[WIN10] Changing hardware and reinstalling system

[MaSSive]

Here is the deal.

I am expecting new parts for the PC, and I got new mainboard, CPU and RAM. Practically this is almost new PC so to say since none of the main components are kept, with exception of GPU and drives which is irrelevant anyway for what I want to achieve.

Microsoft offered a free upgrade to WIN10 which I did as many others. I upgraded from legit retail copy of WIN7.

But the situation now is that if I change the hardware I would have to go trough the same procedure, granted it is still an option to upgrade, and I would rather avoid that. Is that possible?

From what I learned upgrade copies of WIN10 dont have cd keys but your hardware, and in particlar mainboard-cpu config is given a PID and by that its registered to KMS servers. And basically if I change mainboard and cpu or just any of those my free licence will no longer work and WIN10 will not activate automatically.

There is a way to create install USB/DVD media directly over Microsoft and you can choose to create install media for the PC you are going to reinstall, but that obviously wont work and my system wont activate.

I have learned that there is a key after all, its just hidden. I have extracted my key but I am not sure if that would work or not? I would try to avoid having to reinstall system multiple times to learn this, so I was hoping if anyone else has tried this and had any success with it?


useful links:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softwar ... /windows10

How to Use Your Free Windows 10 License After Changing Your PC?s Hardware

One of the comments on the web

I have upgraded to Windows 10 from 7, attempted to reinstall using the Windows 10 media creator tool's iso, after the reinstall Windows 10 will not activate. Attempted to use the product key pulled out of previous upgrade, and the product key comes up as invalid. Contacted M$ tech support to ask "WTF?" and was told that the key was now invalid and that I had to re-install 7 and then re-upgrade it... SO after the 29th of July 2016, we are all going to be SOL if we need to reinstall, unless M$ changes their policy. This is not opinion, this is the result of my own real world testing. M$ cast 10 out like bait, and most of us bit, a year from now they will be reeling in their catch. Well played MS, well played.

[PLODDITHANLEY]

I made sure to buy a retail w10 when I put together my new PC to hopefully avoid this, but my other upgraded to 10 from a win7 OEM (mistake I didn't know itself an update from Vista) Is locked so when the mobo dies and assuming I'm not going to repair it - it's gone.

I would be sad if in your case they won't let you reinstall as you updated from retail version.

I was under the impression w10 created a new key have you tried belarc that reliably shows keys.

Worst case sell your mobo and HD with w10 or just reinstall 7?

[MaSSive]

Well worst case would be for the parts to be terribly late and by that I mean after that 1yr free upgrade expires which is on 29th July?

Appart from that looks like I will have to install Win7 and then do crapload of updating until I can upgrade to win10... its going be pain in the arse..

I got win10 key extracted but people saying its not working I dont know if it works or not, yet to see. I used Nirsoft cd key veiwer

[PLODDITHANLEY]

I would try a direct 10 install and talk to MS as in my experience they're pretty cool in a clear cut case like you.

[MaSSive]

Yeah I might try that and see if it activates automatically, and if not Ill try to install WIN7 retail key, if that fails Ill see with MS support. Aaand if that fails, I will nuke all and go the harder path....

[MaSSive]

Update from me. It worked.

The long story. I havent installed Win7 but went straight with Win10. I created the install USB drive from the MS tool, and havent changed anything ( language, or version, keep all as it is detected ).

Now comes a part that might not be needed but I will not explain it here since its a bit hacky but nothing illegal. See this tutorial about it. As per instructions there I saved the file on the USB stick I created, but you can save it anywhere you want, just dont save it on system drive because next step is to nuke it! But before that make sure to create BACKUP!!!111

Next thing is the hardware upgrade. I replaced all parts yada yada, wont talk much about it, and had it started, configured mainboard, cpu and ram and set USB stick as boot drive in Bios/Uefi. Disconnect the internet! Important part so dont skip it!

Boot from your stick, install Win10 ( dont change language or anything elese related ) and it wil ask for cd key. Skip that and choose "I dont have it" or something like that. It will proceed with install. From this point on you can configure all as you wish. Dont link you MS ( outlook ) account just yet and it would likely not work since the internet is not connected!

Boot to your new system, and dont connect to internet just yet. As per instructions at the topic I linked above, copy your previously created file to the folder as per instructions. Now install drivers and make sure to reboot before you do a final step and connect to the internet.

With file in place, and with reboot you did after placing it there, connect to the internet and wait for activation. It should look like this now >


NOTE: This might not be needed but I wanted to avoid having to call MS support abroad since those toll-free numbers dont work for me. But this worked flawlessly. I dont know if it is needed or not but as you can see I have windows 10 activated without inserting any keys or doing a lenghty upgrade from win7 retail. And all that after the harware has been severily upgraded.

I am not sure if that has to do something with platform like if you have win10 currently installed and activated on AMD and do upgrade to Intel, but I will never know since I kept with AMD.

Also you can do this file thing from activatd win7/8/8.1 just make sure you pass validation process.

[PLODDITHANLEY]

So you have since connected to the internet? The amount of carp MS are getting about the enforced 10 upgrades I think they'll let you right now.

Thanks for the post I really need to do a fresh 10 on my updated from 7 portable.

[MaSSive]

Of course. It activated itself after I connected to the internet. Just follow th etutorial from th elink I posted and it will work 100%. Make sure you do it before 29th July. I have no idea what will happen then but this might no longer work. Who knows.

If you have legitimate system and its Win7/8/8.1 or you already have Win10 as free upgrade just follow tutorial and it will work. You can make this file on any of these systems as long as you pass validation.

If you ar enot changing hardware and have already upgraded to win10 you dont need this file. Just make install USB or DVD and do a clean install and dont insert any keys when prompted and it will activate automatically.