So my mother has an work laptop with a registered Windows 10 Home and I have an annoying watermark. If I copy her OS to my usb stick, can I get rid of my annoying watermark by reinstalling Windows 10?
I reused the hard drive from an prebuilt HP computer and since it had the OS and files on it - I thought "I could still have my OS if I do this." Long story short, I got an extremely annoying watermark. So, what you're saying is I can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free even though I have an unregistered Windows 10 now? I made a big hardware change, changing everything including the motherboard except the HDD. Or Do I have to buy an key?You will not get rid of the watermark unless you activate Windows 10, either during the install process or afterward.
If the machine you're installing on never had Windows 10 on it that means you need to buy a license key for Windows 10. You would also need a licence key if the machine came with Windows 10 Home but what you wanted instead was Windows 10 Pro. In the latter case, though, I would allow Home to reinstall and then trigger the update to Pro afterward via Settings, Update & Security, Activation, Change Product Key.
I reused the hard drive from an prebuilt HP computer and since it had the OS and files on it - I thought "I could still have my OS if I do this." Long story short, I got an extremely annoying watermark. So, what you're saying is I can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free even though I have an unregistered Windows 10 now? I made a big hardware change, changing everything including the motherboard except the HDD. Or Do I have to buy an key?
This depends on entirely what you're wanting to do.Ah ok, I should get a new hard drive and a new key?
No, that is NOT legit.Thanks everyone! I'll try to get a new windows 10 key when I get an SSD. Also, is the site Kinguin legit? Because Toms Hardware talks about the site.
alright, is there a way to legitmately install a clean windows 10 for free?No, that is NOT legit.
As per my earlier comment above..."approx $95 USD"
You can install for free no problem.alright, is there a way to legitmately install a clean windows 10 for free?
Woah, how?If the hardware has never had Windows 10 on it, at any point in time, then the answer is, "No."
Windows 10 is no different than any other prior version of Windows in that regard. If it's being installed on a machine that has never had any operating system on it, or has only had non-Windows OSes on it, then you must buy a key for the edition you wish to install.
If cost is an object, these days Windows 7 licenses can be had for a song. You could install Windows 7 and then upgrade at no cost, which is still possible.
Ok thanks, I'll look into itYou can install for free no problem.
It will be unactivated, until you apply a valid OS license.
How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial
If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...forums.tomshardware.com
If you have a valid, otherwise unused Win 7 or 8.1 license, you can apply that to a new unactivated Win 10 install.Woah, how?
Yeah I don't have those. My only option is to buy one. Thank you for your helpIf you have a valid, otherwise unused Win 7 or 8.1 license, you can apply that to a new unactivated Win 10 install.
If you have a valid, otherwise unused Win 7 or 8.1 license, you can apply that to a new unactivated Win 10 install.
Update: I was able to get an product key for free by contacting the microsoft support - thank you for helping!If the hardware has never had Windows 10 on it, at any point in time, then the answer is, "No." [Addendum in light of USAFRet's correct assertion about Windows 10 installing fine, but unactivated: I don't consider an unactivated install "complete" nor do I take an unactivated instance of Windows 10 as being what most people mean when they simply say, "install." ]
Windows 10 is no different than any other prior version of Windows in that regard. If it's being installed on a machine that has never had any operating system on it, or has only had non-Windows OSes on it, then you must buy a key for the edition you wish to install if you wish to have a legally licensed and activated instance.
If cost is an object, these days Windows 7 licenses can be had for a song. You could install Windows 7 and then upgrade at no cost, which is still possible.