Windows 10 digital license - transfer to new disk

finnfire · 04 Jun 2019

Hello everyone.

Originally I bought Windows 8.1 and installed it on PC A. I then did the free upgrade to Windows 10.

Eventually I transferred the SSD from PC A to a new PC - PC B. I was required to re-enter the product/activation key and had to click the 'Change product key' button. I entered the product/activation key (in the form xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx) and Windows 10 was re-activated successfully.

Now I need to install a larger SSD and will clone the old SSD to the new one (on PC B).

My question is - can I enter the product/activation key again? Will I need to?

I remember reading somewhere that the free upgrade to Win 10 can only be transferred once. So have I had my free 'go'?

TIA,

Steve

dalchina · 04 Jun 2019

Hi, changing the disk alone should not impact your license.

How Does Windows 10 Licensing and Activation Work?

https://www.pcsteps.com/4484-how-windows-activation-works/

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/transfer-windows-10-license-new-pc/

If you have a full retail copy of Windows 10, you can transfer it as many times as you want.

Samuria · 04 Jun 2019

If it's a clone it won't know it's changed so you won't want a keg

dalchina · 04 Jun 2019

- except licensing is based on a hash of the hardware id, and the hardware is changing.. but as said above, changing the disk won't matter.

(Compare moving same disk to different PC).

alphanumeric · 04 Jun 2019

What dalchina said. Clone the drive and put it in a different PC and it will fail activation. The hardware hash won't match whats stored on the activation server.
On the plus side changing the hard drive, if thats all you swap out, won't affect activation. They know thats going to happen from time to time so they don't count it, or only put a very small wieght on it compared to other hardware. Swap out your motherboard for example, for something very diifent and activation will fail.

finnfire · 05 Jun 2019

Thanks for all the replies. I cloned the disk and, as you all said, I didn't have to re-enter the product/activation key.

I did have trouble re-booting from the new SSD. TBH not sure what I did but I went into 'Advance options' on the boot-failure screen and eventually it re-booted successfully.

Thanks again,

Steve