Can I Transfer Windows 7 From My Laptop To My New Desktop?

Solution
http://www.thermaltake.com/db/products/cooler/NiC_C5/i2.jpg

You definitely can't use it on two machines at once, MicroSoft would never allow the same key to activate on two machines.

However as for using it if it was never used on the laptop, technically speaking, if the product key was never tied to any system, it should activate on a different computer. In fact I think that many of these shady cheap Windows keys that you can buy online come from sources like these. It's not legal, but it's hard for MicroSoft to police since the key was never registered through their activation servers.

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Is this the original OS that came with the laptop? If so, then no.
That would be an OEM license, and as such, the license is tied to that motherboard.

Solution?
Sell the laptop for $150, and purchase a new OS for your new PC.
Buy lunch with the leftover.
 

eatmypie

Honorable
Sep 12, 2013
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They don't use that product key ever when they install windows, they use their own so it isn't tied to anything at all. As long as they can obtain something to install windows with they can put it on their desktop.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


??
Please explain this.
 

jrrdmchls

Distinguished
Feb 18, 2010
423
0
18,960
If it's a retail Full or Upgrade license - yes. You can move it to a different computer as long as it's only installed on one computer at a time (and if it's a Windows 7 Upgrade version the new computer must have it's own qualifying XP/Vista/7 license). The previous Windows 7 installation on the old computer must be formatted/deleted. You might have to call Microsoft and explain what happened to complete the activation. Activating it on the second computer will automatically in effect "deactivate" the license for the first computer. The key will work with both 32 and 64 bit, but only one can be installed at a time.

If it's an OEM license - no. OEM licenses, including Windows preinstalled on a computer before purchase and Windows bought separately, are tied to the first computer they are installed on and can not be transferred to a different computer. To install Windows on a different computer you will need to buy another copy.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


A license on the laptop from Dell, HP, or whoever is almost certainly an OEM license. Dell or HP being the OEM.
And as such, non-transferable.

Now...if the OP had purchased a Retail license and installed that on the laptop, sure. You can transfer that to a different system. Only one at a time, of course.
The little bird whispering in my ear is saying this is not the case.
 


I've seen what eatmypie is talking about. The product key sticker is on the laptop, but the product key used is stored in the BIOS and if you re-install Windows (even without the OEM's restore DVD / partition) the installer doesn't ask for the product key, it just extracts the one in the BIOS. So often the product key on the sticker is never tied to the laptop it's on. In fact I've seen this twice on different OEM's in the last 3 months.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Right.
But that still doesn't mean you can use that license on a different PC. And you REALLY can't use it on the laptop and the desktop at the same time.
 
http://www.thermaltake.com/db/products/cooler/NiC_C5/i2.jpg

You definitely can't use it on two machines at once, MicroSoft would never allow the same key to activate on two machines.

However as for using it if it was never used on the laptop, technically speaking, if the product key was never tied to any system, it should activate on a different computer. In fact I think that many of these shady cheap Windows keys that you can buy online come from sources like these. It's not legal, but it's hard for MicroSoft to police since the key was never registered through their activation servers.
 
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