Windows 10: Win 10 clean install on a new SSD - Activation Questions

Hi,
I had a question for the experts here prior to doing a Windows 10 clean install on a new SSD.

Background – My 7-year-old PC came with pre-installed Win 7 Home Basic that I upgraded to Win 10 during the free offer. I used Windows 10 for a couple months before the power supply of my PC died. After I replaced the PSU, I got stuck on the (first looping, then frozen) Preparing Automatic Repair screen. I suspect it’s the HDD, but in any case I plan to use a new SSD to boot etc. So instead of wasting time trying to repair the earlier Windows 10 installation, I plan to clean install on an SSD with the Win 10 USB media creation tool. (Later on I plan to connect the HDD and retrieve the data and format the C drive containing the older Win 10 installation.)

Thanks to Shawn, I understand how to clean install Windows 10. The issue I am concerned with is the Windows 10 activation. During the initial upgrade, I had linked Windows 10 to an existing MS account. However, that same MS account is also linked to a Windows 10 upgrade I received on my Laptop (originally Win 8). In short, I have a (currently dead) PC and a laptop both linked to the same MS account.

Question 1 – While doing the clean install, can I ‘Create a new Account’, and still be able to activate Windows 10? Do I absolutely need to use the same account to which Windows 10 was previously linked?

Question 2 – If I use the same account during the clean install on the PC, will it conflict with the existing account on my laptop? Is there a chance it will fail to activate, since it is already linked to the Windows 10 installation on my laptop?

Why I want to link the Win 10 installation on my PC to a new account – In the not-so-distant future, I plan to upgrade the PC (including the Mother Board). I know that you can activate Windows on an upgraded PC if you link it to a MS account. However, I think it might be better to have separate MS accounts (one for PC, one for laptop) before I upgrade. I don’t want to run into trouble while activating Win 10 on an upgraded PC.

Thanks.

:)

 

Windows 10 Pre-installed on HP desktop (Want to do clean install without original CD or USB)

Hello:

I am purchasing a HP Envy desktop that comes with Win 10 Home Pre-installed on a HDD. HP does not send the Win 10 disk. The system I am buying only has a HDD installed. I will install a new Samsung EVO SSD myself. But, I would like to clean install Win
10 Home on the new SSD once I install it..

My question is - can I download the Win 10 from MS's site to do a clean install and then use my activation key on the side of the Desktop?

If not, what course should I take. The Desktop system will be the same with the exception of a newly added SSD and possible higher end graphics card.

Thanks!

 

How to transfer windows 8 (upgraded to win 10) licence from the original HDD to new SSD (for the same laptop)

If your laptop has been activated with win 10, you can do a clean install on the new ssd and it will activate automatically when connected to the internet.

 

Hi, I won't attempt to answer the question directly, as there are a couple of experts who know the details.

However, meanwhile have a look at more of Shawn's work which touches on these issues (usually worth browsing or searching the Tutorials as I just have for you):
Link Microsoft Account to Windows 10 Digital License - Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials
Activate Windows 10 - Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

Once a PC has been through a upgrade and it shows Activated with a Digital license, the HWID is stored on Microsoft Servers and a fresh install of the same version will automatically activate. No M$ account needed. If a problem would occur give it a Day or two then try using the troubleshooter with the M$ account you used before.

Before I retires as a Unpaid Crash Test Dummy I would sometimes have as many as 20-30 "PCs" associated with the same account before I would remove some of them. (Each New VM would count as a New PC) The only problem I had was after having Ten Rigs on an account, any more added weren't able to download from The Store. I think that might have been changed ?

The One Thing that will Invalidate the Digital License is a Motherboard change. Some people report that they were lucky enough to have M$ give them a license, but I've never tried.

 

I'm on my third MB since the beginning of W10 and only once (that was before AU) i had to wait a day or two for it to show as activated.
There's also this since AU: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...troubleshooter

 

Just skip the part where it asks for a key, that`s all you have to do *Smile

 

Thanks for your replies. @dalchina, thanks for the links to the tutorials. Will need to go over those notes in detail. @Bat 1, CountMike, I think the troubleshooter method would serve well when I upgrade my PC motherboard. I have read the procedure somewhere, but I think it's pretty straightforward.

I'm not so much worried about the key either. I know the option to enter it won't come up. Even if it does, I'll skip it. No issues. It's the linking to the MS account bit that I'm worried about.

I think I'm going to try and log in with the same MS account. If it allows me to do so, which I think it will, once the installation is complete, I'll link to a local account. Then, link to a different MS account.

Another quick question. Presently I have the 32-bit edition, but I'd like to upgrade to 64-bit, since I plan to upgrade the system anyway. The USB media tool I've made out is 32-bit. Would you guys recommend I get the 32-bit version going and get the linking part out of the way first? Or should I create a new installation media with 64-bit and try installing that straight off?

 

I would install 64 bit, the bit version has nothing to do with activation.

 

The link with MS account is only for use when pc fails to activate due to a hardware change. This is a manual activity and has no other functionality.

Changing to a ssd does not count as a hardware change. On very rare occasions, windows (one in thousands or higher) has not activated due to an ssd change.

Then you simply use the activation trouble shooter to reactivate Windows.

So just install, skip key entry - it will work unless you are mega mega unlucky.

Do not change MS account with digital licence linked to a local account or you will remove the digital link, and you will not be able to run the activation troubleshooter. If you got a hardware failure, you would no longer be able to reactivate Windows.

Simply create a second MS account and leave first account untouched.

 

So, I read the info from the link recommended above by dalchina on linking MS account, and found it very informative. I realize that going (and staying) local can be dangerous, particularly for an old system like mine that could lose its mobo any day.

I also took a cue from that thread and looked up the devices hooked to my MS account. Surprise surprise. Only my laptop is listed as a linked device. So my PC, the one I'm planning to clean install with an SSD, isn't after all linked to the MS account.

Thanks, cereberus. I know that an SSD change in all likelihood will not impede the Win 10 installation. My laptop was also changed to an SSD after the HDD died prematurely, and Win 10 was installed quite easily; even though it wasn't linked to a MS account at the time.

Since my PC does not appear under the devices in my MS account, should I create a new account while installing Win 10 from USB? Is that what you meant - Simply create a second MS account and leave first account untouched?

Regards the 32-bit upgrade to 64-bit, I think I'll leave it to the end. Perhaps switch to 64-bit while fresh installing after mobo upgrade. My first priority is to install win 10 on the current PC configuration and link it to a new MS account.

 

Only Windows version 1607 (the Anniversary Update) and above will link the digital license to a Microsoft Account. I'm guessing the build of Windows 10 you have on the desktop computer is lower than the Anniversary Update and out of date.

 

My laptop is 1607. Not sure about the desktop, though I know I resisted the update on it until after the laptop. But will have to check after it has Windows running - if it does though, coz right now it refuses to boot from USB.

 

With some difficulty and a lot of trial and error, I was able to boot from the USB. Or rather, I was able to make the bootable USB drive the priority boot device. This was only possible after I removed and replaced the CMOS battery.

However, when I try to install with the USB (on new SSD), I get stuck with a blue windows logo in the center of a black screen - no spinning dots. My PC has a G41 mobo with an L775 chipset. The BIOS has no option for secure boot, no UEFI, and no AHCI option. Is there anything I can do to get it to install Win 10 from the bootable Windows 10 media creation USB?

Though I thought the windows license for this PC was linked to my MS account, turns out it isn't - it's not showing under the linked devices in my MS account. I do remember receiving calendar/time alerts that I set on my laptop, though. Still can't believe it isn't linked. Whatever be the case, if I can't boot and activate win 10 on my PC, the license is pretty much gone with it. Or is it? Any help would be great.

Note: The earlier Win 10 installation (obtained as a free upgrade from Win 7) is not accessible anymore. Either the HDD is dead, or the installation itself has become corrupted.

 

Hi, exactly how did you create your bootable USB drive?
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials
Any of those options will create one compatible with legacy BIOS.

I understand you have installed a new SSD in your laptop.

Can you confirm you are sure your PC is correctly seeing that disk? Did the installation procedure get as far as allowing you to select where to install Win 10?

Could you can say exactly what stages in the installation process you see happening when you boot from the USB disk?

I assume you mean you put that disk back into the PC and tried to boot from it without success.

I'm tempted to suggest you try downloading and using Kyhi's boot disk (top of the Software and Apps section), and see if you can boot from that into its version of Win 10, and see if you can access a disk in your laptop.