Upgrading a PC and Retail Keys

Steve C · 31 Dec 2020

My current desktop PC started life with a Windows 8 Pro retail key and now has the latest version of Windows 10 activated by a digital key linked to my MS account.

I want to change the motherboard, CPU, memory & system drive with a clean install so I guess Windows 10 will not automatically activate. What are the essential steps to deactivate the key currently in use and ensure it activates using the new hardware?

dalchina · 31 Dec 2020

Should be straightforward: first ensure this is true (makes it easier to reactivate):
Link Microsoft Account to Windows 10 Digital License

Starting with Windows 10 build 14371, you can link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license (formerly called digital entitlement) on your device. This can help you reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter if you make a hardware change later, such as replacing the motherboard.

then
Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10

Uninstalling a retail product key on a PC can be useful if you wanted to sell or give the PC away with Windows 10 still installed by not activated, or if you just wanted to use the product key to activate Windows 10 on another PC.
Uninstalling the product key on a Windows 10 PC will not remove the digital license for that PC from Microsoft activation servers.

If you try to activate Windows 10 on another PC with this same retail product key, you may have to activate by phone if online activation fails.

- if the first was true then on the new PC (logged in with same MS live id)
Use Activation Troubleshooter in Windows 10

If you made a significant hardware change to your device (such as replacing the motherboard) Windows 10 might no longer be activated. If you're running Windows 10 (Version 1607) and added your Microsoft account and linked it to the digital license on your device, you can use the Activation troubleshooter to reactivate Windows

.

Megahertz · 31 Dec 2020

I never had or installed win 8 but I have used win 7 keys on win10 install and without using MS account and I suppose you can do the same with a win 8 retail key.

Just install Windows 10 disabling internet access, select "I don't have a product key", "skip", or "do this later" when asked for a Windows 10 product key. After it is installed go to settings, updates and security, activation screen, and change product key to the Windows 8 Pro product key to activate it.

Steve C · 31 Dec 2020

Megahertz said:

I never had or installed win 8 but I have used win 7 keys on win10 install and without using MS account and I suppose you can do the same with a win 8 retail key.

Just install Windows 10 disabling internet access, select "I don't have a product key", "skip", or "do this later" when asked for a Windows 10 product key. After it is installed go to settings, updates and security, activation screen, and change product key to the Windows 8 Pro product key to activate it.

That might work, but I guess I had better deactivate they key first since it is already being used by the old PC.

Bree · 31 Dec 2020

Steve C said:

I want to change the motherboard, CPU, memory & system drive with a clean install so I guess Windows 10 will not automatically activate. What are the essential steps to deactivate the key currently in use and ensure it activates using the new hardware?

Dalchina has it covered, link the digital licence to your MS account before making the changes, then run the activation troubleshoot if it doesn't activate automatically after upgrading.

NavyLCDR · 31 Dec 2020

Steve C said:

That might work, but I guess I had better deactivate they key first since it is already being used by the old PC.

Change the product key on the old computer to the matching Windows 10 generic product key:
Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

The old computer has Windows 10 activation for life. There is nothing you can do about it.

Steve C · 25 Jan 2021

I just did some more investigation on this. I do have a retail key but Show Key Plus shows a different key to my original Windows 8 retail key. I found Belarc Advisor gave the best information as below. If I clean install Windows 10 on a new PC, do I use the original Windows 8 key (ending FVRFQ) or the current one for Windows 10 (ending 3V66T)?

Microsoft - Windows 10 Professional (x64) *-*-*-AA506 (Key: **** ... -3V66T)
Microsoft - Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center (prior license) *-*-*-AB759 (Key: ****... FVRFQ)

NavyLCDR · 25 Jan 2021

Millions of computers have VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T as the installed product key for Windows 10 Pro. It is the generic product key and will not activate Windows 10 Pro on a computer for the first time. It can only be used to reactivate an already existing digital license.

sfzombie13 · 26 Jan 2021

Megahertz said:

I never had or installed win 8 but I have used win 7 keys on win10 install and without using MS account and I suppose you can do the same with a win 8 retail key.

Just install Windows 10 disabling internet access, select "I don't have a product key", "skip", or "do this later" when asked for a Windows 10 product key. After it is installed go to settings, updates and security, activation screen, and change product key to the Windows 8 Pro product key to activate it.

has this worked recently? i used to do this all the time, but last year it stopped working for me. i thought that they just found out and stopped letting it happen. i have a lot of paid for valid 7 keys left that are worthless now.

NavyLCDR · 26 Jan 2021

sfzombie13 said:

has this worked recently? i used to do this all the time, but last year it stopped working for me. i thought that they just found out and stopped letting it happen. i have a lot of paid for valid 7 keys left that are worthless now.

The problem is that in order for Windows 10 to activate with Windows 7 product keys, they have to be allowed by Microsoft to activate automatically online. Windows 7 product keys will get blocked from automatic online activation if they are used too many times within a certain timeframe. They will still activate via phone activation, but not with Windows 10. You have to install Windows 7 on that computer, activate it via phone activation. Then upgrade that Windows 7 to Windows 10. Once the upgrade is done, a Windows 10 digital license will be stored on Microsoft activation servers and then you can do a clean install of the same edition of Windows 10 on that computer and it will activate with the digital license.