Windows 10: Retail Win8 upgraded to Win10: Use the license on a new machine in the

I'm wondering how to use my migrated Win8 Retail license on my next machine. It will be a few years from now and well past the free upgrade offer.

I've used Showkey and I'm not sure if what it returns will be usable. If memory serves me (don't trust it myself) I think it's either the default Win10 Pro key or my Win8 Key (I'm on Win8 now, will post an image next time I'm on Win10).

The default Win10 certainly won't activate and the Win8 key will not upgrade after 29 July 2016.
The digital entitlement won't be valid - that's for the old machine.

It will most likely require phone activation and that's not a problem. I'll just have to remember that's how Win10 will activate given this scenario.

Remember: it's a Retail licence
I understand and comply with all of the legalese (one machine, remove from old...)

Any thoughts?

:)

 

Is retail version of Windows 7 pro (not OEM or GGK) when upgraded to Windows 10 is transferable to other PC?

Good question...

Will the retail licenses (Win8.x, Win7) be converted to OEM after upgrading to Win10 ? There are many theories on the Web so please explain this problem... once and for all. I think it's unfair to change retail license (from "Box" Windows version) to OEM which
can be used only with motherboard it was bounded to!

And what will happen if I change my PC after upgrading to Win10? Will i lose my license because the old motherboard is gone (the one that was used when Win10 update was installed) and i'll have to buy another license for the new pc?

 

New license key when upgrading from Win8 -> Win10

Hi

I have a Win8 license that came with my computer. I participated in the free Win10 upgrade and have had that on the computer since. I'm now installing Win10 on a new computer and was wondering if my Win8 license key will work for the Win10 or if I got a new
key when I upgraded?

(as far as I remember I didn't get a new key when upgrading)

 

Did you run showkey or Superfly's ShowkeyPlus?

ShowkeyPlus provides a lot of infor:

 

Superfly's ShowkeyPlus

I'll post an image in a while. But I think the only fields were the first 3 on your image. No OEM key obviously and I don't believe there was anything in the original key or edition.

I tried retrieving from backup, but that asked me for a backup location. So I dropped it for a few days, then decided to ask the forum.

When I post the Showkey info, then the discussion can go further. I'm been lacking focus for the past few days, so please bear with me.

Thanks Rich

 

Here's the history
HP OEM Laptop
Win7 upgraded to Win8, upgraded to Win8.1 upgraded to Win10
Clean install Win10

There were a few Tech Preview rls on it. Both Win8.1 and Win10 have been clean installed a few times
I am not running any Insider builds now

Various other multi-boot scenarios, but it's fairly vanilla now.
Current is a clean install of Win10 in May using a fresh ISO from TechBench




The ShowKeyPlus window is from launching the pgm.
I added red boxes to highlight what I got when I tried Retrieve from backup.
edit: Never mind - I read the tut again - the Software hive is on the live machine, NOT in a backup

I'm not real concerned about this, so please don't spend too much effort - there are other members who sorely need your help. My thoughts are that only MS can answer this, but it would be helpful to know before 29 July.
This is more of an Academic thread to provoke thought and discussion.

Thanks to anyone who provides insight.

Bill
.

 

The upgrade to Windows 10 has no affect on the previous Windows 7/8/8.1 product key. The Windows 7/8/8.1 product key will continue to work exactly as it did as if it was not upgraded to Windows 10. Just think of the Windows 10 upgrade as being a copy of the Windows 7/8/8.1 that it came from.

Use the Windows 7/8/8.1 product key on a different computer and it may complain that it is in use on another computer - that's nothing new. You have to call Microsoft and tell the computer voice that that copy of Windows is installed on only 1 computer.

The fact that there remains a digital entitlement for Windows 10 on the old computer has not affected re-use of Windows 7/8/8.1 product keys yet, and there is nothing to indicate that that will change on July 29th.

 

Activation in Windows 10 - Windows Help
> Activating Windows 10 (Version 1511 or higher) using a Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 product key
During the free upgrade, you can use a valid Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 product key to activate Windows 10[ (Version 1511 or higher).
> Activating Windows 10 after a hardware configuration change
If you upgraded to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer and then made significant hardware changes to your device, such as replacing the motherboard, Windows 10 might no longer be activated. For help on how to activate your device, contact customer support.
Thanks Navy,

It's probably just the wording of the above, always referencing the Free Upgrade, that's bothering me.
If you can use a previous Qualifying license after 29 July, that would essentially mean the Free Upgrade doesn't end. I suspect that the servers will only accept Win10 keys after 29 July.

The only thing I can imagine is a cross reference to an existing digital entitlement based on the key during a phone activation.

 

What are we talking about here? Moving the Windows 7/8/8.1 to a new computer after July 29th, or activating Windows 10 on a new computer after July 29th?

 

Activating Windows 10 on a new computer after July 29th with a Retail Win8.1 license following the EULA.

 

Thing is Bill, digital entitlement is not really retail (i.e transferable), the qualifying (retail) key is. The EULA does not really take that into account, it seems geared at "normal" upgrades.
So Win 8.1 on the new machine is all good after 29 Jul. It won't upgrade to Win 10 tho'. - as far as we know.

 

I agree. Unless you pay for the upgrade.

 

I wonder if we will see Win 10 upgrade keys being sold (like with Win 8 to WMC), that will activate a previous version....

 

Yes, yes, yes ... all well and good *Cool
As you said seems and as far as we know

The reason I started the thread was because I saw posts that were just wrong (you'll be able to use your Winx key to install Win10 after 29 July) ... and it dawned on me that I didn't know the answer either. *Eek

Since User Agreements are binding, I'll stand by my original assumption it will take a miracle phone activation.

Install and activate Win10 on a new machine after 29 July 2016 using a Retail Win7 or Win8 key
Two schools of thought
1) No, never, not, nyet ... but you can install and activate your base license
2) Maybe with phone activation, a printed copy of the EULA, and a lawyer *Wink

Thanks

 

LOL.. MS are promoting Win 10 quite aggressively... I (probably the only one) still have a hunch we will get either a free extension or super cheap upgrades post 29 Jul. - but you know, me being the eternal optimist and all that *Wink