reactivating windows 10 on new hardware, without "proper" product key

Changing the product key to obtain a legitimate activation will affect nothing else in your Windows installation other than it's activation status.

PeterPan2000 said:

Odd that if you go to myip.ms/info/whois/172.16.0.2 (dns service results for that IP), you'll find that the address range 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 is apparently being operated by a company in Los Angeles...

No, it's not odd. It also says that the company is the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority who are the body responsible for assigning IP addresses.

RFC 1918 Address Allocation for Private Internets February 1996

3. Private Address Space

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has reserved the
following three blocks of the IP address space for private internets:

10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255 (10/8 prefix)
172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 (172.16/12 prefix)
192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 (192.168/16 prefix)

RFC 1918 - Address Allocation for Private Internets

If you don't believe us about 172.16.0.2 then run the command:
tracert 172.16.0.2

See how many hops returned you get. I'll bet it's 1 hop - right back to your own computer.

NavyLCDR said:

If you don't believe us about 172.16.0.2 then run the command:
tracert 172.16.0.2

See how many hops returned you get. I'll bet it's 1 hop - right back to your own computer.

Wow! I'm convinced! i stand corrected! It doesn't seem get to my local IP (in my network I'm 192.168.0.196)... only to the router (which for me is 192.168.0.1. ). Maybe the gateway in the router is stopping it? If not, should I block it? The last several times I logged in, my activation date did NOT get bumped. And, I don't see any instance of that "SppExtComObjHook.dll" in my task manager, even in the "services" area. So how is this loopback server running? Does it morph into other names I should look for?

Now I'm doubly paranoid. If a seller was willing to stick me with a hack like this, who knows how many hidden hacked services there are on this machine! What if someone is snooping on my data, keystrokes, etc? If I have to shell out for a full retail license, maybe I should buy it as a full install CD and install it? As you've suggested maybe I only need a key to be legally activated and in Microsoft's "good graces", but as you said that would not remove any hacks from the machine. Perhaps its time to finally install my MALWAREBYTES on this machine and see what it finds, not having been blinded by hidden "exceptions" the seller may have placed in the Microsoft security. I'm starting to feel like a fresh install is the only way I'm going to have a "clean machine".

So this gets back to the question about doing a full install. Would a new install have the "smarts" to just fix what needs to be fixed, or would it wipe out all my work to port software and painstakingly configure the machine. Maybe that's a topic best posted in a separate new thread?

I've purchased refurbished laptops from Ebay before. The very first thing I do with them is wipe the hard drive or SSD and do a clean install of Windows 10. It's really the only sensible thing to do. Unless you happen to really know and trust the seller.

I'm not ready to wipe the drive. Besides the work I've put into the system, I am almost always working with old machines (budget), and know it is often difficult to get complete BIOS packages for 10 Y/O machines. Even DELLs which are usually pretty easy to find packages for. But while I do realize I need protection, I am very confident that installing malwarebytes will ensure that, without wiping the drive.

However Id still like to know the answer to a question I've mentioned at least 3 times. Assuming a new and up to date RETAIL windows 10 DVD. If I CHOSE to an install rather than just update my license, what choices would I have during said install, and what would be the result. In previous versions of windows, doing this might offer choices like new install vs repair or re-install. As i remember with Win-XP, even if you chose the new install, it would do so without affecting anything important. Icon placements and desktop backgrounds, and other customization might get clobbered, but the installed software, application data", and file associations you already had installed would remain.

I guess everyone here that always starts with a clean formatted disk would only be guessing at an answer. But if anyone has done what I'm asking I'd like to know their experience.

First, there is no such thing as a full retail DVD of Windows 10. Full retail only comes on a USB flash drive. If you get a DVD its OEM.

Second, you can create your own flash drive or DVD using the Media Creation Tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...d/windows10ISO

Finally, this tutorial will probably answer your question:
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

NavyLCDR said:

First, there is no such thing as a full retail DVD of Windows 10. Full retail only comes on a USB flash drive. If you get a DVD its OEM.

Second, you can create your own flash drive or DVD using the Media Creation Tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...d/windows10ISO

Finally, this tutorial will probably answer your question:
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

Never realized that. That 1st page you linked said you could use a downloaded tool to make a flash drive, DVD, or ISO. Guess they eliminated the DVD option?

In any case from what I read on that second link, I'm glad I've already been able to clone mt system disk and boot from it, since it seems there are a lot of things that can go "not as hoped".

Anyway, I've enough info to better understand what happened with my system, at least now know my options to proceed. And as difficult as it is to reach Microsoft tech support, they do seem to understand my situation and seemed willing to talk me through a new activation.

Time to start saving my pennies.

Thanks again everyone.