[SOLVED] Windows 10 reinstall

MatteoCaporale

Commendable
Mar 11, 2020
92
4
1,535
Hi everybody, i have windows 10 installed on a mvme m.2 ssd, i'd like to reinstall wendows completely on the same ssd but on another pc configuration, how can i do it?
 
Solution
Wait, now i have a microsoft account logged on my OS where i activated windos with a product key, so when i reinstall windows again and it ask to my to put the key, can i use the key that i alredy used on the actual account?
See my link above about "reactivating after a hardware change".
Do you have a USB or an external HDD you can use? You'll want to install the "Windows Media Installation tool" from here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 on the USB or External device ( as rgd1101 suggested above)
When you boot off of this tool on the other machine, during the setup process it will ask to select a drive to install Windows on. During this time you can reformat the drive.

Curiously though, are you using your login on this other machine? Or do you have the Windows Key?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Hi everybody, i have windows 10 installed on a mvme m.2 ssd, i'd like to reinstall wendows completely on the same ssd but on another pc configuration, how can i do it?
Moving between systems will incur a license issue.
Assuming the license is linked to a MS account, you can probably transfer it to the new hardware.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

Of course, you can no longer use that license on the old hardware.


For the install:
 

MatteoCaporale

Commendable
Mar 11, 2020
92
4
1,535
Do you have a USB or an external HDD you can use? You'll want to install the "Windows Media Installation tool" from here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 on the USB or External device ( as rgd1101 suggested above)
When you boot off of this tool on the other machine, during the setup process it will ask to select a drive to install Windows on. During this time you can reformat the drive.

Curiously though, are you using your login on this other machine? Or do you have the Windows Key?
Wait, now i have a microsoft account logged on my OS where i activated windos with a product key, so when i reinstall windows again and it ask to my to put the key, can i use the key that i alredy used on the actual account?
 
By default, Windows links the Activation key with the Motherboard of the system in use.

If you sign into or create a Microsoft account on that machine. It will link that License to the Microsoft account. So with that same Microsoft account you can log into up to 5 different machines and have a valid Copy of Windows.

The links posted above will provide you with all the information you need for this process. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
By default, Windows links the Activation key with the Motherboard of the system in use.

If you sign into or create a Microsoft account on that machine. It will link that License to the Microsoft account. So with that same Microsoft account you can log into up to 5 different machines and have a valid Copy of Windows.

The links posted above will provide you with all the information you need for this process. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
5 different systems from the same license key?
I'd have to see that in writing.

Transfer 1 -> 1...sure.
5?
 
Realize I worded that to sound like 5 different machines at the same time. Let me clarify that. Using the same Microsoft account that was linked to the original key, Windows can be installed or reinstalled up to 5 times using that key. Not running concurrently :D

I recently ran into this issue after installing a new motherboard for my significant other. Even though we had the copy of the key it would not activate and gave an error code. Upon calling Microsoft and giving them that key. They stated that key had reached it's activation limit and the representative that we spoke to said that limit is 5.

Microsoft does not explicitly say the number of activation's on their website. They seem to elude this.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10738


Per this article (while not officially from Microsoft, does mention an activation limit)

Under the Other Details section
https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-update-fixes-connectivity-bug-plaguing-vpns-and-proxies

Nothing concrete from Microsoft themselves so this can totally be discredited. Just a warning for the user as I've run into this myself.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I think that "activation limit" is a fuzzy line. I've not seen anything in writing about 3 (as is often said), or 5, or whatever.
I think it also depends on frequency, different systems, etc, etc.
Some voodoo algorithm deep in the activation server farm.

Meanwhile, we read here of people doing a "reinstall every month, just to keep things fresh".
Yes, people do that...:ROFLMAO:
 
Yeah it's definitely a magic number that only Microsoft Employees are privy to. And even then, I highly doubt the accuracy of the person your speaking to when you call Microsoft :sleep:

Yeah I don't doubt it. Some people just got a clean bug but don't realize the limitations anymore. It's somewhat sad honestly. You used to buy a key and it's yours forever. Now they just want to make more money. Ohhhh Microsoft, you silly bastards. 🆒
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Yeah it's definitely a magic number that only Microsoft Employees are privy to. And even then, I highly doubt the accuracy of the person your speaking to when you call Microsoft :sleep:
I've heard some absolutely contrafactual info from the Level 1 Microsoft minions.

Member here a year or so ago:
"Microsoft says I can't transfer this Win 10 license"
me: 'Yes, you can'
"But the MS helpdesk guy says no way, no how, never ever"
me: I provide links, direct from Microsoft that says yes, and specifically how.

It wasn't until it went two levels up the supervisory chain that they said "oops, yes you can"...
 
Yeah it's the same old story with them. Even at the Enterprise level the support is really poor. And that's support your practically paying for. All they do is run you around and run you around because nobody knows! It's like an octopus trying to find it's arms in the dark.
 
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