If i reformat my harddrive will my win10 digital liscense still work

UnrealReality

Prominent
Feb 19, 2017
13
0
520
So, I have some issues with my OS, want to reformat and do a clean install of the OS and go from there. Only problem is, my OS is Windows 10 and I got it from the free upgrade thing so I don't have a product key. I know my windows 7 key won't work, so I'm hoping this is possible and I won't have to go buy windows 10...
 
Solution
Since you had win 10 on PC originally, you can always reinstall it again on same PC. You have a digital entitlement to reinstall win 10 whenever you like on that PC

Moving licence to new PC is also possible but the one complication is you need to have win 10 on the current PC now to link your licence to your email address. the process to do that is here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

if you ever used an email address to login to PC, you can go here and see if licence is already linked to account: https://account.microsoft.com/devices?refd=login.live.com

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
When you get to part of windows 10 install where it asks for a licence. click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue install and reactivate itself once finished. Handy guide to clean install, will answer most questions: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

Since PC has had win 10 on it already, it can always have win 10 installed on it again. Your win 7 licence became a Win 10 licence so you fine :)
 

UnrealReality

Prominent
Feb 19, 2017
13
0
520
Sorry. I know this is an old thread and whatnot but can I do this if I've already reinstalled windows 7 on my computer?

I'm getting a new computer in a few months and I was hoping a could re-use my current SSD but it's a Ryzen build and Ryzen doesn't have native support for W7, only W10...
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Since you had win 10 on PC originally, you can always reinstall it again on same PC. You have a digital entitlement to reinstall win 10 whenever you like on that PC

Moving licence to new PC is also possible but the one complication is you need to have win 10 on the current PC now to link your licence to your email address. the process to do that is here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

if you ever used an email address to login to PC, you can go here and see if licence is already linked to account: https://account.microsoft.com/devices?refd=login.live.com
 
Solution