Windows 10 Activation

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

  1. Posts : 292
    Windows 10 Professional 64-bit
       #1

    [SOLVED] Windows 10 Activation - Win10 Pro with Win8 embedded key?


    Hi all - quick question.

    I was asked by a family friend to move all his info over to a new laptop....his other one got dropped and it runs, but the entire screen assembly is SCREWED.

    His laptop currently has Win10 Pro (upgraded from Win7 Pro) installed and activated on it. He is a retired teacher and it was his old laptop from the school board that was gifted to him when he retired. That means it has a lot of software he still uses installed that he has no way to get back now that he is retired as it was installed by the school board before he left.

    So he wouldn't lose any of that software, I wanted to just clone his Win10 install over from his old laptop to the new one as I've done that before on other machines and all was well and Windows 10 activated successfully - this new Acer he will be using has had Win10 installed and activated on it before this.

    My question is this - his new Acer laptop has a Win8 sticker on it, so I know Win10 will activate off that....but I'd assume that the Win8 sticker on his new Acer would be Win8 Home. If the clone from his old machine is Win10 Pro (which it is), will the embedded key still activate the cloned copy of Win10?

    Thanks in advance! :)
    Last edited by Darkstrike; 15 Jan 2022 at 21:02.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 781
    Windows 10
       #2

    Hello, @Darkstrike.

    Try one of these sources for transferring licence data:
    1. How to Transfer your Windows 10 License to a New Computer
    2. How to transfer a Windows 10 license to a new PC or hard drive | Windows Central
    3. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...0-6027342905f1
    4. https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-li...er-another-pc/


    Sometimes a license will be in the Microsoft Account, but since this family member updated from Windows 7, this couldn't be an option.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 13,896
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #3

    For recovering data when a Notebook will run but the display won't I've had success in plugging in an External monitor, usually VGA connection, and set it as primary display using the Fn plus another Fx key, usually marked with a symbol on the Fx key. The key to that was the VGA port being on the Notebook but did have one that had only an HDMI port working, fortunately the monitor to be used had that port.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 781
    Windows 10
       #4

    Berton said:
    For recovering data when a Notebook will run but the display won't I've had success in plugging in an External monitor, usually VGA connection, and set it as primary display using the Fn plus another Fx key, usually marked with a symbol on the Fx key. The key to that was the VGA port being on the Notebook but did have one that had only an HDMI port working, fortunately the monitor to be used had that port.
    Yes, this is most certainly and idea.. (for the method I've used this is required)
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 21,421
    19044.1586 - 21H2 Pro x64
       #5

    Hello @Darkstrike,
    I would pull the drive out of the old laptop and either put it in a USB enclosure or into another PC so you can make a Macrium Reflect image of it and save the image to an external USB.

    Boot the new PC from a Macrium Reflect Rescue USB and make a backup disk image of what's on his new PC. Then finally restore the MR image from his old PC to the new PC, reboot and see if it works.

    Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

    If his old Pro license is not a retail license that can be transferred to the new PC, then you will have to either buy a new Pro license or downgrade the new PC from Pro to Home (assuming I've followed the situation correct):

    Downgrade from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Home

    Feel free to ask questions.

    This may also be handy:
    Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 781
    Windows 10
       #6

    Hello @steve108.
    If his old Pro license is not a retail license that can be transferred to the new PC, then you will have to either buy a new Pro license or downgrade the new PC from Pro to Home (assuming I've followed the situation correct):
    Using a display, like @Berton said, couldn't @Darkstrike ; use this method?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    James said:
    Sometimes a license will be in the Microsoft Account, but since this family member updated from Windows 7, this couldn't be an option.
    Digital licenses for Windows 10 resulting from a Windows 7 upgrade do get linked to in the Microsoft Account just like Windows 10 digital licenses created with product keys do. There is no difference in the digital license between upgrades and new purchases of Windows 10 (or 11).

    steve108 said:
    If his old Pro license is not a retail license that can be transferred to the new PC, then you will have to either buy a new Pro license or downgrade the new PC from Pro to Home (assuming I've followed the situation correct)
    Microsoft is now allowing OEM licenses to be transferred via Microsoft Accounts.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 21,421
    19044.1586 - 21H2 Pro x64
       #8

    NavyLCDR said:
    Digital licenses for Windows 10 resulting from a Windows 7 upgrade do get linked to in the Microsoft Account just like Windows 10 digital licenses created with product keys do. There is no difference in the digital license between upgrades and new purchases of Windows 10 (or 11).

    Microsoft is now allowing OEM licenses to be transferred via Microsoft Accounts.
    Thanks, I didn't know about being able to transfer OEM licenses vi MS accounts. Is OEM license transfer possible without a MS account?

    @James, I'm not sure about the answer to what you asked me. NavyLCDR is the expert I'd defer to in these matters. I've never transferred a license between PCs.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #9

    steve108 said:
    Thanks, I didn't know about being able to transfer OEM licenses vi MS accounts. Is OEM license transfer possible without a MS account?
    I've seen OEM product keys used more than once.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 21,421
    19044.1586 - 21H2 Pro x64
       #10

    NavyLCDR said:
    I've seen OEM product keys used more than once.
    Thanks
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:40.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums