License transfer help

[eridian00]

I just built a new pc and i wanted to take the windows 10 license i have and put it on the new one instead. I originally had windows 7 and i bought the pc built from someone like 8 years ago. I do not have the old windows 7 key though. Is there a way for me to take the activated windows licesne on this pc and put it on the new one?

 

[captaincharisma]

was the PC a prebuilt or a brand name PC like a HP or Dell?

 

[USAFRet]

I just built a new pc and i wanted to take the windows 10 license i have and put it on the new one instead. I originally had windows 7 and i bought the pc built from someone like 8 years ago. I do not have the old windows 7 key though. Is there a way for me to take the activated windows licesne on this pc and put it on the new one?

Assuming the old system still works...
Read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

 

[eridian00]

it was prebuilt, family hired someone to build it for me a long time ago but they never gave me the windows 7 key. Now, i have the free 10 upgrade and want to put it on this brand new pc i just built but i don't know the old key or how to even transfer it if i did.

 

[USAFRet]

it was prebuilt, family hired someone to build it for me a long time ago but they never gave me the windows 7 key. Now, i have the free 10 upgrade and want to put it on this brand new pc i just built but i don't know the old key or how to even transfer it if i did.

If it has been Upgraded to Win 10...read the above links.
The original OEM preinstall license is null and void after the upgrade to Win 10.

 

[captaincharisma]

it was prebuilt, family hired someone to build it for me a long time ago but they never gave me the windows 7 key. Now, i have the free 10 upgrade and want to put it on this brand new pc i just built but i don't know the old key or how to even transfer it if i did.

there is no way to transfer a windows licence from a prebuilt computer. the licence is tried to the hardware.

 

[USAFRet]

it was prebuilt, family hired someone to build it for me a long time ago but they never gave me the windows 7 key. Now, i have the free 10 upgrade and want to put it on this brand new pc i just built but i don't know the old key or how to even transfer it if i did.

there is no way to transfer a windows licence from a prebuilt computer. the licence is tried to the hardware.

If it was still the original Win 7 install, you are correct.
Upgrading it to Win 10 does away with that.

The above links tell exactly how to do it.

 

[eridian00]

Okay so i got windows installed on the new pc, and i found my key for my windows 10. I used it when installing windows, everything works, can play games, download stuff, no issue. But after a couple of hours running i get this see through message in the bottom right that says to activate windows. But i already put in my key, it accepted it, and windows is working just fine.

 

[USAFRet]

Okay so i got windows installed on the new pc, and i found my key for my windows 10. I used it when installing windows, everything works, can play games, download stuff, no issue. But after a couple of hours running i get this see through message in the bottom right that says to activate windows. But i already put in my key, it accepted it, and windows is working just fine.

Did you go through the Activation Troubleshooter?
As referenced in the links above.

 

[eridian00]

Yeah it just tells me to buy windows. WHich i don't get since i gave it the key and it's working just fine. Just has that message in the corner.

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah it just tells me to buy windows. WHich i don't get since i gave it the key and it's working just fine. Just has that message in the corner.

Then you've done something wrong in the process.
Or your original OS was never really activated.

If you look in your MS account, do you see that license linked with one or the other of your systems?

 

[eridian00]

Yeah i go into my devices and both my old and new pc are both listed on my account. The new pc says it has windows 10 home on it

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah i go into my devices and both my old and new pc are both listed on my account. The new pc says it has windows 10 home on it

And you've told it that the new PC is the one you're using with that license?
If so...just give it some time. I've seen it take a couple of days to catch up.

 

[eridian00]

Well I installed windows 10 home, i then put in my windows 10 home key to activate it, and everything works just fine. Before when i did not put in the key i could not download stuff until i did. And on my account it lists both my old and new pc, and says that the windows 10 home is on both. Do i need to deactivate it on the old one for it to fully take on the new one then? Or is it just gonna take time for it to finalize on it's own or something? Cause i kinda want to scrap the old pc.

 

[captaincharisma]

Well I installed windows 10 home, i then put in my windows 10 home key to activate it, and everything works just fine. Before when i did not put in the key i could not download stuff until i did. And on my account it lists both my old and new pc, and says that the windows 10 home is on both. Do i need to deactivate it on the old one for it to fully take on the new one then? Or is it just gonna take time for it to finalize on it's own or something? Cause i kinda want to scrap the old pc.

it is possible you may have to go through the activation troubleshooter to bring the licence over from the old PC. if this has already been done then it may take up to 24 hours for MS activation servers to activate your copy of windows.

 

[eridian00]

I'll keep waiting and see, but the troubleshooter just tells me to buy windows and it's already been over 24 hours.

 

[captaincharisma]

I'll keep waiting and see, but the troubleshooter just tells me to buy windows and it's already been over 24 hours.

the only other thing i can suggest is do the phone activation. if that does not work then it is likely you will be unable to transfer the licence over because it came from a brand name PC

 

[eridian00]

Yeah i don't know. As far as i know the old pc was just costume built, not bought from a brand or anything, but i'm not 100% sure as the guy pre built the entire thing he said. Plus this was like 7 years ago. Regardless it's still popping up in the corner after waiting but everything works just fine so i guess it doesn't really matter. Just mildly annoying is all.