Windows 10: Same product key on two PCs

Discus and support Same product key on two PCs in Windows 10 Updates and Activation to solve the problem; Hi there. Within the last two days I upgraded a PC and a laptop to Windows 10 home as part of the free upgrade program. Just noticed tonight that... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Updates and Activation' started by gallicbear, Jul 31, 2015.

  1. GALLICBEAR
    gallicbear Win User

    Same product key on two PCs


    Hi there. Within the last two days I upgraded a PC and a laptop to Windows 10 home as part of the free upgrade program. Just noticed tonight that Windows assigned the same product key to each PC. How is that possible? Why would Microsoft do that? I had no control over which key gets assigned.

    :)
     
    gallicbear, Jul 31, 2015
    #1
  2. DAVEJYD
    DaveJYD Win User

    Windows 10 Upgrade on two Devices - Same Product Key

    I can see that I will not be able to get an answer to my question here, as I have been getting information from here that is very different from the information I got from Microsoft Tech Support when I called them on a similar yet unrelated issue concerning
    upgrading PCs. And as this is not the question here, I think I will need to go elsewhere to get the answer I am looking for. Good luck to everyone else.
     
    DaveJYD, Jul 31, 2015
    #2
  3. ASTROWHIZ
    astrowhiz Win User
    Windows 10 Upgrade on two Devices - Same Product Key

    You need to check if you have Retail or OEM licences for Windows - run a command prompt and type
    slmgr.vbs /dlv and Enter.

    OEM licenses are licensed to the machine so if you upgrade the motherboard or CPU it's not considered the same machine (RAM, graphics, hard drive are fine to replace though)

    OEM licenses are generally cheaper.

    Retail licenses are licensed to you so you can transfer it to a new machine. This used to entail a phone call to Microsoft but I believe it's been made easier with anniversary update if you have a Microsoft account as it will hold details of licenses you have.

    I believe the reason that different machines have the same Product ID is that MS no longer use that ID to register the product. I assume you use the same Microsoft account to log into all of them?

    If they are all activated the bottom line is the account should hold that info and it will come down to OEM vs Retail as to how you can upgrade. (This is the theory as far as I understand anyway
     
    astrowhiz, Jul 31, 2015
    #3
  4. BAGAVAN
    bagavan Win User

    Same product key on two PCs

    All PC upgraded to same version have identical key. Only the device ID is used for activation
     
    bagavan, Jul 31, 2015
    #4
  5. GALLICBEAR
    gallicbear Win User
    Thanks, bagavan. When you say 'device ID', do you mean the original key, before the upgrade?
     
    gallicbear, Jul 31, 2015
    #5
  6. BAGAVAN
    bagavan Win User
    Nope.

    The device id is the hardware profile of your computer.
     
    bagavan, Jul 31, 2015
    #6
  7. GALLICBEAR
    gallicbear Win User
    I understand. Thank you, bagavan.
     
    gallicbear, Apr 5, 2018
    #7
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Same product key on two PCs

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