Windows 10: Windows 10 Retail USB Drive

how many times in a year do you think they will allow a transfer??
sorry if I was not that specific - you just can't keep installing with the retail key and expect it to activate..

Although the software is the same software we all can download, except we use our own USB stick, and did not need to purchase a product key to upgrade

 

There is no limit specified in the EULA. The only requirement to transfer the retail software is to uninstall the previous version before installing it somewhere else. That why with Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 when you hit their limit for online activation you call them, enter your product ID, and a computer voice will ask you "How many computers is this software installed on?" You answer "one" and the computer voice gives you the return code to activate it.

 

Is the Windows 10 product key from the retail version saved to the Microsoft servers along with the PC details? Do I need to re-enter the same Windows 10 product key when I reinstall the same edition of Windows 10 on the same PC it was activated on? This is a full licensed version of Windows 10? The retail USB still has a Skip button on the Product Key page.

 

You might, that's the way it worked in the past. When you do your second install on that same PC, do the skip thing and see what happens. If it fails activation, then enter your key, and it should activate no problem. If you had asked me that question a month ago I would have given you a definite yes answer, now I'm not so sure. I have Retail MSDN keys but haven't used one yet. I haven't had a chance to test it out myself.

 

Skip should work - but at the same time, why not just enter the product key as an extra measure to ensure it is activated. At any rate, if you skip and it won't activate, you can always try slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx to install the product key followed by slmgr /ato to force trying online activation.

 

Is the Windows 10 USB drive actually made of aluminum alloy? It's a custom Kingston drive and shows up as KDI-MSFT Windows 10 USB device. The KDI means Kingston Digital. The connector shows a small amount of wear on the edge after multiple insertions and removals. Is that because aluminum is a soft metal? Is there a way to locate the USB device serial number of the Windows 10 USB drive?

 

Have a look at this, Microsoft quietly rewrites its activation rules for Windows 10

 

Is there a way to revoke the retail license if the computer needs to be replaced?

 

slmgr /upk

 

That will remove your activation/license from the PC. It won't remove the record of activation of that hardware from the activation server though. Which is what I think he wants to do.

 

Define revoke? Once you activate on a PC, that's stored on the activation server. You can't remove that record of activation once its there. You can remove your activation status from the PC so its not activated anymore.

 

Someone has posted a picture of the retail MS Windows 10 USB media on Twitter.

Roland Quandt on Twitter:

Microsoft pictures of hologram on USB media cap
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/Software.aspx

 

Why do I get a write protect error when I try to check the Windows 10 USB device as shown above?

 

Um, because it is write protected? It's read only so it can't get corrupted, accidentally erased, infected, etc?

 

Sure seems like Mr. Weisshar is bound and determined to try, though! Seems like he really, really, really wants to write to that $120 USB stick.