[SOLVED] How to transfer Windows 10 license from old SSD to new PC build with new SSD

[FreeRunEggs]

I bought new PC hardware and want to transfer my Windows 10 license from my old computer (it was originally purchased as OEM Windows 7 and then upgraded to Windows 10 for free via Microsoft). This existing windows 10 license is currently installed on a 256 GB SSD.
Can I transfer this license to my new PC build (2TB 970 EVO Plus) with new MOBO and RAM? If so, how do I accomplish this?
*Note: I don't care about any files and I expect to start from scratch and install everything new and plan to reformat the 256GB SSD when done.
*Note: My windows 10 license is not currently associated with my Microsoft account as it's a local account setup on existing computer.

 

[CountMike]

I bought new PC hardware and want to transfer my Windows 10 license from my old computer (it was originally purchased as OEM Windows 7 and then upgraded to Windows 10 for free via Microsoft). This existing windows 10 license is currently installed on a 256 GB SSD.
Can I transfer this license to my new PC build (2TB 970 EVO Plus) with new MOBO and RAM? If so, how do I accomplish this?
*Note: I don't care about any files and I expect to start from scratch and install everything new and plan to reformat the 256GB SSD when done.
*Note: My windows 10 license is not currently associated with my Microsoft account as it's a local account setup on existing computer.

Retail version (Home or pro) and/or MS account should be able to transfer license and activate W10. License also goes by MB, disk doesn't matter but in new system it's questionable if it would BOOT at all.

 

[boju]

I had OEM version of Win7 ultimate i upgrade to Win10 and then later to a new system. Just deactivate old system in your MS account before activating on new.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Can I transfer this license to my new PC build (2TB 970 EVO Plus) with new MOBO and RAM? If so, how do I accomplish this?
*Note: My windows 10 license is not currently associated with my Microsoft account as it's a local account setup on existing computer.

1. You'll have to associate your license with online microsoft account first.
Without this license transfer is not possible.

2. Install same edition of windows on new pc. Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro are different editions.

3. Use windows activation troubleshooter on new pc to transfer license from old to new pc.
Use significant hardware change option.

Using the Windows Activation troubleshooter - Microsoft Support

Learn how to use the Activation troubleshooter to resolve common activation issues in Windows.

support.microsoft.com

 

[FreeRunEggs]

1. You'll have to associate your license with online microsoft account first.
Without this license transfer is not possible.

2. Install same edition of windows on new pc. Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro are different editions.

3. Use windows activation troubleshooter on new pc to transfer license from old to new pc.
Use significant hardware change option.

Using the Windows Activation troubleshooter - Microsoft Support

Learn how to use the Activation troubleshooter to resolve common activation issues in Windows.

support.microsoft.com

Ok Thanks SkyNetRising.

I'll follow these steps. I have Windows 10 Home edition now. My plan is to transfer it over and then upgrade to Windows 11 via Microsoft free upgrade as all the new components are Win 11 compatible.

I assuming I just create the USB media creation drive for the Windows 10 install for the new SSD?

 

[USAFRet]

Ok Thanks SkyNetRising.

I'll follow these steps. I have Windows 10 Home edition now. My plan is to transfer it over and then upgrade to Windows 11 via Microsoft free upgrade as all the new components are Win 11 compatible.

I assuming I just create the USB media creation drive for the Windows 10 install for the new SSD?

If you have the Win 10 license key, and are building this system now...you do not have to install Win 10 first and then upgrade.
You can install Win 11 directly, and apply that Win 10 license to this new PC and its Win 11.

 

[kerberos_20]

If you have the Win 10 license key, and are building this system now...you do not have to install Win 10 first and then upgrade.
You can install Win 11 directly, and apply that Win 10 license to this new PC and its Win 11.

wont work, he will need to upgrade his digital license first

 

[USAFRet]

wont work, he will need to upgrade his digital license first

The upgrade from Win 7 OEM to Win 10 should have taken care of that.

But, maybe not.

 

[kerberos_20]

The upgrade from Win 7 OEM to Win 10 should have taken care of that.

But, maybe not.

oem win 10 license wont activate on fresh win 11 if upgrade to win 11 wasnt done previously
physical key would work, but digital license not, he will need to boot win 10, upgrade from within to win 11, only after that would fresh win11 activate just fine

 

[USAFRet]

oem win 10 license wont activate on fresh win 11 if upgrade to win 11 wasnt done previously
physical key would work, but digital license not, he will need to boot win 10, upgrade from within to win 11, onla after that fresh win11 would activate just fine

It wasn't OEM Win 10.
It was Win 7, upgraded to 10.

But in any case, this new system will need a fresh OS install. Either license, the current Win 10 or 11, will need some license key applied.

Trying to boot up the existing drive and OS in the new hardware will likely result in tears.

 

[FreeRunEggs]

Steps I've taken so far: I just linked my Microsoft account to my windows 10 license.

My thought now is to create a USB media windows 11 drive (from another laptop running Win11) and then just apply the original Windows 7 license key from the package that I got 10 years ago. This should save me from having to install Windows 10 on my new build and having to upgrade to Windows 11.
Is this is a good idea?

 

[USAFRet]

Steps I've taken so far: I just linked my Microsoft account to my windows 10 license.

My thought now is to create a USB media windows 11 drive (from another laptop running Win11) and then just apply the original Windows 7 license key from the package that I got 10 years ago. This should save me from having to install Windows 10 on my new build and having to upgrade to Windows 11.
Is this is a good idea?

No.
The WIn 7 is irrelevant. And in fact, MS recently cut off the ability to use Win 7/8 license keys to activate a new WIn 10 or 11 install.

You might be able to go into your MS account after the Win 11 install, and tell it that you are now using the new system.


Or, another thought, horror of horrors....raise the budget for this new system 5-10%, and purchase a new retail Win 11 license for it. That will last you several years, through Win 12-13 and maybe beyond.
This also gives the old PC some life left. To either use, or sell it with its existing Win 10 license.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Can’t use the old key. Microsoft seems to have shut that off. I know because I had a windows 8 license that had actually Ben upgraded to 11 previously and associated with the motherboard. Thought it would work, reinstalled windows after rebuilding with same motherboard and different cpu. Note after installing the new cpu I even checked my activation status which said my activation was still active.

I reinstalled, it said the OS was not activated, I ended purchasing a windows 11 license. In hindsight, I should have thought to sign into my Microsoft account and used the change hardware option as described above. I didn’t do that here. Had I done so perhaps I would have saved some $$. But I can confirm they would not accept the windows 8 key and have read they won’t accept windows 7 or 8 keys for windows 11 installs. So I’d say you need to associate the digital license with your Microsoft account, then use charge hardware. The other option might be clone your existing drive with an app like macrium reflect. Boot up with the new drive. If it’s still showing activated, then go to recovery and use the system reset option to basically reformat within the OS.

 

[FreeRunEggs]

It worked!! Thanks for everyone's input
Steps I took:
1) I associated my Windows 10 license with my Microsoft account as user SkyNetRising suggested before I started new build.
2) Created installation USB for Windows 11 with my Windows 11 laptop
3) Installed Windows 11 onto newly built PC (2TB 970 EVO Plus with new MOBO and RAM)
4) Used windows activation troubleshooter on new pc to transfer windows license from old to new pc (used significant hardware change option.) I simply selected my old desktop that was listed along side my laptop under my Microsoft account.
5) Formatted old SSD within Disk Management and now I have a blank spare SSD!

Hopefully someone finds this thread useful as I Googled about 1000 different answers 😎

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