Hello Dasher, and welcome to Ten Forums.
If you have a Windows 10 Pro product key, you can quickly upgrade from Home to Pro and activate by just changing the key using the method in the tutorial below.
Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro
I know it's a necro-thread, but it helped, so I'm posting.
I just upgraded some hardware and had an issue activating. I utilized the phone activation method...but a few days later had the "This copy is not activated" appear on my machine.
Using this tutorial, I used Method 3, the command prompt and my license key. It seems to have worked.
Thanks.
I spoke too soon. I ran method 3, saw the successful activation message exactly as shown in the tutorial, but Windows still shows as NOT activated. I rebooted, and Microsoft wants me to activate my LOCAL ACCOUNT and create a Microsoft account.
SMH.
I do NOT want to do that...and it still shows as NOT Activated.
Why does my Local Account computer, after a hardware change, get denied activation?
Why does Microsoft refuse to allow my Local Account computer to reboot as a Local Account computer?
Thanks.
Hello,I know it's a necro-thread, but it helped, so I'm posting.
I just upgraded some hardware and had an issue activating. I utilized the phone activation method...but a few days later had the "This copy is not activated" appear on my machine.
Using this tutorial, I used Method 3, the command prompt and my license key. It seems to have worked.
Thanks.
I spoke too soon. I ran method 3, saw the successful activation message exactly as shown in the tutorial, but Windows still shows as NOT activated. I rebooted, and Microsoft wants me to activate my LOCAL ACCOUNT and create a Microsoft account.
SMH.
I do NOT want to do that...and it still shows as NOT Activated.
Why does my Local Account computer, after a hardware change, get denied activation?
Why does Microsoft refuse to allow my Local Account computer to reboot as a Local Account computer?
Thanks.
It depends if this an OEM or Retail license. An OEM license is non-transferable, so a hardware change like a motherboard would be considered a new computer and can't be activated by the same OEM license. A retail license can be activated on a new computer though.
Determine if Windows License Type is OEM, Retail, or Volume
If the digital license is linked to your Microsoft account, it may want you to use the Microsoft account for verification.
You could switch your local account to your Microsoft account, get activated, and switch the Microsoft account back to a local account.
Switch to Microsoft Account in Windows 10
Switch to Local Account in Windows 10
I have a little wrinkle in the equation and would appreciate some advice. OEM license for Win 10 Home -> Purchased Pro upgrade from MS Store. Later, backed up using Reflect. Clean install Windows 10 Pro -> create VM from backup image. Host pc is activated with digital license linked to MS acct. Am I entitled to do the same thing on the VM guest? Use ms acct for activation then switch to local... ?Hello,
It depends if this an OEM or Retail license. An OEM license is non-transferable, so a hardware change like a motherboard would be considered a new computer and can't be activated by the same OEM license. A retail license can be activated on a new computer though.
If the digital license is linked to your Microsoft account, it may want you to use the Microsoft account for verification.
You could switch your local account to your Microsoft account, get activated, and switch the Microsoft account back to a local account.
Fair enough. Two follow ups... What will happen if I try to activate, and what is the handicap from not activating the VM? To be clear, I'm not endorsing any misuse, I just want to know what will happen.
If it turns out that my whole plan of being able to use Hyper-V was doomed from the start, because of my license.... does that mean that anyone with OEM installations are not allowed to create a VM from a backup without purchasing an additional license? Ipso facto can't use Hyper-V at all without another license - it's useless on a machine that came with windows installed.
Is that the case?
Last edited by Silky; 23 Feb 2022 at 00:31.
Even a retail license, according to the EULA, can only be installed and activated on one device at a time. The host computer would be one device, the VM would be a separate device.
It will most likely not activate if tried since an OEM license can only be used to activate the original computer and no other.
You can run an unactivated installation as a trial if wanted. You won't be able to use any personalization settings, and will nagged from time to time about activation.
If you wanted to keep the VM longer than a trial, then it would be best to get a separate retail license to activate with.
Thanks Bree, as always responsive and reliable. Maybe you can clear something up for me though... I ran the Activation Diagnostic Tool located in the Activation troubleshooting thread and this screenshot says "Retail Channel"
What's up with that?
It wouldn't matter if the license is OEM or retail in your case.
The license can only be used to activate one computer, and not more than one.
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