Windows 10: Windows clean install from media creation tool says "...activated with a digital license" -...

On my home PC I used the "create Windows 10 installation media" tool and used the resulting USB to install Win10 on a laptop I purchased second hand that had been wiped to BIOS UEFI screen shows at boot. Install went fine as did all updates.

During the install I did NOT link it to my Microsoft account as I was testing the health of the PC before decided what to do with it.

The Settings / Activation status shows "Windows is activated with a digital licence"

I //think// this is being picked up from the licensing servers based on the hardwareID, but I can't find anywhere that confirms this?

So have I just got lucky and it's retaining the volume licensing from a previous install?

I can't think of any reason/circumstance where it would licence based on being created from my home PC?!

:)

 

About Windows 10 media creation tool

Hi Naman, yes absolutely, once your Windows is activated before the installation, a clean install with bootable installation media created with the Media Creation tool will result in a genuine and automatically activated version of Windows 10

Since you previously had Windows 10 installed and activated on that PC during the installation process skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 10 on this PC', and activation will not be an issue, your PC will
have a digital entitlement stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers

 

Windows Media Creation Tool Error 0x80070079-0xA001A

Your USB thumb drive needs to be at least 8 GBs.

The error code 0x80070079-0xA001A means that the tool doesn't have permission for it to run. For us to assist you, we suggest that you
follow the simple steps listed below:

• 
  Right-click on the Media Creation Tool.exe.
  
• 
  Press Properties.
  
• 
  Click on General.
  
• 
  At the bottom, click on Unblock.
  
• 
  Press Apply, and then OK.
  

Let us know how it goes and if you need further assistance, feel free to post back.



You can also download the ISO first using the Media Creation Tool, then create a bootable copy. Yes, you can use it to perform clean install.

If Windows 10 was already installed and activated on your system, just proceed to perform a direct clean install as described in the following articles.

Step 1: How
to download official Windows 10 ISO files

Step 2:

• How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10

 

Activate windows 10 after a clean install through digital license.

Windows 10 Digital License

When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware (your PC) will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will be stored on Microsoft
Activation Servers. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key.

Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows 10. It will automatically reactivate. You will prompted to enter a product key a couple times through the installation, click I don't have
a key and Do this later.

There is no need to know or get a new key, but if you have issues with Digital Licensing or the Activation Troubleshooter, you can utilize an existing Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key you already own to
reactivate if necessary. or use the reset function in Windows 10.

Activate Your Windows 10 License via Microsoft Chat Support

Reinstall by Performing a Direct Clean Install

If Windows 10 was already installed and activated on your system, just proceed to perform a direct clean install as described in the following articles.

Step 1: How
to download official Windows 10 ISO files

Step 2:

• How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10