Four new videos. As they belong together, I will post them in one post. First some background:
Windows 10 Digital Activation
Digital Entitlement = Digital License
Windows 10 version 1511 introduced
Digital Entitlement. It remains the same in version 1607 but Microsoft decided to change the name to
Digital License.
To put it simple it means that
as soon as Windows 10 version 1511 or later is activated it is entitled to digital activation. The product key or other authorization for activation is stored on MS activation servers based on machine signature and GUID.
It seems that this extremely simple concept is for some seemingly "experienced" users incredible difficult to understand. So difficult that I have been insulted, I have been called a troll, or I have just been completely ignored when trying to explain this. I will make this one more try in my efforts to get digital activation explained.
In
version 1511 when activated with a product key the activation page in
Settings shows the product key but nevertheless
Windows is already after activation entitled to digital activation in all subsequent reinstalls. Version 1607 made this a bit easier for these "experienced" users to understand the concept, showing
Digital License directly after a product key activation:
However, the system has been the same since version 1511.
Following video shows
Windows 10 Home version 1511 activated with
product key, then directly after activation restart booting from install media, reinstalling Windows 10 Home version 1511 wiping the hard disk empty, deleting all partitions and skipping the product key. Windows will be automatically activated because it is entitled to digital activation:
One machine can have multiple digital licenses. In following video
Windows 10 Home N is activated, then upgraded to
Windows 10 Pro N by changing the product key, and immediately thereafter restarted booting from install media, reinstalling
Windows 10 Home N version 1511 wiping the hard disk empty, deleting all partitions and skipping the product key. Windows will be automatically activated because it is entitled to digital activation:
Same machine as above, again restarted and this time clean installed
Windows 10 Pro N, wiping the hard disk empty, deleting all partitions and skipping the product key. Windows will be automatically activated because it is entitled to digital activation, the machine in question having two digital licences (Windows 10 Home N and Windows 10 Pro N):
Notice that this last video also shows that
digital activation is not tied to a Microsoft Account; although MS account is recommended and let's you tie the activation to your MS account, it is only needed for troubleshooting activation issues.
Whatever activation method or product key type used to activate Windows 10 version 1511 or later, as soon as it is activated it is entitled to digital activation, getting a digital license.
That's it.
Kari