Windows 10: We can’t activate your copy of Windows as the digital license for this device has already...

PC1 motherboard dead I built PC2 and was able to reactivate. The underlying issue that caused PC1's mother board to be dead also caused PC2's motherboard to be dead as well. So I built PC3 without using any old parts. But this time I can no longer activate.

:)

 

digital license requirement

Hello William,

Digital license or Digital entitlement can be obtained when a Windows device has been upgraded from an old version to the latest one. If you have an old Windows 7 device that was upgraded to Windows 10, the product key will be converted to a Digital license
which is stored on our Activation servers. Digital license activation will not prompt for a product key during installation.

Here are some scenarios that will require a Digital license activation:

• Upgrading to Windows 10 for free from an eligible device running a genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
• Buying genuine Windows 10 from the Microsoft Store and successfully activated Windows 10.
• Buying a Windows 10 Pro upgrade from the Microsoft Store and successfully activated Windows 10.
• Being a Windows Insider and upgrading to the newest Windows 10 Insider Preview build on an eligible device that was running an activated earlier version of Windows and Windows 10 Preview.

For more information about Digital license, kindly refer to this support article.

Hope this information helps. Let us know if you any other concerns.

 

Digital license

Thats how licensing works with Windows 10, the digital license is attached to your Microsoft Account and makes it easy to reactivate Windows 10 in the event you reinstall it.

Learn more:

• Use a Digital
  License to Manage and Activate Windows 10

 

transfer digital license

a windows site suggests de-activating a device to transfer the -license' / key - to a new device. Is this true and possible in the case of --transfer digital license-- ???