Retail Channel and Generic Keys questions

Rethink · Jun 2, 2023

Hello everyone. I would like some help.

I work for a company and I have a client who requested 10 computers with Windows 11 Pro installed.
I bought 10x Windows 10 Pro Digital Licenses from Retail and I used them to activate Windows on each PC.

Now, the problem is my client wants to check the key that was installed on each machine. The thing is when he uses a command like "slmgr /dli" or a third-party software he just sees the generic key (the one ending in "3V66T") and that the key is retail_channel.

We tried various commands and software, as well as try to see if the key was installed in the firmware but we cannot find it anywhere. So now, he believes that we tricked him and used pirated keys or something.
I even tried "slmgr /ipk key" but there is an error that says the key is invalid. The machines are costumed built with hardware I bought myself. (if that plays any role). Of course Windows 11 control panel says that Windows are activated with a digital license and everything works correctly.

My questions are:
1) Is it possible to see exactly what key I used for each machine so we can solve this, I have saved all the keys I used but we just can't find it anywhere on the machine so I cannot prove to him that these keys are genuine...
2) Why is that retail channel shows a generic key but the other machines I have are OEM channel with the correct key?
3) If there is no way to see the key I used (cause it is just saved on Microsoft servers for example) is there an official document by Microsoft that I can use it as proof that, let's say, retail keys are not shown in OS or firmware.
4) Is it possible that I just bought bad keys or something? I live in Europe btw and there are many lawful stores that sell such keys.
5) Is there a problem that I used Windows 10 keys to activate Windows 11 OS?

Thank you in advance..

cereberus · Jun 2, 2023

1. Use showkeyplus - it may identify keys you used

2. If the pc does not have an embedded oem key, you will only see the generic key. Activation changed years ago from key licences to digital licences stored online. The key is only really used now to confirm you have a valid licence and activation is by digital licence.

3.Unlikely but it is well explained on many websites.

4. Hard to say - if they were full price almost certainly legit. If they were very cheap, who knows. The main point is key only has to work once and when you get a digital licence (tied to hardware), it is there forever even if qualifying key you used to get the digital licence gets blocked.

5. No - Windows 10/11 digital licences are 100% interchangeable.

pparks1 · Jun 2, 2023

I guess I would say to the customer, look here is the receipt and the proof that I bought these licenses. Provide the end-user with those license keys, perhaps a copy of the receipt to purchase them.

End of the day, I would expect your Company to stand behind the service and the products that you sold to the customer. If they have a problem, seems like they would reach out to your company to address the issue if they later aren't working.

Rethink · Jun 2, 2023

Thank you for your replies.
I will try the showkeyplus when I go back at work in a few days.

So If I understand this correctly, and please someone correct me if I am wrong.
There are two kind of keys (except volume licenses and stuff like that). The OEM and the retails ones.

OEM keys are tied to the hardware and can only be used there, these are the ones I usually find on prebuilt computers from major brands. Many times they are stored in the firmware if the firmware supports it, and these are the ones you can easily identify with commands and software.

Retail keys on the other hand are now digital licenses? You use it once, a digital license is created and your hardware is linked with this key on the Microsoft Activation servers. Windows OS stores a generic key for.. reasons. You can though transfer it to another computer if you deactivate it from the first one and then use it to the new one (?).

The keys I bought were not that cheap, but I was just provided with the keys from the retailer, no microsoft package or sticker, is there a problem with that? Correct me again if I am wrong but I think that you can also resell keys if you don't use them anymore? In europe at least? So.. if I was successful on activating them, there was noone else using them right? Just in case there is some foul play.

What happens when I use a retail key on a second computer? Will I get an error? I am also gonna try this one at work and see what happens.

Of course my company will take responsibility if something goes wrong, and I already supplied the receipt as proof that I bought them, but if there is an official document explaining how digital licenses work (and that they are not appearing in the OS) I would really like to see it. In the future I might have more clients with the same questions and I want to be able to handle that correctly.

pparks1 · Jun 2, 2023

Piggybacking off this thread, as I found an interesting situation at home on my little BeeLink Mini-PC.

So i bought a Beelink mini PC from Amazon about 18 months ago. It came with Windows 10 Pro pre-installled on it. I've had no issues whatsoever installing WIndows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro. Both activate just fine. If I check Activation status it's activated with a digital license linked to my MS account.

What surprised me a bit today, is I ran slrmgr.vbs /dli and was a little surprised that my OEM hardware has a Retail key on it. I figure it's a small Chinese outfit and the key is potentially not completely legit. (it really can't be for the price of the Mini-pc...but that's another story).

Anyway, since it's retail, I guess i "could" move it to another computer if I chose to do so. I would think my only option would be to work with the online Microsoft activation thing, since I don't have the original product key used on this device to activate it.

NavyLCDR · Jun 2, 2023

Your customer is just going to have to accept the fact that that is the way Microsoft Digital Licensing works for Windows 10/11. It is extremely rare that the computer will retrain unique product keys entered by the user to activate Windows 10 or 11 with. In most situations, Microsoft will discard the original product key used to activate Windows 10/11 and assign the generic product key instead. If the customer insists on claiming that you illegitimately activated Windows 10/11 on the computers, then tell them to take it up with Microsoft. Microsoft will tell them that everything is normal and acting in the way that Microsoft has intended it to work. Find Microsoft's number for your location and give it to them.

BTW - regarding the OEM v. Retail issue - you can change activation channels simply by changing the generic product key. Change the product key to VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T and your activated Windows 10/11 Pro will move to the retail channel. Change the product key to NF6HC-QH89W-F8WYV-WWXV4-WFG6P, and your activated Windows 10/11 Pro will move to the OEM channel.

Scott · Jun 2, 2023

cereberus said:
2. If the pc does not have an embedded oem key, you will only see the generic key.

Are there situations where this does not apply, say an upgrade from 10-11? I have no OEM key and still see my original Win 10 key.

Spartan · Jun 3, 2023

Rethink said:
What happens when I use a retail key on a second computer? Will I get an error? I am also gonna try this one at work and see what happens.

First, you need to remove the product key from the current machine if you want to use it on another computer:

Run Command Prompt (Admin)

slmgr.vbs /dlv

You will see a Windows Script Host window open up giving you details about your Windows licensing and activation status. Here look for Activation ID and note it down

Now in the same command prompt window, type the following and hit Enter:

slmgr /upk <Activation ID>

example: slmgr /upk e558417a-5123-4f6f-91e7-385c1c7ca9d4

===========================================================
To install a product key"

slmgr /ipk <Windows Product Key>

===========================================================
To remove a product key from the registry:

slmgr /cpky

Porthos · Jun 3, 2023

Rethink said:
I work for a company and I have a client who requested 10 computers with Windows 11 Pro installed.

That line sounds like the requests I got from time to time from scammers that want the computers either shipped to them or will have their carrier pick them up and want to send you a check to pay for them and they want to send you a large payment and have you refund the difference.

The check will bounce or be canceled after you send them the refund.

Were these custom-built computers ao name-brand Dell or the like?

Rethink · Jun 3, 2023

Porthos said:
Were these custom-built computers ao name-brand Dell or the like?

No, there is definitely no scam involved between us. The computers were custom-built with specific parts because the client had specific requirements(cpu, gpu etc). Our only problem is to prove to him I didn't scam him in any way concerning the keys. I will follow your advice though, I already have sent him the invoice which shows I bought them legally and I will give him Microsoft's phone number if he wants to ask them how licenses work.

NavyLCDR said:
It is extremely rare that the computer will retrain unique product keys entered by the user to activate Windows 10 or 11 with. In most situations, Microsoft will discard the original product key used to activate Windows 10/11 and assign the generic product key instead.

I really don't understand these sentences. If I use a product key I bought, is there a small chance that it will be used as is and a bigger chance that it will assign a generic key?

This is really confusing for me. I see that there are different ways to acquire product keys. I see retailers selling cheap ones, I see retailers selling more expensive ones, I see small packets with stickers called Windows 11 Pro DSP. What is the difference between them? Do all these keys belong to the retail channel? Does every channel has its own keys? Or maybe every key can be used differently?

I have a laptop with a key here, activated with a digital license, slmgr /dli says that I am on retail channel and shows generic key. I just run slmgr /ipk "key", now it shows I am on OEM channel and shows the correct key? What is going on? Did I just made the key permanent on my laptop and wrote it in firmware? Why this didn't work on their computers when my client tried it?

I really hoped that there must be some good official documention from Microsoft regarding all of this..

Superfly · Jun 3, 2023

Rethink said:
Hello everyone. I would like some help.
I work for a company and I have a client who requested 10 computers with Windows 11 Pro installed.
I bought 10x Windows 10 Pro Digital Licenses from Retail and I used them to activate Windows on each PC.

Now, the problem is my client wants to check the key that was installed on each machine. The thing is when he uses a command like "slmgr /dli" or a third-party software he just sees the generic key (the one ending in "3V66T") and that the key is retail_channel.

We tried various commands and software, as well as try to see if the key was installed in the firmware but we cannot find it anywhere. So now, he believes that we tricked him and used pirated keys or something.
I even tried "slmgr /ipk key" but there is an error that says the key is invalid. The machines are costumed built with hardware I bought myself. (if that plays any role). Of course Windows 11 control panel says that Windows are activated with a digital license and everything works correctly.

My questions are:
1) Is it possible to see exactly what key I used for each machine so we can solve this, I have saved all the keys I used but we just can't find it anywhere on the machine so I cannot prove to him that these keys are genuine...
2) Why is that retail channel shows a generic key but the other machines I have are OEM channel with the correct key?
3) If there is no way to see the key I used (cause it is just saved on Microsoft servers for example) is there an official document by Microsoft that I can use it as proof that, let's say, retail keys are not shown in OS or firmware.
4) Is it possible that I just bought bad keys or something? I live in Europe btw and there are many lawful stores that sell such keys.
5) Is there a problem that I used Windows 10 keys to activate Windows 11 OS?

Thank you in advance..

By Windows 10 Pro Digital License did you get Win 10 keys (if so, check in ShowKeyPlus - and from whom did you purchase them? .. or is this the MS online digital upgrade without a key thingy? Anyway the client should get the Full Packaged Product (FPP) if retail or COA if system builder.

FYI: BTW the key does not get written to the firmware - it's OS based... only OEM factories (not even their service centres) can update the key in the firmware.

Scott said:
Are there situations where this does not apply, say an upgrade from 10-11? I have no OEM key and still see my original Win 10 key.

View attachment 61534

This is interesting - I can't recall testing this.. but given the Product ID that definitely is a Win 10 Pro retail key displayed ..

...not sure if MS changed the activation process, but if so, good on them for retaining the key.