Windows activation on a self-made build w/ Microsoft acc

Hello there.
In a few months, I will begin my first PC Build (Ryzen 5 3600). Using this tutorial will I be able to use my Digital Activation from my Dell lappy (i5) to activate Windows on the new build?

So, there are a couple of issues with the links provided by @dalchina (and it's the information in the links that has issues, not @dalchina's post).

Using slmgr -dli to determine your license type is not reliable:



Is my license OEM or Retail? If slmgr -dli shows your license is OEM, just change the product key to the generic retail product key matching you installed Windows 10 edition and it will reactivate via the retail channel. Does that change your license type?

Uninstalling the product key and deactivating Windows 10 on a computer has no affect whatsoever on it's digital license stored on Microsoft Activation servers. Therefore, it also has no effect on the process to activate a new computer from that digital license. Microsoft has left the removal of Windows 10 from an old computer in order to reuse the license on a new computer up to the honor of the user.

Let's say I buy a new computer, I uninstall the product key from the old computer and reuse it on the new computer. Then I sell the old computer with no OS installed. All the buyer has to do is install the same edition of Windows 10 that I had on it before and use the generic Windows 10 product key and that computer will reactivate from the digital license stored on Microsoft Activation servers.

Although the link for uninstalling a product key and deactivating Windows does say this:

Uninstalling the product key on a Windows 10 PC will not remove the digital license for that PC from Microsoft activation servers.

If you try to activate Windows 10 on another PC with this same retail product key, you may have to activate by phone if online activation fails.

Which is accurate.

If you're going to buy a license, my recommendation is to buy a retail, not an OEM.
Although it cost more, a retail license is transferable from one computer to another, a OEM is not.
Windows 10 Home - OEM - Newegg.com
Windows 10 Home - Retail - Newegg.com

Thanks for the input all. My only concern is pricing as w10 home costs $129 for a retail key...

Megahertz said:

If you're going to buy a license, my recommendation is to buy a retail, not an OEM.
Although it cost more, a retail license is transferable from one computer to another, a OEM is not.
Windows 10 Home - OEM - Newegg.com
Windows 10 Home - Retail - Newegg.com

It's interesting to note, though, that OEM is no longer mentioned in the Windows 10 EULA:

4. Transfer. The provisions of this section do not apply if you acquired the software in Germany or in any of the countries listed on this site (aka.ms/transfer), in which case any transfer of the software to a third party, and the right to use it, must comply with applicable law.
a. Software preinstalled on device. If you acquired the software preinstalled on a device (and also if you upgraded from software preinstalled on a device), you may transfer the license to use the software directly to another user, only with the licensed device. The transfer must include the software and, if provided with the device, an authentic Windows label including the product key. Before any permitted transfer, the other party must agree that this agreement applies to the transfer and use of the software.
b. Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you. You may also transfer the software to a device owned by someone else if (i) you are the first licensed user of the software and (ii) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. You may use the backup copy we allow you to make or the media that the software came on to transfer the software. Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between devices.

So, if I purchase a Windows 10 OEM license to run on my custom built computer, did I not purchase standalone software that was not pre-installed on my computer which would fall under paragraph 4.b for transferability?

The problem with OEM is either keeping your agreement,or dishonouring it.
When you purchase a product,e.g. Dell,the OEM defines to whom the licence is directly sold.It is to Dell,not you.The agreement is according to Dell's Terms and Conditions.
The proviso is the law of your country takes precedence over Dell,Microsoft, or whoever.
The use of ---slmgr---correctly indicates licence ownership.
Retail = you.
OEM =Dell has NOT relinquished ownership.
Whether Microsoft accepts OEM to Retail transfer is entirely at their discretion and is done on an individual basis.
Promoting licence manipulation should be left to the Dark Web.

joeandmarg0 said:

The problem with OEM is either keeping your agreement,or dishonouring it.
When you purchase a product,e.g. Dell,the OEM defines to whom the licence is directly sold.It is to Dell,not you.The agreement is according to Dell's Terms and Conditions.
The proviso is the law of your country takes precedence over Dell,Microsoft, or whoever.
The use of ---slmgr---correctly indicates licence ownership.
Retail = you.
OEM =Dell has NOT relinquished ownership.
Whether Microsoft accepts OEM to Retail transfer is entirely at their discretion and is done on an individual basis.
Promoting licence manipulation should be left to the Dark Web.

The error in your post is that slmgr does not correctly indicate the license type under which Windows 10 was initially installed on the computer. And the license manipulation that you suggest could be as simple as the user upgrades Windows 7 OEM to Windows 10. They then desire to clean install Windows 10 and skip entering the product key. The new clean install will then get the generic product key for the new clean install of Windows 10, activate via the retail channel, with slmgr reporting it that way. The user did nothing to manipulate the license type. Did the license change from OEM to Retail? Did the user "manipulate" the license type?