[SOLVED] Activation key after factory reset and microsoft account change

[Inzanepc]

Hello!

I bought my laptop last year with windows 10 pre-installed. I signed in with my microsoft account with my previous hotmail e-mail address. Since then microsoft locked me out of that e-mail (which is still connected to my laptop).
I want to change my administrator user's e-mail to my new e-mail address, but I cannot log in to my locked hotmail account. I've read that factory reset could solve my probrem, but I am not sure if I can complete it without knowing the licence key. (since I bought this laptop with pre-installed windows 10)

Will the factory reset work for me and help me in changing my administrator user?
Do I need to know the licence key to be able to complete this process? Especially if I want to remove the administrator user with my previous e-mail address (from which I am locked out) and have a fresh start with my new hotmail, being the only administrator user on my laptop.

Thank you for the help in advance.

 

[Math Geek]

there is not actually a windows key like there used to be. it is attached to that ms account and am not sure how to transfer it to another ms account, if it is even possible. some google searching would be my first start as to how to change ms accounts like this.

this looks like an answer:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12407/microsoft-account-change-email-phone-number

 

[SkyNetRising]

Log into login.live.com and choose "Forgot my password".

Also you can get windows key from BIOS (if this is brand name laptop with windows preinstalled).

Use RWEverything to fetch product key from motherboard in Windows 10/11

Often times, we need to reinstall windows, and we require product key for activation. But starting from Windows 8, manufacturers don't provide the product key s

thegeekpage.com

 

[neojack]

as far as i know, the key is linked to our motherboard, not to your microsoft account.

i never used microsoft accounts in win10 so i can't say for sure.

 

[USAFRet]

as far as i know, the key is linked to our motherboard, not to your microsoft account.

i never used microsoft accounts in win10 so i can't say for sure.

It can be both.

 

[Inzanepc]

I dind't forget the password, MS locked me out because of "strange behaviour" and I can't recover it.
Ok, so you saying that if I factory reset the windows, and Sign in with my new Gmail account, MS will still remember me as a license key owner? (because the license key is linked with my mobo?)
As a safety precaution, should I somehow get my license key from my bios/mobo via cmd or an app?

 

[SkyNetRising]

1st - License is linked to hardware id of your system. Info is stored on MS activation servers.
2nd - License can be linked to MS account. If you have it linked to MS account, then I'm not sure, if it's even possible to link it to another account. Linking license to MS account allows you to move license from one system to another.
3rd - License key should be stored in BIOS of brand name pc/laptop, if it was sold with OEM windows preinstalled.

Anyway - you can reinstall windows on your laptop, that had windows previously. If the key is in BIOS, then you won't be asked for it. If you don't have the key, then skip step, when key is asked during install. Your windows will activate, once you connect to internet.

Way of obtaining windows key from BIOS is described in post #3.