the key is valid for that version of Windows. *Wtf :wtf: Apparently, this is part of Microsoft's anti-piracy scheme (i.e., all customers are guilty until proven innocent).

 

oem to retail

Hi FrankUnger1

Where did you purchase that OEM copy of WIndows 10, you will have to check with the seller to see if they can provide you with a deal on purchasing a Retail Licence.

Microsoft do not provide a way of going from OEM to Retail as they do not sell OEM licences to the general public . ..