Windows 10: W10 licence transfer. What happens if I change/upgrade my PC later on?

I assume "convoluted" means that later Win 10 installs on future completely different hardware would require that the underlying OS license (retail 7/8) be physically installed and activated on the new hardware and after that is done, the user could then do a clean install from the downloadable 10 ISO via bootable DVD/USB?

Would the original retail 7 Product Key have to be reactivated or retrieved in some sense from MS servers for future install number 3 or 15 and would that require a Microsoft Account of some type as opposed to a purely local account? I'm assuming it's rendered void in some sense at the time of the first "free upgrade install" on the old hardware.

Can anyone point to a link to anyone who has in fact already gone through this procedure, successfully or not?

Or are we all making assumptions based on documents or statements, possibly authoritative and possibly not?

 

I have performed this action several times already. You can do it to, just try to install Windows 10 clean to a virtual machine, and you won't be able to get it activated. You will have to upgrade from Windows 7/8.x. Then the upgrade works.

 

Apparently, German law allows transfer of OEM licenses, the same as Retail. When I looked at the supplemental information aka.ms/transfer - there was none. In other words, only German law removes the distinction. between OEM and Retail.

Convoluted installation process in that the original license must be installed first and activated, then upgraded, then phone activated? That seems reasonable enough.

 

It was the first thing I tried - a clean install in a dual boot (not a VM). It will NOT activate!

Upgrading went surprisingly well and activation did NOT require any key to be entered. The process found and used the OEM licensing information to activate Win10. This was on a box that GWX said could not be upgraded
- hmmmmm, I never trusted that GWX appraiser *Wink

One sweet thing - Windows Essentials Mail (weMail) was on the Win7 box and it carried over to Win10. Why do I mention that? Because I could not install weMail on my Tech Preview clean installs due to an installer dependency of .NET 3.5
- no I didn't try compatibility or turn on 3.5 in features on the TP box, I might once things settle down.

 

Mystere:

Any comments on my second paragraph in post 44?

My current intent is to use a local account.

I vaguely recall a post on some semi-official MS forum a month or so back alleging that the Product Key underlying the upgrade install would have to be "reactivated" or "reauthorized" in some sense via access to a "Microsoft Store" (whatever that is) before it could be later used to reinstall the underlying OS (say Win 7 Retail). If true, access to that "Microsoft Store" may require a Microsoft Account?

I have no idea if that post was true or not. I have never used Win 10 and won't be using VMs to learn about the install/licensing nuances. I certainly don't need Win 10 in any sense, but might go for it nonetheless purely for the extended support window as compared to 2020 for Win 7. I have no inclination to use "apps" or the "Microsoft Store" and am looking to do a local install. I've got a one PC household, however uncommon that might be. My portable devices are a Honda and a TV remote control.

 

Mystere

You might need to wait tell after 31 days to test that hypothesis. What I though was odd, Microsoft faq tells windows 7 pre-installed user(s) to use the coa key on the back or bottom of the device.

 

Sorry, I have not not been following this thread very closely... but to clear things up...

One upgrades via activated Win 7SP1/Win8.1 to the appropiate version of Win10 and is assigned a store licence that is attached to your device ID (rather than your MSA) - subsequent activation is thus keyless as the device ID is propogated to the activation server as proof of "purchase" as a key would in non-upgrade circumstances. Seems a no-brainer to me... or am I missing something?

 

No Microsoft account is required. Only insiders are required to use an MSA in order to stay in the insider program and continue receiving Insider builds.

 

Wow, already five pages long and there's still some confusion! From my perspective it's unfortunate that MS have adopted this 'keyless' solution. Imagine how much easier it would be if my first upgrade from W7/8/8.1 (retail) to W10 produced a new and unique product key that I could use directly on a new PC with a clean installation of W10.

If my Windows 8.1 retail licence becomes a Windows 10 retail licence when I upgrade, why do I have to jump through hoops to do a clean installation on a new machine? I don't really understand why this approach has been adopted when it clearly inconveniences the end user in terms of overall installation time.

At the point my W8.1 retail licence is upgraded to W10 retail, I'd like to be able to use it in exactly the same way from then on, with no additional hassle when I change my PC or its motherboard.

 

The new approach will eventually make things easier for everyone down the road. Once people are using largely original 10 keys, then they can reinstall without having to re-enter keys or have them be stored in the BIOS. It's unfortunate the transition will be painful for some people, but sometimes transitions have to be done so that everything is better down the road.

 

To find your key just download magical jelly bean app Google it install and tells your key

 

From my understanding that windows 10 only shows the default key, that posted everywhere.

 

Yea, the last group of code for the key for my Windows 10 upgrade is 8HVX7.

So it seems we all have upgrades using generic keys... only the Product ID seems unique from computer to computer.

The 20 character Product ID is created during the installation process and is prominently displayed towards the bottom (in the Activation section) on the opening panel window resulting from right-clicking the Computer icon and selecting "Properties" from the context menu. It is used to obtain/qualify for technical support (limited though that may be) from Microsoft; it is of no use during the installation process.

The 25 character Product Key is used to "prove" ownership of a legitimate license and is required to perform the installation, and is either stored on the DVD packaging on a sticker that says "Do not lose this number," or is on a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA) label affixed to an OEM computer.

 

Think of the Win10 UPGRADE as simply an update patch on top of Windows 8.1 to make it look like Win10. Lets call it Win8.1++. Don't think of it as a COMPLETELY NEW INSTALL of Win10 because it isn't! It does not have a product key and it does not have a way of doing a clean install using the Win 8.1 product key on a new computer. Like any other retail copy of Win8.1 that you want to move to a new computer, you first have to do a clean install of Win8.1 then run updates on it including the one to make it LOOK LIKE Win10 (Win8.1++). Of course, you need to wipe the old copy of Win8.1++ off of the original machine as well. Simple enough. Oh, and you only have a year to play with it before the win10 update patch for
Win8.1 that turns it into Win8.1++ goes away.

If you want a real, complete retail version of Windows 10 with all its rights and privileges including the ability for a clean install on a new computer, then you have to buy Windows 10 Pro for $199 which will give you a unique, valid Windows 10 product key.

 

Do you personally believe that to be true in all cases?