I'm just about to upgrade my Windows 10 desktop - which was originally a Windows 7 build, by replacing the motherboard. I'm assuming that this will mean my current Windows license will be invalidated (as the license came pre-installed when I bought the desktop). I have a second Windows 7 license, so will I be able to use my second Windows 7 license to get Windows 10 back working again?
Thanks
If you know your Windows 7 Key on the computer your installing your new Motherboard, you could try calling MS and telling them, and they could move that license over from your computer to the same computer except with a new MB . It is possible.
But you would have to know your license key number. You can download this program called Showkey, made by one of our members on here. It can find any Windows key.
https://www.tenforums.com/software-ap...7-showkey.html
You can also use your other Windows key, as long as its not in use on another computer. and is a retail key. Hope this helps you.
Your best bet is to temporarily install Windows 7 on the new motherboard and activate that with your Windows 7 product key. The reason being is if that Windows 7 product key is blocked from online activation, you may still be able to activate it via phone activation. (in a command prompt enter "slui 4" without the quotes to start phone activation). Once you have a Windows 7 activated on that motherboard, then you can do one of two things:
Capture the genuineticket.xml file and use that to activate your Windows 10 (99% guaranteed to work):
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First - Windows 10 Forums
or you should be able to then go to the Windows 10 activation screen, change product key, and enter the Windows 7 product key to activate it.
The fresh install of 7 with SP1 will be a requirement for any direct upgrade attempt. The 7 key may also have to be a late release type key intended for the SP1 incorporation. That of course you would find out fast enough with a direct call to the MS toll free number.
The GeniuneTicket.xml method will see the first key transferred to the new board turned into the Digital entitlement without even entering the second 7 key you have. Or you could opt to see the second key put to use instead on the new board and then see the clean install of 10 go on. That would be a waste of the second key however unless the first was an OEM key for a premade 7 system that will remain rather glued to the original board. Retail and OEM for System Builder disk keys however are generally able to see immediate transfers when calling in.
Many thanks for your kind responses.
So I have the license key from the Windows 10 install - the install I want to keep - I think this is an OEM license. I now need to extract the license key from the Windows 7 install (that I only want the license key from). When I have the other license key I think I have the following options (sorry if I've misunderstood):
1. Move the Windows 10 install to my new motherboard and then see if MS will activate.
2. Put the Windows 7 install on the motherboard and then use genuineticket.xml. Then put my Windows 10 install onto the motherboard and use the genuineticket.xml to activate Windows 10.
3. Move the Windows 10 install to my new motherboard and then try the license key extracted from the Windows 7 install. <- Not certain that this will work.
So it looks like I can try 1 or 2?
Same here! I would slap the fast temp of 7 onto the new gear, call MS to see 7 activated, and then insert the 7 xml file into the fresh 10 install to follow you use to replace 7 with. Once the 7 key is activated onto the new board however you should be able to enter that on the fresh 10 install while still preserving the xml for safe keeping is the best move just in case the 7 key doesn't take for some reason. It should however then being tied to the new board.
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