Windows 10 -> Linux -> Windows 11 - licensing problems?

[5pips49]

I got this computer second hand.
Dell Optiplex 3070
It had Windows on it when I received it. Since the computer rolled off of the assembly line ~ 2020, that must have been Windows 10 on it, probably Windows 10 pro. I installed Linux over that. Now, I want to install Windows 11.

Will I likely have some licensing difficulty?

Should I consider reinstalling Windows 10 first?

 

[pendragon1]

it should have an embedded key in the uefi. install 11 and just wait, it should activate itself in a few hours to a couple days. if not, massgrave.

 

[5pips49]

it should have an embedded key in the uefi. install 11 and just wait, it should activate itself in a few hours to a couple days...

(Edit: Unabridged version of the OP.) I think this is the computer's history.
1- received computer. It booted to the Windows 10 login screen and I didn't know the password and I thought eww, might have malware. So, physically removed the drive that had Windows 10 on it. It was an M.2 form factor drive.
2- installed a 2.5" SSD, which was an old drive of mine. Despite the user manual saying that your primary drive has to be M.2, it worked with just the 2.5" in there. Linux had already been installed on this drive.
3- Upgraded the motherboard firmware.
4- took 2.5" out, put the M.2 from step 1 in. Installed Linux over Windows 10.

Maybe we will see if updating the motherboard firmware without Windows being installed retains the Windows product key.

A long time ago, I remember working with Windows 10 installs that were not activated. Didn't bother me much. I was just using Windows for a couple of programs (so that makes it more tolerable).

 

[pendragon1]

doesnt matter.

 

[D-EJ915]

As long as it's the same version of windows home/pro it should activate. Sometimes if you have a multi-version installation media it'll automatically pick the licensed version too.

 

[pendragon1]

The Windows installer
the first screen asks me to choose language and keyboard, I think.
After that, the installer "works" for a while and then says,
the computer doesn't meet the Windows 11 system requirements.

Dell OptiPlex 3070 (circa 2020)
256GB M.2
Intel Core i7-9700T
2.00 GHz
16GB DDR4-2666 according to memtest86+
In the UEFI, it shows TPM 2.0

The only thing that I can think of is that the installer doesn't like the drives. Neither of the drives are formatted in a format that Windows can read (ext4).

stick to one thread. use diskpart the clean the drive and try again(assuming no data, google it).

 

[5pips49]

stick to one thread. use diskpart the clean the drive and try again(assuming no data, google it).

I went a little sideways so far.
Windows 11 installer 1st screen - brought up command prompt ( I think it was Shift F10) -
command line was in X:\sources
diskpart
list volume
it displays the 2 EFI system partitions for the 2 disks. I don't know which drive is which because there is (edit1: not much information given).

Should I just try to use linux tools to erase the drive? Or should I format it to fat 32 or NTFS for Windows?

edit2:
using your advice, I found this
https://onlinecomputertips.com/support-categories/windows/wipe-drive-installing-windows-diskpart/
I used the clean command in disk part. (from the article linked above, "You can also use clean if you want a quicker, yet less secure wipe of your hard drive.")
However, after reboot and starting the installer, I get the same message.
"This PC doesn't currently meet Windows 11 system requirements."

edit3:
I don't think that I am using the latest version of the windows 11 installer. I created it ~ 04/2025. I did create a newer one but the computer doesn't recognize the newer one. Says, "No boot device found. Press any key to reboot." When I press any key, nothing happens. I even pressed the number lock and the light on the keyboard does not react.