Activate OEM_DM laptop using retail disk


  1. Posts : 2
    Win 7
       #1

    Activate OEM_DM laptop using retail disk


    hi... my laptop come with Win 10 Pro OEM_DM which is digital license. hdd now spoilt. i buy new SSD but don't have OEM disk to reinstall. i download Windows 10 ISO from MS website, after clean install on SSD, check it is Windows 10 Pro Retail. my question, is that legal to activate the retail installation to OEM_DM laptop? and yes, the activation is successfull, i just want to know if that is legal? tq
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 15,027
    Windows 10 IoT
       #2

    As far as I now, OEM install media is identical to Retail install media, as far as Windows 10 goes. Other than the stuff the OEM adds to it, they start off with the same ISO. Your motherboard likely has an OEM embeded key in the BIOS. The install media will look for that key and use it if found. If its a Pro key you get Pro, if its a Home key you get Home etc. That PC would have already had a Digital License for Pro on that activation server so you are activated with that original Digital License. You are perfectly legal as far as activation goes. I'm no expert on this but I don't think the activation server distinguishes between OEM and Retail as far as the DL goes. All it cares about is it a Home or Pro DL, and does the hardware hash stored on the server match the PC wanting to activate with that DL.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #3

    ZvezdA said:
    hi... my laptop come with Win 10 Pro OEM_DM ... i download Windows 10 ISO from MS website, after clean install on SSD, check it is Windows 10 Pro Retail. ... i just want to know if that is legal?
    A laptop that was supplied with OEM Windows 10 Pro installed has a W10 Pro key embedded in its bios firmware. The Windows 10 ISO you downloaded from MS website would have looked for this key and installed Pro, as that was the version the key entitles this PC to run. Yes, it is fully legal because the PC has its own key for 10 Pro.

    The only thing that an OEM ISO may have added would have been any OEM utilities.
      My Computers


 

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