Solved Laptop dead- need new - retail license activation question


antspants said:
By the way, if we need a Windows license, many of us on this forum use StackSocial.
Currently no specials that I know of, maybe @z3r010 knows of one, as he is usually up to date with StackSocial.
But you do usually get a discount as a first time buyer.

www.stacksocial.com

Microsoft-Verified Partner! Upgrade Your Windows OS and Enjoy Enhanced UI, Better Multitasking, and Improved Security

<p>Microsoft-Verified Partner! Upgrade Your Windows OS and Enjoy Enhanced UI, Better Multitasking, and Improved Security</p>
www.stacksocial.com www.stacksocial.com
Click to expand...
Thanks. Looks like i won't be needing one now....
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro (retail) 23H2 / 26100.4946
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom (Quiet PC)
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 3.8GHz 8C/16T 65w AM4
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK TUF gaming B550M (WI-FI) AM4 Micro-ATX Motherboard
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3200MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated AMD Radeon
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC 2470WNX
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [operating system]
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [Data]
    Samsung 870 EVOPlus 1TB SATA/600 [Data]
    Plus external Samsung 1TB for additional data copies and for Sonos stream
    PSU
    Pure Power 11 400w Quiet PSU PLUS Gold
    Case
    S400 Silencio mATX Quiet PC
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-P12 Redux 12v 900RPM 120mm x2
    Keyboard
    Dell corded usb
    Mouse
    Logitech corded optical
    Internet Speed
    35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Opera, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Malware Bytes
    Other Info
    FTTC 35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
antspants said:
By the way, if we need a Windows license, many of us on this forum use StackSocial.
Currently no specials that I know of, maybe @z3r010 knows of one, as he is usually up to date with StackSocial.
But you do usually get a discount as a first time buyer.

www.stacksocial.com

Microsoft-Verified Partner! Upgrade Your Windows OS and Enjoy Enhanced UI, Better Multitasking, and Improved Security

<p>Microsoft-Verified Partner! Upgrade Your Windows OS and Enjoy Enhanced UI, Better Multitasking, and Improved Security</p>
www.stacksocial.com www.stacksocial.com
Click to expand...
Thanks. Looks like i won't be needing
kevinboardley said:
And thank you for responding. It isn't that I'm refusing to listen, I'm trying to understand. But bludgeoning people with your greater understanding rather than trying to lead them out of their confusion from where they are, may not be the best way. This is all quite complicated, less so than it used to be clearly. So sorry for not keeping up with the detail. Like most people I just try to get through it, every few years when I have too, and almost anything that I've ever learned about what to do and what not to do, including all the 'retail /oem' licencing stuff was from the ten forums. Things have moved on. Sorry for not keeping up or immediately understanding what you were saying.
Click to expand...
Probably the seven forums actually
now....
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro (retail) 23H2 / 26100.4946
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom (Quiet PC)
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 3.8GHz 8C/16T 65w AM4
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK TUF gaming B550M (WI-FI) AM4 Micro-ATX Motherboard
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3200MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated AMD Radeon
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC 2470WNX
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [operating system]
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [Data]
    Samsung 870 EVOPlus 1TB SATA/600 [Data]
    Plus external Samsung 1TB for additional data copies and for Sonos stream
    PSU
    Pure Power 11 400w Quiet PSU PLUS Gold
    Case
    S400 Silencio mATX Quiet PC
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-P12 Redux 12v 900RPM 120mm x2
    Keyboard
    Dell corded usb
    Mouse
    Logitech corded optical
    Internet Speed
    35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Opera, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Malware Bytes
    Other Info
    FTTC 35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
Been doing some more reading. And please, I'm still trying to make sense.
If both my retail windows licences are now connected to my microsoft account, presumably as digital licences, upgraded from 7 to10 (and 11 on my desktop), can I not delete the now defunct laptop from my microsoft account and won't that same version of windows activate on new lap top when I log into my microsoft account?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro (retail) 23H2 / 26100.4946
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom (Quiet PC)
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 3.8GHz 8C/16T 65w AM4
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK TUF gaming B550M (WI-FI) AM4 Micro-ATX Motherboard
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3200MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated AMD Radeon
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC 2470WNX
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [operating system]
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [Data]
    Samsung 870 EVOPlus 1TB SATA/600 [Data]
    Plus external Samsung 1TB for additional data copies and for Sonos stream
    PSU
    Pure Power 11 400w Quiet PSU PLUS Gold
    Case
    S400 Silencio mATX Quiet PC
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-P12 Redux 12v 900RPM 120mm x2
    Keyboard
    Dell corded usb
    Mouse
    Logitech corded optical
    Internet Speed
    35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Opera, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Malware Bytes
    Other Info
    FTTC 35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
If it's a proper retail version (not an OEM one) then Windows can legally be transferred to a new machine -- For activation you might have to do it by phone if that option still exists any more.

If it's an OEM license then chances are it won't work - but you never know your luck !!!

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-release 45
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    2 X Intel i7
    Screen Resolution
    4KUHD X 2
jimbo45 said:
If it's a proper retail version (not an OEM one) then Windows can legally be transferred to a new machine -- For activation you might have to do it by phone if that option still exists any more.

If it's an OEM license then chances are it won't work - but you never know your luck !!!

Cheers
jimbo
Click to expand...
Thanks. It's a full pro retail standalone version. I have two, one for my laptop and one for my pc, both first obtained as windows 7 retail boxes, then upgraded to win10 (and win 11 on my desktop). And then both installed (or activated) on more than one machine over the years (have changed both laptop and PC in that time). In the past I have tended to do clean installs rather than windows upgrades. From what antspnats said I am assuming that both these are now registered as transferable digital licences...?

Both current devices are listed in my microsoft account, my desktop and the now defunct laptop.

So where I am now, given the responses here so far, is that as I cannot get into my laptop to 'deactivate' windows there (assuming that is necessary), and what I am trying to work out is if I can just unlink this kaput laptop device from my windows account and then use the licence on a new PC by doing clean install with my microsoft account...?

I am aware that antspants has said that this is not necessary and that there is "no point". If I understand correctly that is on the basis that basis that if I buy a new laptop with windows 11, that can then be transferred to a new machine in the same way through my microsoft account...??

But I am still not sure.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro (retail) 23H2 / 26100.4946
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom (Quiet PC)
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 3.8GHz 8C/16T 65w AM4
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK TUF gaming B550M (WI-FI) AM4 Micro-ATX Motherboard
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3200MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated AMD Radeon
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC 2470WNX
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [operating system]
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [Data]
    Samsung 870 EVOPlus 1TB SATA/600 [Data]
    Plus external Samsung 1TB for additional data copies and for Sonos stream
    PSU
    Pure Power 11 400w Quiet PSU PLUS Gold
    Case
    S400 Silencio mATX Quiet PC
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-P12 Redux 12v 900RPM 120mm x2
    Keyboard
    Dell corded usb
    Mouse
    Logitech corded optical
    Internet Speed
    35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Opera, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Malware Bytes
    Other Info
    FTTC 35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
kevinboardley said:
Thanks. It's a full pro retail standalone version. I have two, one for my laptop and one for my pc, both first obtained as windows 7 retail boxes, then upgraded to win10 (and win 11 on my desktop). And then both installed (or activated) on more than one machine over the years (have changed both laptop and PC in that time). In the past I have tended to do clean installs rather than windows upgrades. From what antspnats said I am assuming that both these are now registered as transferable digital licences...?

Both current devices are listed in my microsoft account, my desktop and the now defunct laptop.

So where I am now, given the responses here so far, is that as I cannot get into my laptop to 'deactivate' windows there (assuming that is necessary), and what I am trying to work out is if I can just unlink this kaput laptop device from my windows account and then use the licence on a new PC by doing clean install with my microsoft account...?

I am aware that antspants has said that this is not necessary and that there is "no point". If I understand correctly that is on the basis that basis that if I buy a new laptop with windows 11, that can then be transferred to a new machine in the same way through my microsoft account...??

But I am still not sure.
Click to expand...
You don´t need to "deactivate" the old Windows -- simply if you still have a backup - restore to the new machine and just go to activate windows - or if you know the product key choose enter product key if you are asked to re-acticate windows.

You might need also to update drivers -- windows update does a pretty good job these days when restoring to different hardware - but you should at least be able to get a "bootable Windows system" without having to do a clean install.

Other than that I've no idea - except a full retail license can be moved to a different machine. The only restriction is that you can only use ONE licensed version of Windows at a time -- so if you have 97 machines -- you can only use 1 at a time !!!.


Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-release 45
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    2 X Intel i7
    Screen Resolution
    4KUHD X 2
Just found my showkeyplus info for the kaput laptop

It litsts
Product Name: Windows 10 Pro

Version: 18362.476 (64-bit OS)

Product ID:

Installed Key:

OEM Key:

OEM Edition: Win 10 RTM Core OEM - machine was bought with windows 10 home
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro (retail) 23H2 / 26100.4946
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom (Quiet PC)
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 3.8GHz 8C/16T 65w AM4
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK TUF gaming B550M (WI-FI) AM4 Micro-ATX Motherboard
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3200MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated AMD Radeon
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC 2470WNX
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [operating system]
    Samsung 970 EVOPlus 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (3500/3200) [Data]
    Samsung 870 EVOPlus 1TB SATA/600 [Data]
    Plus external Samsung 1TB for additional data copies and for Sonos stream
    PSU
    Pure Power 11 400w Quiet PSU PLUS Gold
    Case
    S400 Silencio mATX Quiet PC
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-P12 Redux 12v 900RPM 120mm x2
    Keyboard
    Dell corded usb
    Mouse
    Logitech corded optical
    Internet Speed
    35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Opera, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Malware Bytes
    Other Info
    FTTC 35 Mbps / 9 Mbps
kevinboardley said:
Because I already have a windows, pro license (originally windows 7) since used as windows 19 pro digital license. So why wouldn't I? Not to mention that laptops installed with pro licenses usually cost more and that I dint have to keep buying new windows licenses.
Click to expand...
The free upgrade is over. Your originally windows 7 license can't be used on Win 10 or Win 11 anymore.

If you want to do a Win 11 clean install to get rid of those bloatware that comes with OEM computers:
- Backup all your OEM Win 11 drivers
- Do a Win 11 clean install . It will install same version (home or pro) that came with the laptop and will activate. Install missing or update the drivers using the backup created.
- Load it with your data files.

You current SSD is useless as it is probably a SATA SSD and the one on the new computer will be a M.2 NVMe SSD, but you can put the SATA SSD on an enclosure and clone it to the new NVMe SSD or generate a a drive image.

- Backup all your OEM Win 11 drivers
- Restore the SATA Win 10 drive image on the new laptop or clone the current SATA SSD to the new NVMe SSD. Install missing or update the drivers using the backup created.
- If your new laptop came with Win 11 Home it won't activate. Downgrade to Win 10 home or use a new Win 10 or win 11 pro key.
- Upgrade to Win 11
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro - Windows 7 HP 64 - Lubuntu
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    custom build
    CPU
    i5 6600K - 800MHz to 4400MHz
    Motherboard
    GA-Z170-HD3P
    Memory
    4+4G GSkill DDR4 3000
    Graphics Card(s)
    IG - Intel 530
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 226BW
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    (1) -1 SM951 – 128GB M.2 AHCI PCIe SSD drive for Win 11
    (2) -1 WD SATA 3 - 1T for Data
    (3) -1 WD SATA 3 - 1T for backup
    (4) -1 BX500 SSD - 256G for Windows 7 and Lubuntu
    PSU
    Thermaltake 450W TR2 gold
    Keyboard
    Old and good Chicony mechanical keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech mX performance - 9 buttons (had to disable some)
    Internet Speed
    500 Mb/s
    Browser
    Firefox 64
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus Q550LF
    CPU
    i7-4500U 800- 3000MHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Q550LF
    Memory
    (4+4)G DDR3 1600
    Graphics card(s)
    IG intel 4400 + NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG Display LP156WF4-SPH1
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    BX500 120G SSD for Windows and programs
    & 1T HDD for data
    Internet Speed
    500 Mb/s
    Browser
    Firefox 64
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