Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account

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Quick question with reference to the above.

If my license is Digital as in: Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account

Can i successfully buy a new mobo, cpu and memory, switch everything out, re-format, re-install Windows, and just re-login to my Microsoft Account and it'll re-activate?

Won't the digital license still be associated with my previous hardware ?

Is there a specific procedure i should be following, like just plug in my existing boot drive, allow it to plug and play all the new mobo drivers, and because the account / install is still the same, just new hardware, it updates big brother at Microsoft and moves my license that way ?

Sorry its confusing to say the least.
 

Ree

Ree

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once you install all your new gear and install windows etc just enter your key for whatever windows version you bought and it'll activate with the new hardware. did this when i upgraded and worked no problem.
 
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That's probably OEM. They are tied to the hardware. If you open command prompt and type slmgr -dli

That will display your license type.

If it's OEM it is unlikely to be activated after the reinstall on new hardware.

If it does activate, it does not mean it's a legitimate license.

Thx for this handy command.. So i ran it and it came back with:

Name: Windowws(R) Professional edition
Description: Windows(R) Operating System, RETAIL channel
Partial Product Key: xxxxx
License Status: Licensed

Do we think it'll still ask me for a key ? or will my MS account, just move it over automatically. If it asks for a key, is there a a way to find my key within the OS ?
 
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If you are installing from scratch with a key linked to your MS account, Skip putting in the cdkey at the start, then when it gives you the option to login/create an account use the account from before.

Always done it this way works fine.
 
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In the very unlikely event it doesn't work at first, the only real differences will be that it will tell you on the bottom right of the screen that it isn't activated and you won't be able to choose your own wallpaper until it is sorted.
 
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Quick question with reference to the above.

If my license is Digital as in: Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account

Can i successfully buy a new mobo, cpu and memory, switch everything out, re-format, re-install Windows, and just re-login to my Microsoft Account and it'll re-activate?

Won't the digital license still be associated with my previous hardware ?

Is there a specific procedure i should be following, like just plug in my existing boot drive, allow it to plug and play all the new mobo drivers, and because the account / install is still the same, just new hardware, it updates big brother at Microsoft and moves my license that way ?

Sorry its confusing to say the least.

Yes. And in fact you don't even need a Microsoft account. Windows recognizes your PC.
Even if you completely change your hardware it can be made to work as long as you don't re-install Windows and you just move the boot drive to the new PC. You can clone the drive later, once it has accepted and registered the hardware with the new PC.
 
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I didn't need to activate windows 10 straight away it seems to work fine without registering a key. That was 10 months ago and I'm still not bothered enough to do it.
 
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Quick question with reference to the above.

If my license is Digital as in: Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account

Can i successfully buy a new mobo, cpu and memory, switch everything out, re-format, re-install Windows, and just re-login to my Microsoft Account and it'll re-activate?

Won't the digital license still be associated with my previous hardware ?

Is there a specific procedure i should be following, like just plug in my existing boot drive, allow it to plug and play all the new mobo drivers, and because the account / install is still the same, just new hardware, it updates big brother at Microsoft and moves my license that way ?

Sorry its confusing to say the least.
Yes it will ask you if you've changed any hardware and if you select yes then you remove the license from the 'old computer' (old hardware) and give it to your new one.
 
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