Do I require a new Activation Key

Existing OS is Win 10 Enterprise having come up through most versions of Windows and only once purchasing and installing a retail copy of Win 7 with activation key.

From Win 7 up all my other OS upgrades have been free on my PC, no purchase required.

My existing Desktop PC build I've had for years but I'm having to upgrade as it can't support Win 11, to that end I have purchased a new CPU, Motherboard and Ram.

The intention for the moment is to install the above and reinstall my existing SSD which has the WIN 10 OS on it.

However when it come to upgrading to Win 11, ( and for that matter using my existing OS ), will either OS see new Motherboard/cpu as a new PC so require an activation key?

I used JellyBean to reveal my existing Activation Key, see image, ( I deleted some details ), will I require it?

I am also not sure if the activation key shown is the original Win 7 key or is the Win 10 Enterprise key.

I'm a bit concerned as reading some of the questions and replies on these forums, MS is no longer accepting past activation keys with new new OS upgrades.

It is possible you need a new key - Enterprise keys are only for corporate users normally, and not normally available for individuals.

It is not clear how you got your Enterprise key - many were sold by dodgy sellers and such keys do get banned and you may find it no longer works.

Win7 keys no longer work to upgrade.

jaylob4 said:

However when it come to upgrading to Win 11, ( and for that matter using my existing OS ), will either OS see new Motherboard/cpu as a new PC so require an activation key?

Click to expand...

See the response by RobinsonSilvestre...




More Info...

@jaylob4

You don't need to make two topics about the same thing.




It's not that your topic is being ignored.
It's more like... a lot of folks haven't had their first cup of coffee, yet.
Or their lunch.

Ghot said:

@jaylob4

You don't need to make two topics about the same thing.

Having to Upgrade my PC

My existing Desktop PC build I'm having to upgrade as it can't support Win 11. The existing OS is Win 10 Enterprise. I have purchased a new CPU, Motherboard and Ram. The intention for the moment is to install the above and reinstall my existing SSD which has the WIN 10 OS on it. Once I have...

www.elevenforum.com

It's not that your topic is being ignored.
It's more like... a lot of folks haven't had their first cup of coffee, yet.
Or their lunch.

Click to expand...

It's not deliberate my was thinking was separate issues but my efforts may be confusing things, I take your point.

Assuming your license is genuine, you can call Microsoft and activate by phone both Windows and Office. If you talk to a representative explain that you upgraded your PC. I am not sure though if they can help you with an Enterprise version. If you use an automatic assistant it will ask you how many computers you have installed this key on. Any other reply than 1 will not activate. Even replying 1 might tell you the key is blocked and cannot activate again.

What I have to keep in mind about the 'key' is Win7 OEM was the last I ever saw that had the Product Key on the COA sticker somewhere on the computer case. Starting with Win8 the OEMs had the key embedded in the motherboard and that is picked up by the install of Windows. I've never had to do a Retail install of Win10 or Win11 on Custom computers. There also was a System Builder edition.

jaylob4 said:

It's not deliberate my was thinking was separate issues but my efforts may be confusing things, I take your point.

Click to expand...

It's OK. We'll let you off with only 10 lashes, and three days with no grog rations.

cereberus said:

It is possible you need a new key - Enterprise keys are only for corporate users normally, and not normally available for individuals.

It is not clear how you got your Enterprise key - many were sold by dodgy sellers and such keys do get banned and you may find it no longer works.

Win7 keys no longer work to upgrade.

Click to expand...

Crumbs! I have never purchased a dodgy OS.

I purchased my original Win 7 disc from Curries which is a large outlet for PC related things here in the UK.

OS upgrades have been with whatever version of OS installed.

The only issue I remember was activating Win 10 I had a bit of a task, it would not activate.

Eventually I contacted MS, that was a drama and I was totally confused with the instructions given but to be fair to them they sorted it out.

From memory, which ain't great anymore, they were satisfied my Win 7disk/ key was genuine, MS took control of my PC, ( disconcerting to see someone else shift your cursor around ), they did a bunch of things but still I was having activation nags.

I contacted them again and I vaguely remember being told to activate using my MS account and then reverting back to whatever account I was using, I did and no more nags, it was all years ago.

As I'm doing a PC rebuild, grey cells are firing and upgrading to Win 11 I thought best to get my activation key, but I always thought I had Win 10 Pro installed not Enterprise and I don't know how that came about but it wasn't me.

Ghot said:

It's OK. We'll let you off with only 10 lashes, and three days with no grog rations.

Click to expand...

No grog rations, have a heart.

jaylob4 said:

No grog rations, have a heart.

Click to expand...

I "knew" you were gonna say something like that.


I was thinking maybe...

"Ten lashes is rough, but no grog is... cold".
Or... "Give me twenty lashes, but don't cut the grog rations".

I like yours better.

Some months ago you could use a Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 8/8.1 core key to install Windows 10/11 Home and a Windows 7 Professional/Ultimate or Windows 8/8.1 Pro key to install Windows 10/11 Pro. I haven't tried recently, but I read Microsoft removed this option. If you use an old key it will install the respective version of Windows 10/11 but not activate, unless the computer already has a digital license on Microsoft servers for this version. Using an old Pro key to upgrade from Home to Pro will not work if you are connected to the internet. It will allow you to upgrade if you are disconnected from the internet, but it won't activate when back online. Embedded Windows 8.0 keys in BIOS were not detected automatically by Windows 10/11 Setup, but you can see them with ShowKeyPlus and type them manually.

spapakons said:

Some months ago you could use a Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 8/8.1 core key to install Windows 10/11 Home and a Windows 7 Professional/Ultimate or Windows 8/8.1 Pro key to install Windows 10/11 Pro. I haven't tried recently, but I read Microsoft removed this option. If you use an old key it will install the respective version of Windows 10/11 but not activate, unless the computer already has a digital license on Microsoft servers for this version. Using an old Pro key to upgrade from Home to Pro will not work if you are connected to the internet. It will allow you to upgrade if you are disconnected from the internet, but it won't activate when back online. Embedded Windows 8.0 keys in BIOS were not detected automatically by Windows 10/11 Setup, but you can see them with ShowKeyPlus and type them manually.

Click to expand...

In essence what does this mean for me, I have Win 10 enterprise installed, I have an activation key, I'm upgrading PC, what will I need to do?

I guess part of the answer is see what happens after rebuild and installation of existing SSD OS but ultimately will I have to purchase a retail copy of Win 11, a cost I was not expecting and can't really afford.

The time I used the MS Store to upgrade a computer from Home to Pro it was upgraded to the Enterprise version. I didn't want to run into any problems so I tried to find the Pro key that I thought would be on on my MS Account. I found out that it wasn't. MS didn't even email it to me. I called MS and the tech just told me to enter the generic Pro key. If you think using the Enterprise version is going to cause you trouble, try using the generic key to switch to Pro.

Do you need all the features of the Enterprise Edition? If you don't you can downgrade to Pro or Home disconnecting from the internet and changing the Windows key to the respective default key. Do that before you buy a key. If it downgrades successfully, you can use a genuine Windows 10/11 Home or Pro key to activate the respective version. I believe these are much cheaper and affordable than an Enterprise key.

Default Windows 10/11 Home key: YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7

Default Windows 10/11 Pro key: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

These won't activate, you can use them offline to downgrade from Enterprise Edition and if successful buy a respective Windows 10/11 key to activate.

jaylob4 said:

In essence what does this mean for me, I have Win 10 enterprise installed, I have an activation key, I'm upgrading PC, what will I need to do?

Click to expand...

Enterprise isn't for consumers. It's only for businesses who have enterprise agreements with Microsoft. If you bought a previously used machine from a business, they should have wiped enterprise off of it and sold it to you with no OS.

If you have an OEM copy of windows, with enough of a hardware change (like CPU and mobo), you usually have to buy another key. If it's a retail key, you are allowed to move it from one machine to another. If problems arise, it's usually a call to Microsoft who will help you with the activation.

MS previously allowed Windows 7 and 8 licenses to be used to move to 11, but they no longer allow those. You can however go from a windows 10 license to windows 11. If the hardware stays the same, you can install 11 without using a key and when your hardware scan happens and your digital fingerprint is uploaded, it would be the same and 11 would just activate based on your old license. With your hardware change, that won't happen automatically as the identification will be different.

jaylob4 said:

I guess part of the answer is see what happens after rebuild and installation of existing SSD OS but ultimately will I have to purchase a retail copy of Win 11, a cost I was not expecting and can't really afford.

Click to expand...

Windows is expensive. A legit key from MS is going to cost $139 for Home edition and $199 for Pro. You can find places on the web that will sell keys at very substantial discounts. These keys are clearly "not-legit" based on their pricing, using they are multiple activation keys that are being sold questionably. Most times they work just fine, and will activate. They may not activate 2 years later when installed again on a new machine but with the massive savings on the key purchase, most just accept this risk and assume they can just buy another cheap key in the future.

Some shops will sell you their own OEM keys with any hardware, such as a mouse, not necessarily a full computer or laptop. This violates EULA, but it is a legit key which can be used to activate the respective version of Windows 10/11. It is far better than using an illegal method to activate.

spapakons said:

Do you need all the features of the Enterprise Edition? If you don't you can downgrade to Pro or Home disconnecting from the internet and changing the Windows key to the respective default key. Do that before you buy a key. If it downgrades successfully, you can use a genuine Windows 10/11 Home or Pro key to activate the respective version. I believe these are much cheaper and affordable than an Enterprise key.

Default Windows 10/11 Home key: YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7

Default Windows 10/11 Pro key: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

These won't activate, you can use them offline to downgrade from Enterprise Edition and if successful buy a respective Windows 10/11 key to activate.

Click to expand...

I didn't even know I had Enterprise installed until yesterday, in threads I have always stated Win 10 pro upgrade coz that's what I thought I had.

Enterprise has given me no issues but whether or not I have ever needed or used its enhanced security features, I don't know, I think not, it's just what I have installed and never questioned.

I'm the only person with access to my PC and past/current OS upgrades, for curiosity sake I would dearly like to know how I ended with Enterprise but the question is academic really, I'm upgrading to Win 11, what was, was, how it happened, happened and been that way for many years.

I would not install a dodgy OS, accept from visits from kids and GKs I'm pretty isolated so rely on my PC, it's reliability, so no doggy OS, can't say the same for 3rd party apps which have had consequences but restore has come to my rescue.

So no, I don't need Enterprise, I would like 10 Pro but whatever works.

Thank you for the Win keys, I need to digest your advise but for now, to much info overload time for me to have a cuppa, a cheese roll and take a breather for a couple of hours, listen to some rock & roll but hopefully I may not have to fork out a large sum to install Win 11 so thank you.

Other good news for me, Amazon just advised me new MB will be with me tomorrow, yesssssssssss.

pparks1 said:

Enterprise isn't for consumers. It's only for businesses who have enterprise agreements with Microsoft. If you bought a previously used machine from a business, they should have wiped enterprise off of it and sold it to you with no OS.

If you have an OEM copy of windows, with enough of a hardware change (like CPU and mobo), you usually have to buy another key. If it's a retail key, you are allowed to move it from one machine to another. If problems arise, it's usually a call to Microsoft who will help you with the activation.

MS previously allowed Windows 7 and 8 licenses to be used to move to 11, but they no longer allow those. You can however go from a windows 10 license to windows 11. If the hardware stays the same, you can install 11 without using a key and when your hardware scan happens and your digital fingerprint is uploaded, it would be the same and 11 would just activate based on your old license. With your hardware change, that won't happen automatically as the identification will be different.


Windows is expensive. A legit key from MS is going to cost $139 for Home edition and $199 for Pro. You can find places on the web that will sell keys at very substantial discounts. These keys are clearly "not-legit" based on their pricing, using they are multiple activation keys that are being sold questionably. Most times they work just fine, and will activate. They may not activate 2 years later when installed again on a new machine but with the massive savings on the key purchase, most just accept this risk and assume they can just buy another cheap key in the future.

Click to expand...

I don't know how this has happened, my PC was built by myself and I installed a retail copy of Win 7 at the time of build and no issue with OS upgrades from there, accept when Win 10 would not activate, see my previous post and MS dealt with it for me, yonks ago.

I'm re-building/upgrading PC hardware, ( because I have to ), so what I thought might be a relatively slow walk in the park, the way has become a little foggy but I'll get there.

Thanks for the rest of the info.

What version of Windows 7 did you have? If it was Ultimate it was higher than Professional and could be eligible for upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations or in your case Windows 10 Enterprise. This could explain how did you end with Enterprise. Or you accidentally upgraded from Windows 7 Professional to Windows 10 Enterprise which is higher than Pro and doable but then would not activate. However I don't think Microsoft would let you activate Enterprise with a Professional key, so most likely it was Ultimate.