Licensing clone of retail machine on OEM hardware?

I have a Dell M4800 that is used for weekly live media production. It is Win 10 Pro retail license.

I want to make a second machine to have as a backup. I acquired a second Dell M4800 that has an OEM Win 10 pro license.

Instead of doing a new install on the OEM machine, I cloned the retail machine's drive and put it in the OEM machine. This makes it directly swappable in case the first machine fails. The cloned drive boots in the OEM machine. Now to license it.

I tried using a old Win 7 Pro retail key from a junked computer. Windows said no.

I extracted the OEM key from the OEM M4800 with
> wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
and entered that key in the Activation screen, but Windows said "no" to that, too.

How can I license this OEM machine? Again: it is an OEM machine with a drive cloned from a Retail machine.

If I purchase a retail license, will it work on this OEM machine with the drive cloned from a retail machine?

I know I still have the option of a fresh install followed by hours of careful configuration of the new machine to match the first machine, but I'd rather not go that route.

This is a Windows 11 forum so don't know if it will apply to a Windows 10 machine but generally in times/versions past an OEM version of the software Product Key wouldn't properly install or activate on a Retail version of the software, and the opposite would also apply. I had tried it with a Dell-branded version of Windows 7 on a self-built machine, didn't work. As far as what I've worked on with Win8/8.1 and Win10 there was no COA sticker on the OEM computers, had the requirement built into the BIOS. One might be able to get Win10 working then go into System and locate the Activation then change the product key. The OEM version is intended for only the machine it came with and the Retail version could be used on a Replacement machine but not both at the same time. The free upgrades of Win7/8/8.1 to Win10 have been discontinued, fortunately for me I had already upgraded the machines desired.

Windows 10 and 11 OEM and Retail versions are now completely interchangeable (as long as the edition is the same, Home or Pro, etc.).
What are the results of:
slmgr /dlv

Thanks for the reply.

Here is the output of slmgr /dlv:


Also note this is an OEM machine, and OA3xOriginalProductKey returns:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
OA3xOriginalProductKey
VN2BJ-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-VCC7P

which does not correspond to the 3V66T from slmgr /dlv

The machine that is the source of the clone (the "retail machine") also gives /dlv: 3V66T. Which does not correspond to the COA sticker under its battery. If any of this makes sense to you, please explain, because I am confused.

My main question remains:

If I purchase a new Retail key, will it work on this OEM machine with its its cloned Retail drive?

If I spend the money, I want to have some confidence that the money will not be wasted.

Thanks again,
Norm

You need to run the product key that wmic returned through a key checker to see what edition it is for. I recommend showkey plus.

I don't understand why did you change the license key on the second computer. Both has Win 10 pro license so it doesn't matter if it was originally a Retail or OEM.
NavyLCDR is expert but I think that if you change the cloned license to a generic pro license it will activate.

My experience may be relevant to the discussion.

I use a desktop with windows 11profession.

I have a lenovo 14 inch laptop with windows 11 professional.

I only use the laptop during prolonged vacation. I like to clone y desktop system to the Lenovo.

I make and Macrium reflect image and store it on an external ssd.

I then restore the image to my Lenovo laptop.

My desktop is full of icons (old school) and it all identical on the Lenovo.

I have to delete a few small programs. I rename the laptop. It gets activated automatically.

I am attaching a picture of my desktop

Megahertz said:

I don't understand why did you change the license key on the second computer. Both has Win 10 pro license so it doesn't matter if it was originally a Retail or OEM.
NavyLCDR is expert but I think that if you change the cloned license to a generic pro license it will activate.

Click to expand...

The product key will change to the generic on its own due to any one of a number of reasons. Another MS mystery.