Reactivate Windows 10?

Hi all - a question....

I have a friend whose old HP 630 laptop has died - mobo failure. He's buying a cheap replacement mobo from Ebay, but as the machine was originally a Win7 machine upgraded to Win10, it does not have an embedded Windows 8/10 license key.

There also doesn't seem to be a Windows 7 license key on the bottom of the case anywhere.

I am guessing that Win10 would deactivate as it would detect the motherboard change...? It is a different motherboard, yes, but it is the EXACT same motherboard model.....would that make a difference...?

Would there be any way to reactivate Win10 on it without purchasing a copy of Win10?

Thanks! :)

NavyLCDR said:

Hopefully your friend has logged in with a Microsoft Account and has the digital license for Windows 10 on the old motherboard linked to it:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...d-fb3fc72b6665

Also, if the laptop has a removable battery - remove the battery and look in the battery compartment for a Windows 7 COA label.

The battery thing was my first thought, but no dice sadly....as for a digital license, no idea! I haven't been able to talk to them. I literally arrived home and found it on my doorstep with a brief note....lol.

To be honest, I don't even know for SURE that it DOES have Win10 on it....it may have Win7, but I am pretty sure I've heard him mention Win10 before, so I am 90% sure that's what it has. I can't boot it up to check...

I could take the hard drive out though....is there a way to tell what version of Windows is installed on a hard drive if that hard drive is connected as an external hard drive...?

Starting with Windows 8 the Product Key didn't appear on a COA sticker, was embedded and installing/reinstalling Windows picked that up and as mentioned if it had Win10 it most likely was activated and will pick that up when next connected to the 'net and in System go to the Activation.

Berton said:

Starting with Windows 8 the Product Key didn't appear on a COA sticker, was embedded and installing/reinstalling Windows picked that up and as mentioned if it had Win10 it most likely was activated and will pick that up when next connected to the 'net and in System go to the Activation.

Yup, I'm aware. It's a laptop from 2011...Win8 came out in 2012, so it definitely doesn't have an embedded key.