Activation on a used computer

SIW2 said:

How do you take it off the old machine?

Well, since the digital license for that computer is stored on Microsoft Activation Servers, the real question is How do you take it off Microsoft Activation Servers? The answer is, you can't.

It activates on the old machine and the new one?

NavyLCDR said:

Well, since the digital license for that computer is stored on Microsoft Activation Servers, the real question is How do you take it off Microsoft Activation Servers? The answer is, you can't.

SIW2 said:

How do you take it off the old machine?

I've not tested this but this may be able to be done:

1) run the command line command to deactivate

slmgr.vbs /upk
upk = uninstall product key

2) install the retail version on another computer

3) activate the retail version on the computer

4) this should prevent reactivation on any other computer as Windows should only be activated on just one computer

zbook said:

I've not tested this but this may be able to be done:

1) run the command line command to deactivate

slmgr.vbs /upk
upk = uninstall product key

2) install the retail version on another computer

3) activate the retail version on the computer

4) this should prevent reactivation on any other computer as Windows should only be activated on just one computer

Nope. slmgr /upk only uninstalls the product key on the computer. It does absolutely nothing to change the digital license stored on Microsoft Activation Servers for that computer. Once a computer gains a digital license for Windows 10, it is permanently stored on Microsoft Activation Servers and any reinstall of the same edition of Windows 10 can be installed and re-activated using only the generic product key for that edition:
Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

In fact, I can install Windows 10 with a product key from the package and once activated I can run slmgr /upk to remove the product key and then use slmgr /ipk to install the matching generic product key and Windows 10 will immediately reactivate.

SIW2 said:

It activates on the old machine and the new one?

Up to a point. Microsoft does track the number of times a specific product key is used to obtain a digital license for Windows 10. Use the same product key on too many different computers within a certain period of time and Microsoft will block that product key from being used to activate Windows 10 online. However, once a computer gets a digital license for Windows 10, the digital license gets "disconnected" from the product key used to obtain it. Subsequent installs can be activated with the generic product keys.

Digital licensing is like purchasing a season ticket with a credit card. The product key (credit card) is used to initially obtain the digital license (season ticket). But after the digital license (season ticket) is obtained, all that is required to activate Windows after that is the unique hardware ID of the computer (which is calculated by Windows) and the same edition of Windows 10. Once you get the season ticket with your credit card, it becomes irrelevant which credit card you used to purchase the ticket, because it is the ticket, not the credit card, that gets you into whatever event(s) you bought the ticket for.

NavyLCDR said:

Once a computer gains a digital license for Windows 10, it is permanently stored on Microsoft Activation Servers and any reinstall of the same edition of Windows 10 can be installed and re-activated using only the generic product key for that edition:

Months ago, my Windows 10 was automatically re-activated without my entering a generic product key.
See: Can I activate two Windows 10 in the same VirtualBox?

zbook said:

It is not married to the motherboard.

Yes, it is married to the motherboard until it gets married to another.

Megahertz said:

How do I find out if the original license was a retail one?

Right-click on the Start button-->Windows PowerShell. Run the following command:
slmgr /dli

Thanks to all.

I ran slmgr.vbs /dlv and found that it's a Retail license.
- I bought the computer with win 10 pro installed
- I'm selling it to a friend with win 10 pro installed

Can I be sure that it will remain active, even with futures updates (supposing he doesn't do a reinstall)?
Can the previous owner ask M$ to cancel the digital license stored on Microsoft Activation Servers for this computer?

This link will also display useful licensing information: (it's similar to V2)
Activation troubleshooting
https://github.com/Superfly-Inc/Wind...ensingDiag.ps1

Megahertz said:

Thanks to all.

I ran slmgr.vbs /dlv and found that it's a Retail license.
- I bought the computer with win 10 pro installed
- I'm selling it to a friend with win 10 pro installed

Can I be sure that it will remain active, even with futures updates (supposing he doesn't do a reinstall)?
Can the previous owner ask M$ to cancel the digital license stored on Microsoft Activation Servers for this computer?

It's permanently licensed. Regardless of future updates/ feature upgrades/ clean installs. If the buyer wants the product key for it, it's VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T. In order to remove the digital license for the computer stored at Microsoft, they would need to know the hardware ID of the computer.

NavyLCDR said:

It's permanently licensed. Regardless of future updates/ feature upgrades/ clean installs. If the buyer wants the product key for it, it's VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T. In order to remove the digital license for the computer stored at Microsoft, they would need to know the hardware ID of the computer.

Thanks Navy and all who helped.
I'm satisfied with all the explanations and I've learned something new.
I'm marked this thread as Solved