Activating Windows Pro Product key from another computer.

Hi,

I am trying to activate my new laptop with a Windows 10 Pro license key from another computer. The other computer has two licenses, one home, and one pro.

I got the pro license free from Microsoft because I was in the insider program during the early preview builds.

That computer doesn't have a pro license key. ShowKeyPlus shows it using a Generic Windows 10 Pro license key, VK7G-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T.

When I was upgrading the laptop to Windows 10 Pro, I couldn't use the generic key above as it wouldn't work. I had to use another Window 10 Pro generic key.

The computer with the Windows 10 Pro license key is activated by 'Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account'.

When I select, 'I recently changed hardware on this device', I get this window that shows my computer, but it doesn't show my new laptop.



Can I get the laptop to activate with the pro license key?

The computer is deactivated.

Thank you.

On your new laptop you need to select 'I recently changed hardware on this device' and select your current Pro license.

Are you going to downgrade the older computer to Windows 10 Home? It sounds from your posts that you are trying to install Windows 10 Pro on two computers with only 1 license for it.

NavyLCDR said:

Are you going to downgrade the older computer to Windows 10 Home? It sounds from your posts that you are trying to install Windows 10 Pro on two computers with only 1 license for it.

Hi,

I have a new laptop that came with Windows 10 Home.

I have a desktop computer that has Windows 10 Home and Pro license keys. I want to take the Windows 10 Pro license off the desktop and put it on my new laptop. I want to reinstall Windows 10 Home on my desktop computer.

This morning, I tried searching for the Windows 10 Pro license key, but I can't find it. One point in my search, it pointed to my OEM license.

I now fear the Windows 10 Pro is tied to my OEM license. I never purchased Windows 10 Pro.

You are probably going to have to clean install Windows 10 Pro on the laptop. In order to force it to ask you what version to install, and bypass reading the product key stored in UEFI for Home, you will need to add an ei.cfg file to the sources folder on the Windows 10 installation USB flash drive. The ei.cfg file needs to read:



Skip entering a product key when asked. Then once you have Windows 10 Pro installed you should be able to run the activation troubleshooter to transfer the digital license from the desktop computer linked to your MS account. Just make sure you are logged into the same MS account that is also on the desktop computer.

NavyLCDR said:

You are probably going to have to clean install Windows 10 Pro on the laptop. In order to force it to ask you what version to install, and bypass reading the product key stored in UEFI for Home, you will need to add an ei.cfg file to the sources folder on the Windows 10 installation USB flash drive. The ei.cfg file needs to read:



Skip entering a product key when asked. Then once you have Windows 10 Pro installed you should be able to run the activation troubleshooter to transfer the digital license from the desktop computer linked to your MS account. Just make sure you are logged into the same MS account that is also on the desktop computer.

Hi,

Will this work, even if the Windows 10 Pro is tied to the OEM license?

Is there a way to check if the Windows 10 Pro license is tied to the OEM license on the computer?

Yes.
No.

NavyLCDR said:

Yes.
No.

Will I still be able to activate Windows 10 Home on my computer?

MrIndeed said:

Will I still be able to activate Windows 10 Home on my computer?

Yes