Can I purchase this Full version Win10 & not ever call MS to activate?

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  1. Posts : 68
    10Pro/7Pro
       #1

    Can I purchase this Full version Win10 & not ever call MS to activate?


    Hi I want to purchase this Full version Win10 and hopefully not ever have to call Microsoft to activate on clean installs. Making sure I have no surprises in the future.

    I hope I posted this in the correct thread.

    Windows 10 Pro - Full Version 32 & 64-bit (USB Flash Drive) Model FQC-10069

    1) ' For EXAMPLE ' I want to do a clean install same hardware machine once a week for 52 weeks, will I ever have to call Microsoft to activate this key ?

    2) 'For EXAMPLE ' I build a new hardware PC once a month, continuing for 4 years, starting in January 2019. Before I build February new hardware PC and activate key, I will uninstall OS from January PC that is using this key. Will I have to call Microsoft to activate this key ever ?

    A few more questions please...

    3) If I purchase this version, instead of the OEM license, do I have the flexibility to move it to a brand new machine at a later point in time if I want to ( as long as I uninstall from older machine) without contacting Microsoft ever ?

    4) Since this is Full version it will not be locked or tied to any computer that I install this on. I will be able to reuse this key when the time comes for a hardware upgrade as long as I uninstall from older computer it was installed on ?

    5) Can this be installed on a single computer indefinitely, many clean installs, activated many times , and not have to call Microsoft ?

    6) If I build a new PC I can use the key as long as my older install PC OS is uninstalled , and do I have to contact Microsoft to activate use with new system ?

    7) I do clean installs on my PC often, will I have to contact Microsoft ever to activate ?

    8) I will only have it activated on one machine at any given time, so I won't ever have to call Microsoft to activate new machine correct ?

    Sorry if some questions are similar, I just want to be sure before purchase.

    Would be helpful if you actually purchased this version and have first hand experience with it and activation many times.

    Thanks!
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  2. Posts : 2,487
    Windows 10 Home, 64-bit
       #2

    "Ever" is a long time and apparently very important to you.

    I would not want to stake my life on the premise that I'd never have to call Microsoft, regardless of what I bought or thought I bought or read on an Internet forum.

    I assume you are locked into FQC-10069 for some reason. I see it for sale at numerous web outlets but have no personal experience with it.

    So-called "retail" versions supposedly can be installed an unlimited number of times in the future on new hardware, but I can't confirm there wouldn't EVER be an issue. Thus "supposedly". All kinds of installation and activation issues are reported on this forum and what can happen will eventually happen. When is unknown.
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  3. Posts : 4,453
    Win 11 Pro 22000.708
       #3

    Note that there is no de-activation of Windows on a PC.

    If you make enough changes in a short period of time, you may have to deal with activation support. Example: I have an upgrade version of Win 10 on my primary desktop. (It was born as a retail license, a few upgrade cycles ago.) The license for it was digital. I moved the drive (SSD) from an Intel X99 motherboard to an AMD X470 one. To activate on the new PC, I had to enter the last code I'd purchased. (Win 8 Pro upgrade.) That worked fine. A problem developed with the new motherboard, so I replaced it with a different X470 board within a week or two. I couldn't activate Win10 on that. I had to contact MS Support. A couple of times. Ultimately, they had me email them a copy of the invoice for the new MB, and they gave me an entirely new key.

    Short version: MS isn't highly restrictive about what you do with a license, and online activation covers a lot. However, if you do enough messing around with installs, sooner or later you may need to have a discussion with them. I hope that the more extreme examples in your questions are not things that you'd ever do.

    Maybe Windows isn't the OS you should be using.
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  4. Posts : 68
    10Pro/7Pro
    Thread Starter
       #4

    ignatzatsonic said:
    "Ever" is a long time and apparently very important to you.

    I would not want to stake my life on the premise that I'd never have to call Microsoft, regardless of what I bought or thought I bought or read on an Internet forum.

    I assume you are locked into FQC-10069 for some reason. I see it for sale at numerous web outlets but have no personal experience with it.

    So-called "retail" versions supposedly can be installed an unlimited number of times in the future on new hardware, but I can't confirm there wouldn't EVER be an issue. Thus "supposedly". All kinds of installation and activation issues are reported on this forum and what can happen will eventually happen. When is unknown.
    I just don't like the idea of having to call MS if can avoid it.

    I have had good luck with many clean installs Win7 and no calls to MS ever.

    I am not locked into FDC- 10069, but am thinking to purchase before it is discontinued.

    I currently have Win10 activated via Win7 activation, same machine both installs, no issues clean install Win10.

    This current Win10 install will be ok until my MB or CPU dies and have to buy new hardware which doesn't
    support Win7 to be able to use Win7 activated key to install 10 later.

    'Retail' and 'Unlimited installs' would be nice if was quoted from a MS text.

    Thanks for your input!
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 68
    10Pro/7Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    bobkn said:
    Note that there is no de-activation of Windows on a PC.

    If you make enough changes in a short period of time, you may have to deal with activation support. Example: I have an upgrade version of Win 10 on my primary desktop. (It was born as a retail license, a few upgrade cycles ago.) The license for it was digital. I moved the drive (SSD) from an Intel X99 motherboard to an AMD X470 one. To activate on the new PC, I had to enter the last code I'd purchased. (Win 8 Pro upgrade.) That worked fine. A problem developed with the new motherboard, so I replaced it with a different X470 board within a week or two. I couldn't activate Win10 on that. I had to contact MS Support. A couple of times. Ultimately, they had me email them a copy of the invoice for the new MB, and they gave me an entirely new key.

    Short version: MS isn't highly restrictive about what you do with a license, and online activation covers a lot. However, if you do enough messing around with installs, sooner or later you may need to have a discussion with them. I hope that the more extreme examples in your questions are not things that you'd ever do.

    Maybe Windows isn't the OS you should be using.
    The more extreme examples are just that 'examples' I do clean install about every 4 months or so, and I buy new hardware every 2 years or so.

    I was just giving those extreme examples to make an inquiry if Full retail has unlimited installs on a single machine without the hassle of calling / sending invoices on MB as you mentioned in your upgrade experience.

    An upgrade I would think is different than Full retail version, and the cost of the software reflects that.

    Thank you!


    bobkn said:
    Maybe Windows isn't the OS you should be using.
    Maybe you could explain what that has to do with my OP , as I wasn't asking for an alternative OS.
    Last edited by asusG; 09 Dec 2018 at 02:43.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    You can do clean installs of the same version of Windows 10 on the same computer (motherboard) as many times as you want to once it has activated the first time. You don't even need to enter a product key once it is activated the first time. This is because once you activate Windows 10 on that computer, a digital license for that version of Windows 10 (version meaning Home or Pro, etc.) is stored on Microsoft activation servers matched to that motherboard's unique hardware ID. Activation occurs when the hardware ID and the version of Windows 10 is sent to MS activation servers and a match is made.

    Once you start re-installing Windows 10 on different motherboards with the same product key, however, Microsoft will only allow that product key to be activated on different hardware via the internet a certain number of times within a certain timeframe. I don't know what the numbers are for the limit, though. After the product key gets blocked from automatic internet activation, then you must call Microsoft whenever you want to activate it on a new motherboard.

    So the brief answers to your questions are:

    Same computer, same edition of Windows 10 - unlimited number of re-installs, product key is only required for the very first activation.

    Different computers, same Windows 10 product key - limited number of re-installs before you must start calling MS to activate them.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 68
    10Pro/7Pro
    Thread Starter
       #7

    NavyLCDR said:

    Once you start re-installing Windows 10 on different motherboards with the same product key, however, Microsoft will only allow that product key to be activated on different hardware via the internet a certain number of times within a certain timeframe. I don't know what the numbers are for the limit, though. After the product key gets blocked from automatic internet activation, then you must call Microsoft whenever you want to activate it on a new motherboard.

    So the brief answers to your questions are:

    Same computer, same edition of Windows 10 - unlimited number of re-installs, product key is only required for the very first activation.

    Different computers, same Windows 10 product key - limited number of re-installs before you must start calling MS to activate them.
    Wish was known the Microsoft link / disclaimer stating the number of new hardware activations per timeframe on Full version Retail, basically the limit of re - installs with internet activations on new hardware that triggers a key block.

    My clean installs of approx. 3 or 4 per year , and new hardware once a year or 2 yrs., probably won't be a problem, but would be nice to know the secret.

    * OEM is spelled out clearly, Full Retail is not.

    I am unable to find the official answer on Win10 Full Retail disclaimer, or anywhere on MS support.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us
    Thanks for your help!
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 13,895
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #8

    Reading the EULA/End Users License Agreement used to show a difference between the OEM edition and the Retail Editions [haven't checked the latest]. The OEM edition is licensed to the computer it is first installed on and the Retail edition can be installed on a Replacement computer but not both at the same time. A part of the Activation process from previous versions of Windows back to at least Windows XP had the effect of trying to stem the piracy/illegal copying of the software, most all programs do the same and their EULA will specify how many times the license can be used, e.g. Microsoft Office usually specified a workstation and a portable device in control of the same person. Also sometimes specified is that the software is not sold but only licensed to the user, ownership of a program always remains with the producer of it and they set the restriction. I can recall working with computers in a Real Estate office where their proprietary software [Multiple Listing Service] required a particular dongle plugged into the printer port before it would run, fortunately we are not into something like that yet.
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  9. Posts : 4,453
    Win 11 Pro 22000.708
       #9

    As far as I know, MS has not published the rules employed in their activation servers. Maybe someone has been able to deduce them, but I would not expect so.

    The additional complication is time. I think that I had to contact them not because I changed systems more than allowed, but because the changes came too close together in time. That's an opinion, not a fact.
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 550
    10 pro 64
       #10

    A retail license does not have any limits, it can be installed on as many motherboards possible but only on one at a time, meaning you can't have it installed more than one PC. So in another word, let's say you installed a retail version on a PC and later on it dies on you. The next system you have you can use your retail license again, there is no limit on how many times you can reuse your retail license but again it can only be used on a single PC, you can't have a retail copy running on 2 system or more at a time
      My Computer


 

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