Windows 10: Preserving OEM windows 10 license while upgrading my hardware

submitted by /u/arsrv
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:)

 

Windows 10 upgrade license

Hello guys,

I have 1 license of WIndows 8.1 FPP/retail license. I want to upgrade to WIndows 10, but I one thing is unclear to me.
If I upgrade, will WIndows 10 license be retail or it will "turn" into some sort of OEM license?

I ask this because I upgrade my PC, you know, more memory, replace HDD, and I intend to upgrade the MB and CPU to Kaby Lake platform sometime in the future, (and of course sell the replaced hardware)
This thing is not clearly mentioned anywhere.

Thank you.

 

Potential upgrade to AMD Ryzen

There are two types of Windows licenses...

• Retail
• OEM

Retail licenses of Windows can be legally transferred between hardware because it's a retail license. Upgrade licenses if it was an upgrade from a retail license maintains the same license freedoms that the original license held, Windows 10 upgrade licenses are the only exception to that rule. OEM licenses however cannot be transferred from hardware to hardware. Upgrades from OEM licenses of course have the same restrictions that the original OEM license had.

However, right now Microsoft is still accepting old licenses of Windows as an upgrade to Windows 10. All you have to do is type in your old key and it will accept it. Why Microsoft is still allowing this I have no idea but my thoughts are is that Windows 10 adoption numbers are so damn low that they need all the help they can get. *Laugh :laugh:

 

Windows 10 Hardware change

Technically it should not activate if its a upgrade from an OEM license. But if you follow the phone automated number sequence hopefully it will work.

Windows 10 is tied to your hardware and you cannot upgrade a motherboard on an OEM license. (but it works with the phone activation) you can only replace the board with an identical board.