Windows 10: Windows Activation

Click on Start and select Settings/Update & Security. Then selecting 'Activation' in the left pane.

I'm on Windows 1709 Build 16299.64 (Up-To-Date)

 

No Product ID or Product Code shown.

 

In the past (on the early builds) mine would say "Windows is activated with a product key", not just "Windows is activated"? I should just let it go, it just kind of makes me wonder what they did to get that PC activated that way? Just about every Windows 10 PC on the planet now gets a Digital License, like in my screen shot.

 

That's because you're signed into your Microsoft account. I'm under my Local Account. I believe it only switches to a Digital License when you sign in to a Microsoft account then your copy of Windows gets linked so you can do re-installs and bypass entering your Product Key.

 

No, I've logged in with a local account and the PC still activated with a Digital Licence. I've done it a few times. It just doesn't say "linked to your Microsoft account". I've done it entering a key and doing a skip key. Your Microsoft Account has nothing to do with activation. That PC shows as activated with a product code, which means that key has to be entered to activate. If you do a skip key it won't activate.

 

Well all I'm saying is,..my copy of Windows is certainly activated as is evidenced by my screenshots. All I really wanted to know that should I need to clean re-install (highly Likely at some point), then what product key should I enter when asked during the re-install?

Do I use the original Product Key from my retail box or the Product key that ShowKey shows which is the result of the Tech Guy doing whatever it was to get my copy activated. Basically, is my copy activated under my own retail boxed version or this different number?

 

Yes, its activated, its just unusual to see it activated that way, without a Digital License. I would hang on to the key they gave you and or used to activate it. The one currently in use is the one with those last 5 characters show in your screen shot. Which from the sounds of things, is not your Retail Key. If it was me, next time around I would try the Retail key first, and then move on to the other one if it failed to activate. If that makes you nervous just enter the one the tech gave you.

 

Yes, that's all I can do really I suppose and hope for the best. *Smile

This is what I love about my Apple iMac. None of this Activation nonsense.

 

I'm sure you have digital licence anyway....so that key MS gave you may not be necessary for future installs ...

Humour me and put it though "Check..." - just curious what type of key they gave you - if retail it can be used on other PC's *Wink

 

I got the same. 2 times (on 2 different Mac PC) the MS tech connected by remote access gave me a retail Windows 10 key to replace the digital license I got from upgrading. In both cases it was because I was using them both in VM and native boot (Bootcamp and VMWare Fusion) and the upgrade license doesn't work swapping like that whereas a retail Windows 10 key does. So they told me anyway.

One ends -W44C6 and the other -VH66T. Both checked on ShowKeyPlus show "Win 10 RTM Professional Retail, EULA Type: Retail"

I think it is, if not normal, certainly not completely unheard of. They did check out my old keys (Win 7 in both cases) were still valid before they did it though.

I've clean installed many times since then and never bothered typing in the key (I just retrieved them with ShowKey and noted them down at the time). If I use Showkey today to retrieve the key it just shows me the generic key ending -3V66T but (here is the interesting thing) it still lets me run native and VM. Presumably using the Win 10 retail key just once updated my stored license somehow. Who knows though - it is all a mystery to me frankly.

 

Hi,
Giving different keys might just deactivate the 7 or 8.1 keys ability to reactivate those os's again = pretty interesting way to insure the previous os is never used again *Smile

 

It doesn't seem to though. I tried it (although only on the same machine to be fair - didn't want to risk blocking my keys).

 

Hi,
Usually installing on the same machine is what counts *Smile
Give it time one day it might throw a raspberry.

 

The original Retail key should for sure have a Digital License. What got me scratching my head was it just saying "Windows is activated" but with no "with a" etc.

 

No, me neither on any of my machines in 16299.64, Home or Pro. Going back through the system images on my test machine (each made by upgrading the previous version) I don't see the ID and partial key on any version, even the original RTM 10240. This is from 1709...