[SOLVED] Able to reactivate windows 10 using an OEM key?

[Hafuwani]

Hi everyone, months ago I have someone upgraded my mobo from a gigabyte model to a MSI one, I initially use windows 7 Pro (OEM key) since 2016 but inplace-upgraded to Windows 10 in early 2020.

Of course after the mobo change Windows 10 became unactivated, and I know I will not be able to reactivate the OS using the Windows 7 oem key I had since it is tied to my old motherboard.

However, when I try to use that OEM key to see if it will reactivate Windows 10 for the heck of it, it actually worked! May I know if this has occurred to anyone before or is there a loophole to the system that cause it to reactivate a second time?

Now I was thinking of it, I had called up Microsoft before the mobo change asking if my key (which I read to them) can be transfered. It is genuine and storebought but I was not sure if it is retail or OEM since I had the pc built for me by someone else. They told me it is OEM and couldn't be transfered to a new motherboard... Could they have done something to the key so I could have reactivate it again?

 

[USAFRet]

The upgrade from 7 to 10 removed the OEMness from the original WIn 7.
As long as the Win 10 is attached to a MS account, it is generally transferable to new hardware. No need to call MS on this.
And no need to do ANYTHING with the old Win 7.

Read this:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

A Win 10 that was preinstall, like on a Dell or HP, would NOT be transferable.

 

[Rogue Leader]

I've done the same thing. When I replaced my old system with my current gaming system I just entered my old Windows 7 Pro OEM key and it activated and I was on my way. I've done this more than once.

Microsoft seems to care more about getting those old Windows versions out of the wild than selling new keys, which is good for the consumer.

 

[Hafuwani]

Ohh

The upgrade from 7 to 10 removed the OEMness from the original WIn 7.
As long as the Win 10 is attached to a MS account, it is generally transferable to new hardware. No need to call MS on this.
And no need to do ANYTHING with the old Win 7.

Read this:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

A Win 10 that was preinstall, like on a Dell or HP, would NOT be transferable.

I SEE! I have the digital license linked to my Microsoft account now (before the mobo change it is also a digital license but not linked to any account) , so will I still be able to reactivate win 10 when I move to a new computer down the road aka just logging into my Microsoft account from the new computer?

 

[Hafuwani]

I've done the same thing. When I replaced my old system with my current gaming system I just entered my old Windows 7 Pro OEM key and it activated and I was on my way. I've done this more than once.

Microsoft seems to care more about getting those old Windows versions out of the wild than selling new keys, which is good for the consumer.

I see! I googled this everywhere and I was kinda puzzled why none of the results explain why am I able to reactivate. Do you input that same key for every mobo you changed, or do you transfer the digital license using a Microsoft account?

 

[USAFRet]

Ohh


I SEE! I have the digital license linked to my Microsoft account now (before the mobo change it is also a digital license but not linked to any account) , so will I still be able to reactivate win 10 when I move to a new computer down the road aka just logging into my Microsoft account from the new computer?

Read my link above regarding "reactivating after a hardware change"
Link it to your MS account now, and later, you can tell the account which system to apply that license to.
Of course, only one at a time.

And not too often. While there is no published "number of times" or frequency....I'm sure if you did that every day it would soon balk.

 

[Rogue Leader]

I see! I googled this everywhere and I was kinda puzzled why none of the results explain why am I able to reactivate. Do you input that same key for every mobo you changed, or do you transfer the digital license using a Microsoft account?

So I had an old board I installed Win 7 on, and in-place updated to 10, I then used the key to install Win 10 on a new board. Then that new board failed and I got a warranty replacement which booted up but then gave me an error so I typed in the key AGAIN and it worked, then when I logged back in with my Microsoft account it seemed to automatically link the digital license based on using that key.

 

[Hafuwani]

So I had an old board I installed Win 7 on, and in-place updated to 10, I then used the key to install Win 10 on a new board. Then that new board failed and I got a warranty replacement which booted up but then gave me an error so I typed in the key AGAIN and it worked, then when I logged back in with my Microsoft account it seemed to automatically link the digital license based on using that key.

I know this may be unrelated, but was there any problems after you inplace upgraded your window 7 to window 10 too? the reason why I have changed my board in the real place is because my processor failed, and it is months after I have upgraded to windows 10! I am still using the same OS without any fresh reinstall with the new board and processor and wondering will it be a risk.

 

[USAFRet]

I know this may be unrelated, but was there any problems after you inplace upgraded your window 7 to window 10 too? the reason why I have changed my board in the real place is because my processor failed, and it is months after I have upgraded to windows 10! I am still using the same OS without any fresh reinstall with the same board and processor and wondering will it be a risk.

An inplace upgrade may work fine, or it may have issues.
There is no 100% either way.

If yours is working fine, no problem.

 

[Hafuwani]

An inplace upgrade may work fine, or it may have issues.
There is no 100% either way.

If yours is working fine, no problem.

it is working fine at the moment but I am also wondering if inplace upgrades may kill hardware or not like what happened to my processor...

 

[USAFRet]

it is working fine at the moment but I am also wondering if inplace upgrades may kill hardware or not like what happened to my processor...

No, it can't "kill hardware".

 

[Rogue Leader]

I know this may be unrelated, but was there any problems after you inplace upgraded your window 7 to window 10 too? the reason why I have changed my board in the real place is because my processor failed, and it is months after I have upgraded to windows 10! I am still using the same OS without any fresh reinstall with the new board and processor and wondering will it be a risk.

0 problems 0 risk