[SOLVED] Digital License vs Product key

[Pretzel12345]

Hi,

Sorry I have a quick question,

I built my computer around 5 years ago, installed windows with a product key number from a usb. All good thats cool.

I upgraded hardware recently and was having issues, so I brought it into a shop who reinstalled windows, I gave them my product key number so he could do his thing. Well, I'm looking at windows activation and it says "windows is activated with a digital license".

Is that normal? or did that guy get a digital version and took my product key info from me?

I just wanna be clear here, did I get scammed lol

Edit: I also dont have a microsoft account

 

[kerberos_20]

digital licence is a method to activate windows without using product key, digital licence is tied to your hardware, cannot be transfered once you make some big hardware changes (like mainboard swap)
its not really scam if it works, but id check your product key with microsoft support

 

[Pretzel12345]

digital licence is a method to activate windows without using product key, digital licence is tied to your hardware, cannot be transfered once you make some big hardware changes (like mainboard swap)
its not really scam if it works, but id check your product key with microsoft support

So i did infact get a new CPU/MB, so youre saying that product key windows is tied with my old stuff?

 

[USAFRet]

Hi,

Sorry I have a quick question,

I built my computer around 5 years ago, installed windows with a product key number from a usb. All good thats cool.

I upgraded hardware recently and was having issues, so I brought it into a shop who reinstalled windows, I gave them my product key number so he could do his thing. Well, I'm looking at windows activation and it says "windows is activated with a digital license".

Is that normal? or did that guy get a digital version and took my product key info from me?

I just wanna be clear here, did I get scammed lol

Edit: I also dont have a microsoft account

You are fine, thisis the way it is supposed to be.

The "digital license" is a combination of your license key and the hardware it is installed on.
This is held at the activation sever farm at MS.

 

[Pretzel12345]

You are fine, thisis the way it is supposed to be.

The "digital license" is a combination of your license key and the hardware it is installed on.
This is held at the activation sever farm at MS.

So, I am interested in doing a full wipe and reinstall of windows, I know you guys have a guide which I am following. I am all good to go? Ive got a copy of windows on my usb, and my HDD is unplugged and im about to restart and I have my product key card with me here.

 

[USAFRet]

So, I am interested in doing a full wipe and reinstall of windows, I know you guys have a guide which I am following. I am all good to go? Ive got a copy of windows on my usb, and my HDD is unplugged and im about to restart and I have my product key card with me here.

A reinstall in this same hardware, you don't even need the license key. Although it is good to have it on hand.

You can skip entering the license key, and the system will activate itself when it goes online later.
The system will contact MS. The activation farm wall say to itself- "Oh, here's Pretzel's PC. I remember him. Let me activate it."

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Or, you can just enter that license when you install.

 

[kerberos_20]

it is better to link your key with account when u plan in future another hardware changes, that will save you some trouble later on, there are workarounds to activate it it without linked key (on hardware change)
so yea atm your hardware is validated on ms servers so it will activate on its own without enterin any key during install, thats the advantage of digital licence

 

[USAFRet]

And another thing with a "MS account"...you can literally use any email address. Does not have to be hotmail or outlook.
Mine is a gmail address. Really.

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

so yea atm your hardware is validated on ms servers so it will activate on its own without enterin any key during install, thats the advantage of digital licence

Yeah it was a painless process. I had purchased a W10 USB stick back in 2017 with my previous build. Fast forward to Dec 2020 I built a brand new system... wiped the old one prior to sale... reinstalled W10 on new build with same USB stick and chose "activate later" on setup and once Windows was installed and I logged in with my MS account it was activated.

Quick and painless. I knew there was a reason I bought the non-OEM version.

 

[USAFRet]

I knew there was a reason I bought the non-OEM version.

With Win 10, the only "OEM" thing is a preinstalled OS from one of the major manufacturers.
Any valid license you buy is transferable.
The is no more OEM vs Retail for a personal purchase. Anyone still marketing it like that doesn't really know what they are doing.

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

With Win 10, the only "OEM" thing is a preinstalled OS from one of the major manufacturers.
Any valid license you buy is transferable.
The is no more OEM vs Retail for a personal purchase. Anyone still marketing it like that doesn't really know what they are doing.

Ahhh cool... didn't know that. I just remember back when putting my parts list together seeing a OEM version listed... but as said, this was 2017. Maybe PCPartPicker was slow to update their part databases. I do remember way back in the day the OEM vs retail that you're talking about.

 

[USAFRet]

Ahhh cool... didn't know that. I just remember back when putting my parts list together seeing a OEM version listed... but as said, this was 2017. Maybe PCPartPicker was slow to update their part databases. I do remember way back in the day the OEM vs retail that you're talking about.

Pre Win 10, OEM vs Retail was a thing.

The licensing has changed significantly.

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

Pre Win 10, OEM vs Retail was a thing.

The licensing has changed significantly.

Nothing wrong with that. Nice to see positive changes... and I'm glad I didn't need to buy another copy of Windows. 👍