Link Microsoft Account to Windows 10 Digital License  

hdtvjeff said:

Hi,

If I take an old computer that was running win 7 and wipe the hard drive clean or build a brand new PC then install win 10 with an OEM key will I have a digital license automatically?

Thanks!

No. The free upgrade has finished.

If you install Windows 10 it will not be activated unless you had already activated Windows 10 on that device or you buy a Windows 10 license.

I did when I did it in January of this year, what changed? Microsoft's 1 year promotion ended?

So who gets digital license? Why specifically can i not do this any longer?

Most importantly, If I wish to change my hard drives a million times and reinstall the OS, does this just mean I have to enter the key when asked? If so is this for OEMs aka builder's?

As an OEM system builder what makes it OEM, the key or is an OEM dvd different in code than retail?

Thank you so much

lx07 said:

Nope

If I went from win 10 pro retail to a new win 10 pro OEM key would I get a digital license?

If, yes, immediately?

lx07 said:

No. The free upgrade has finished.

If you install Windows 10 it will not be activated unless you had already activated Windows 10 on that device or you buy a Windows 10 license.

This is where I am lost.

I activated a retail license on my win 10 pro PC

I then purchased an OEM key, entered it (replacing retail key)

It says activated but NOT digital license.

If I replaced a licensed win 10 with another licensed win 10, why no digital license?


thnx:)

hdtvjeff said:

If I went from win 10 pro retail to a new win 10 pro OEM key would I get a digital license?

If, yes, immediately?

hdtvjeff said:

If I went from win 10 pro retail to a new win 10 pro OEM key would I get a digital license?

If, yes, immediately?

If you buy a new PC with windows installed you would have a digital license already.

You can't "go" from Retail to OEM - it makes no sense what so ever.

You could buy something with home and upgrade to a Pro retail. In that case you would pay for it and the license linked to your device would change. You could then at a later date move that license to new hardware.

OK, thank you so much for the informative information, really appreciated.

One question, when installing an OEM version of win 10 pro, can you use a retail version and just use OEM key or do yo uhave to use a specific win 10 pro OEM DVD too?

Thanks!

Yes you can. You use the same DVD (or USB). There is no difference between OEM and retail when in comes to what Windows you install. All you need to make sure is it is the same as you had before (single language, Chinese, Korean or normal)

When you install (a recent PC) it will figure out for you what version to install (home or Pro) and it will activate automatically. You just choose "I don't have a key" when asked.

You can (if you have upgraded from Home to Pro for example) change your install media and put a file called ei.cfg telling it to install a different version but that is only applicable if you have upgraded what was on there in the first place. You can also install the original version and then upgrade it using the key that you were given.

Either way you will be activated as the activation is tied to the hardware ID of your computers motherboard.

headaches!!

Last week I reformatted an 8YO HP Laptop and installed win 10 pro (v1607) with a retail key

In the activation box it said win 10 pro is activated.

Just now I turn it on and it says Digital license. why the 1 week delay?

Also, can Windows 10 Enterprise get a digital license too so it can enjoy what the other versions do?

Lastly, if one updates win 10 pro to the anniversary edition (Instead of clean install of 1607)will that then allow
what happened on my laptop to happen again..namely digital license?

Thanks!

lx07 said:

Yes you can. You use the same DVD (or USB). There is no difference between OEM and retail when in comes to what Windows you install. All you need to make sure is it is the same as you had before (single language, Chinese, Korean or normal)

When you install (a recent PC) it will figure out for you what version to install (home or Pro) and it will activate automatically. You just choose "I don't have a key" when asked.

You can (if you have upgraded from Home to Pro for example) change your install media and put a file called ei.cfg telling it to install a different version but that is only applicable if you have upgraded what was on there in the first place. You can also install the original version and then upgrade it using the key that you were given.

Either way you will be activated as the activation is tied to the hardware ID of your computers motherboard.

Microsoft Account - Link to Digital License on Windows 10 PC - Page 6 - Windows 10 Forums

Cerebrus + Brink - Can you please respond to this post?