Windows 10 Pro fresh re-install

WildMonkey

Gawd
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Nov 1, 2007
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I want to do a fresh re-install of windows 10 pro but I don't have a license key, I was part of the free upgrade thing.

How can I do it without buying a new copy of windows 10?
 
It's tied to your system. Or your motherboard. So if it's activated now, when you reformat it will stay activated.
 
yep all you have to do is install

your Win 10 should auto activate as long as you made no major hardware changes

like a motherboard ..i already did a CPU upgrade as well as went from slow ass old green WD drive to all SSD drives ..windows activated on its own just fine
 
when you do your install do not input a cd key ..its not needed // simply select skip

your os will auto activate via the Microsoft activation servers if you already have updated to win 10 from another OS

they have the info stored on the activation servers
 
That's interesting. Thanks.

Just as a side note, what would you have to do if you did change out the mobo and cpu?
 
if you changed a motherboard ..yes your gonna have to call the 1 800 number or what ever ,,and explain that to Microsoft

for stuff like a new vid card
adding system memory
swapping drives

you should be fine tho ..and your OS will auto activate on its own once you boot and go online ..it may take a few min ..depends i guess .. i think when i did my last CPU upgrade it took 20 min ?

but i was still able to use access and set settings within my operating system as well as download once Windows 10 booted , and after i corrected the shit drivers they installed for my vid card

make sure ya do that ...dont trust the MS drivers for your vid card .. they usually suck
 
if you change out the motherboard they will ask that you buy a new copy of the os most likely ..since it is no longer the same PC
 
they may let ya go if ya give em a sob story ..dunno last time that happened to me with a win 7 install they gave me a new key ..but that was win 7 and many years ago

my motherboard just died out of the blue an i had no working sata controllers ..but it was old as dirt .... was the excuse i used ..but i had the same CPU in at the time ..so dunno what MS Will tell you
 
an yes after they gave me a new key ..i installed a newer faster cpu with no issue ..but that was with WIN 7 home ..with 10 they may be a lil more strict ..dunno ???

but if you had win 10 installed and you have the same hardware ..you have no worries ..your system should auto active ..on its own
 
the worse part was the driver problem .. make sure after you boot ..go get DDU and install the latest drivers for your video and sound chips
 
That's interesting. Thanks.

Just as a side note, what would you have to do if you did change out the mobo and cpu?
The free upgrade is not transferable to a new computer. Microsoft considers the motherboard to be the computer. You will have to buy a new copy.
 
Apologies for bringing this back up if its been resolved but is this true for win8? If i have the media for 8 but am upgrading all major hardware, will I need to purchase another copy of 8?
 
Apologies for bringing this back up if its been resolved but is this true for win8? If i have the media for 8 but am upgrading all major hardware, will I need to purchase another copy of 8?
It will depend upon what version of Windows you purchased. Last I checked, if you buy the full version of Windows, you can transfer it from one PC to another. System Builder, OEM, and Upgrade versions are tied to a single PC.
 
It will depend upon what version of Windows you purchased. Last I checked, if you buy the full version of Windows, you can transfer it from one PC to another. System Builder, OEM, and Upgrade versions are tied to a single PC.
Prior to 10, upgrades are retail licensees which can be transferred, but the OS you are transferring it to must be capable of being "upgraded", license wise, ie home -> pro is illegal with "upgrade" licensing.
 
but the OS you are transferring it to must be capable of being "upgraded", license wise, ie home -> pro is illegal with "upgrade" licensing.

please explain further. "home -> pro is illegal with "upgrade" licensing."

do you mean that it's illegal to upgrade, upgraded windows 10 from home to pro? or?
 
please explain further. "home -> pro is illegal with "upgrade" licensing."

do you mean that it's illegal to upgrade, upgraded windows 10 from home to pro? or?
Back in Windows 7 era, they had "upgrade" licenses where you could buy an upgrade from Vista->7. If you have a full license for Vista Home but you buy an "upgrade" license for 7 Pro, you can't do that. So relating to this question, you could only transfer the upgrade license for 7 to another computer that qualified to be upgraded.

Now days they have "upgrade" from Home->Pro for Windows 10, but that's a different thing. Just pointing out the difference between upgrade license types in 2016.
 
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