Can a Windows licence be re-used?

[LeonardWoody]

Hello, beautiful people of Toms hardware!

Goal:
After my Windows based laptop died on me, I decided to switch to Apple and bought myself an beautiful iMac. Problem is, I want to use some Windows programs, so I want to dual boot Windows on my iMac.

The Question:

If I completely remove Windows from my old laptop (Only the screen doesn't work, so I can access the PC through another monitor), can I use the licence to dual boot on an iMac?

If that would work, I could just copy the licence, remove Windows entirely from my old laptop, and then install Windows on my iMac!

Anyone out there who would be so kind as to shed some light on this particular question?

Thanks in advance!

Leonard

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

You can't reuse the license it's OEM = Tied to the first motherboard it was installed on.

OEM versions of Windows 7 are identical to Full License Retail versions except for the following:

- OEM versions do not offer any free Microsoft direct support from Microsoft support personnel

- OEM licenses are tied to the very first computer you install and activate it on

- OEM versions allow all hardware upgrades except for an upgrade to a different model motherboard

- OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system

Microsoft.com ^

 

[USAFRet]

If I completely remove Windows from my old laptop (Only the screen doesn't work, so I can access the PC through another monitor), can I use the licence to dual boot on an iMac?

No.
If that was preinstalled on the laptop (the usual circumstance), that license is tied to that original laptop motherboard.

If it was a retail Windows license you bought and installed on the laptop, maybe. But it probably isn't.