this is what the MS tech rep told me... true or not?

zeroch · 28 May 2016

context: I have a Dell with OEM W7 which I have upgraded to W10 with digital entitlement. Mobo is getting glitchy so I want to build a new one while keeping the existing HD. I have heard everywhere that the OS is tied to Mobo and the OEM win license is tied to this dell machine only. Not wanting to buy a new W10 license and reinstall everything, I called and made sure the tech rep understood those and checked with her whether I could migrate my OEM license or not. Her reply, after accessing my machine from her end to check on things, was essentially that I can just unplug my HD, hook it up with my new mobo and everything runs fine. Sounds too good to be true so I asked her twice to confirm, both answers is absolutely yes (due to my digital entitlement.)

So, either....
1. What she said is indeed true, not only can I migrate my OEM license to a new mobo and no need to do a clean install (then how comes everywhere I read it contradicts this?)
2. She did not understand/pay attention to the part where I emphasized the OEM license/mobo and she gave the wrong answer.

Which is it? Does the "digital entitlement" she was referring to a free pass that overrides all those restriction? (tied to mobo, OEM license limited to one machine)

CountMike · 28 May 2016

If defective Mobo is being replaced by same one, than drivers will be same so no need to reinstall windows because that's only reason for clean installation. Only possible problem could be windows registration because of few factors. One is OEM version of windows where license is tied to particular MB and it's serial number. That problem (if it arises) could be solved by a call to MS. In case of direct replacement buy manufacturer even it's serial number should be identical.

Superfly · 28 May 2016

You seem more intelligent than MS support ... so take that as my answer

Having said that, if the mobo/cpu has a similar build it may pass

EDIT: @CountMike - it's not serial related, rather model.

zeroch · 28 May 2016

I am not planning to replace my mobo with an identical one. I did not explicitly mention this to the tech rep. Maybe I should hook up with them once more to clarify and see they give the same answer

CountMike · 28 May 2016

zeroch said:

I am not planning to replace my mobo with an identical one. I did not explicitly mention this to the tech rep. Maybe I should hook up with them once more to clarify and see they give the same answer

Yeah, you should recheck with them as it's OEM edition. There's occasional glitch even with Retail version.

fireberd · 28 May 2016

I would do some checking before replacing the motherboard in a Dell with a non-Dell motherboard. Many Dell's have proprietary cases, fixed rear I/O panels (not changeable like a retail case) and some even have proprietary front panel connectors.

Usually, the best option if a non-Dell motherboard is used is to also buy a new case.

alphanumeric · 28 May 2016

If it's activated with a Digital Entitlement it is not transferable. Moving the hard drive to a different hardware footprint (different PC) will invalidate activation. If it's activated with a product code, that's different. Then you get into the whole OEM versus retail thing.
When you do the free upgrade, and then activate Windows 10 on that hardware. A fingerprint if you will, of that PC's hardware is stored on the Microsoft activation server with a digital entitlement to the version of Windows 10 you got via the free upgrade. Do a clean install of that same version of Windows 10 on that hardware (PC) and it will activate with no need to enter a product code. It will just use a generic code given out with the Digital Entitlement. Everybody with home has the same code and everybody with pro has the same code etc. The product code is useless without the digital entitlement. When you move your hard drive to the new hardware it will be seen as a different PC to the activation server. There won't be any digital entitlement on record for that hardware it so it will fail activation.

cereberus · 28 May 2016

zeroch said:

context: I have a Dell with OEM W7 which I have upgraded to W10 with digital entitlement. Mobo is getting glitchy so I want to build a new one while keeping the existing HD. I have heard everywhere that the OS is tied to Mobo and the OEM win license is tied to this dell machine only. Not wanting to buy a new W10 license and reinstall everything, I called and made sure the tech rep understood those and checked with her whether I could migrate my OEM license or not. Her reply, after accessing my machine from her end to check on things, was essentially that I can just unplug my HD, hook it up with my new mobo and everything runs fine. Sounds too good to be true so I asked her twice to confirm, both answers is absolutely yes (due to my digital entitlement.)

So, either....
1. What she said is indeed true, not only can I migrate my OEM license to a new mobo and no need to do a clean install (then how comes everywhere I read it contradicts this?)
2. She did not understand/pay attention to the part where I emphasized the OEM license/mobo and she gave the wrong answer.

Which is it? Does the "digital entitlement" she was referring to a free pass that overrides all those restriction? (tied to mobo, OEM license limited to one machine)

Absolutely no doubt - it is not transferable.

See section 4 in windows 10 eula.

Clearly stated in EULA that windows 10 may only be transferred to a new device (mobo, pc or vm) if licence is standalone (retail) or upgraded from a retail licence.

MS may activate a like for like replacement but they are not actually legally obliged to do so - it is actually responsibility of oem to ensure you are licenced if mobo fails in warranty period. Outside warrany - tough luck.

jimbo45 · 28 May 2016

Hi there

try it and see

If it doesn't work you aren't in any WORSE situation -- often just phoning the activation line will work -- the "Robot" ist level system will sometimes pass a New Mobo -- even if it fails - you can try again -- with (increasingly rare these days) to get a real HUMAN operator.

Ms are usually quite reasonable -- especially if you say the computer Mobo went defective during your upgrade -- emphasize though that you aren't blaming Ms for that !!!!.

I've probably had more activations from Ms in various flavours of Windows than most people have had Hot Dinners -- just be reasonable and even if you aren't strictly speaking entitled to a free activation you can often get one.
As always if you have any working computer TAKE A BACKUP before doing any upgrades etc so whatever happens you can restore back to your working system again.

Things like Free Macrium are 100% good for this -- also keep OS + pgms on a separate partition / HDD to your data etc -- a small SSD is great for this if you have space for one.

Just "Be Nice" !!!!!!. even if you think they are Grade A a$$holes !!!!! - they usually aren't though --it's not in Ms's interests to irritate customers no matter how small.

Cheers
jimbo

NavyLCDR · 28 May 2016

zeroch said:

Which is it? Does the "digital entitlement" she was referring to a free pass that overrides all those restriction? (tied to mobo, OEM license limited to one machine)

Well, I will tell you what happened to me last week. I have two identical laptops. Same model number, same hardware, exactly the same in every way (except for serial numbers). My daughter's laptop got upgraded to Windows 10 Home. The spare, identical laptop, got upgraded to Windows 10 Pro. Both had digital entitlements. My daughter's screen hinge broke, so I took the hard drive out of hers and put it in the identical spare laptop. Windows 10 Home deactivated. It deactivated because the spare laptop had never had Windows 10 Home on it before. I had the Windows 8.1 Core product key for the spare laptop and I had to use that to activate the Windows 10 Home on it.

So - in summary - the MS Technician was wrong. Move a Windows 10 HDD to a new motherboard that has never had a digital entitlement saved for it, and you will have to use a product key to activate Windows 10 on it.