Windows 10 Activation Digital License - How do I move it?
Discussion
This is all a bit hazy, but I think I have three Windows keys, they're on my Microsoft Account, they're installed on three PCs and I can see them all in the Windows Account. When I bought one of the PCs another was taken out of service and I signed into the new one with my Windows Account and activated it. I can't remember the details but in my head the license was moved from the old PC, but not removed from the old machine. I assumed that if I used the old machine again it would simply kick up a fuss about Activation.
But I decided to sell the old machine and nuked it using the built in Windows 10 reset function, the long one that kills everything. Once it was up and running and had finished updating Windows and Drivers etc I went to see if I could get an old Windows Key to work and discovered that it's already activated using a Digital license. The only user on the machine is an offline account I setup, nothing has been signed into, no Microsoft Accounts, nothing.
Is there a way to find out what the license is, what account it's tied to or anything else? I don't really want to sell the PC with an activation that's the same as one I'm using on another machine in case the wrong one gets deactivated or there are other issues down the line. And if I actually own 4 licenses I'd like to bring the 4th into my Microsoft Account anyway in case I need another Windows VM or the wife or kids need a PC or whatever.
If I sign in with my Microsoft Account would it then adopt that license again, realise it's duplicated and deactivate one of the machines? I'd rather not do this if it doesn't work as it'll leave me having to nuke the machine again!
Any thoughts gratefully received!
But I decided to sell the old machine and nuked it using the built in Windows 10 reset function, the long one that kills everything. Once it was up and running and had finished updating Windows and Drivers etc I went to see if I could get an old Windows Key to work and discovered that it's already activated using a Digital license. The only user on the machine is an offline account I setup, nothing has been signed into, no Microsoft Accounts, nothing.
Is there a way to find out what the license is, what account it's tied to or anything else? I don't really want to sell the PC with an activation that's the same as one I'm using on another machine in case the wrong one gets deactivated or there are other issues down the line. And if I actually own 4 licenses I'd like to bring the 4th into my Microsoft Account anyway in case I need another Windows VM or the wife or kids need a PC or whatever.
If I sign in with my Microsoft Account would it then adopt that license again, realise it's duplicated and deactivate one of the machines? I'd rather not do this if it doesn't work as it'll leave me having to nuke the machine again!
Any thoughts gratefully received!
As i understand it all thats happened is the oem windows license has been activated as soon as it saw the internet. This is normal and pretty much always happens unless you change a major component of the system.
As for the 'keys' you mention - unless they are full system upgrades such as home edition to pro, you dont really need them anymore. If you built a new barebones pc you would need them.
Microsoft dont worry about oem licences much these days. They moving towards the person having a microsoft 365 account being the aim. If they have a windows laptop to use it on - well even better i suppose but thier business model is changing.
As for the 'keys' you mention - unless they are full system upgrades such as home edition to pro, you dont really need them anymore. If you built a new barebones pc you would need them.
Microsoft dont worry about oem licences much these days. They moving towards the person having a microsoft 365 account being the aim. If they have a windows laptop to use it on - well even better i suppose but thier business model is changing.
There is no OEM license on that PC though, it was build from parts in 2009. When I was using it I signed into my Microsoft Account and converted the product key into a digital license, which is now associated with my Microsoft Account. The PC I 'moved' that license to was a business machine that I bought on eBay, maybe that had an OEM license and 'my; license never moved over because it didn't need to. I don't know.
If I have ended up with 4 licenses, the older PC shouldn't have been able to pick one up the license from my Microsoft account without me signing in, but I suppose it's just retained it as I didn't flatten Windows hard enough. Though I don't think it should really be doing that as the license 'belongs' to my account, not the PC.
Anyway, if that's the case then I don't want to sell a worthless PC with the license as the license is worth more than the PC now they're pretty much perpetual upgrade licenses, so how do I get it off?
I'm thinking I need to create an install USB key now and start with a formatted hard drive to remove this license, but is there an easier way? And will that even work?
It would be really helpful if you could actually see the digital licenses you have on your account!
If I have ended up with 4 licenses, the older PC shouldn't have been able to pick one up the license from my Microsoft account without me signing in, but I suppose it's just retained it as I didn't flatten Windows hard enough. Though I don't think it should really be doing that as the license 'belongs' to my account, not the PC.
Anyway, if that's the case then I don't want to sell a worthless PC with the license as the license is worth more than the PC now they're pretty much perpetual upgrade licenses, so how do I get it off?
I'm thinking I need to create an install USB key now and start with a formatted hard drive to remove this license, but is there an easier way? And will that even work?
It would be really helpful if you could actually see the digital licenses you have on your account!
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