Is a Win10 license obtained by an upgrade of a Retail Win7/8.1 license still retail?

[britechguy]

That's the question. I have also asked this exact question on Tech Support Forums, but there appears to be little overlap in the membership on that site and this one, and I figure someone here may have recent and direct experience with this.

Since a retail license can be ported to as many machines (successively, and only be active on one at any time) over time, the license status as retail is relevant when new hardware is obtained.

I know that Microsoft has a way to move an existing Windows 10 license from one motherboard to another if you have to replace the motherboard on a machine that was already licensed with Windows 10, but that's a completely separate issue. This would be moving it because you've junked the machine to which the license is currently linked and wish to put it on another instead.

If you decide to ditch a computer on which you have a copy of Windows 10 that had its roots in a retail license for an earlier version of Windows, can it still be ported over. I guess I should add if so, how?

I seem to remember that the retail status never drops, but I figure someone here can confirm or refute.

 

[Sky-Knight]

That would be my assumption, that a retail Windows 7 license once upgraded to Windows 10 during the free period... would then be a Retail Windows 10 license. Installing Windows 10 would require manually inputting the Windows 7 key, which works...

Though I do wonder where the activation limits fall on that specifically. At some point one would also assume the license would need replaced. If for no other reason than sanity.

 

[britechguy]

Though I do wonder where the activation limits fall on that specifically. At some point one would also assume the license would need replaced. If for no other reason than sanity.

I imagine that Microsoft can do a license reset whenever they need to. I have seen this done more times than I can count for various pieces of software. It seemed to be very common, at least at one time, for the JAWS screen reader when a user had to do reinstalls (on the same machine) that ran out their limit on times allowed.

 

[Porthos]

You set up Win 10 on the new machine and use the retail 7/8 key to activate. If it fails for some reason call MS.
Make sure it is RETAIL. Verify the box/package it came in.

 

[britechguy]

Gentlemen, I thank you. You're all concurring with what I have every reason to believe, having dealt with this stuff since the mid-1980s.

What I would love to know is if someone's actually tried moving an instance of Windows 10 that has its origins in a Retail Windows 7 or 8.1 license, to another piece of hardware. Also what, if any, complications they encountered.

I fully expect a call to Microsoft will be required. I'd even expect that if the license were originally issues as Windows 10 retail.

 

[Porthos]

What I would love to know is if someone's actually tried moving an instance of Windows 10 that has its origins in a Retail Windows 7 or 8.1 license, to another piece of hardware. Also what, if any, complications they encountered.

If the user has an MS account, The troubleshooter might be able to take care of it. If a local account you will need the 7/8 retail key to reactivate it.
The move issues are just like taking any 10 install and moving it to another computer. MBR-UEFI and so on. Best is always a clean install but you know that.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Windows 10 upgrades take the license of what they upgraded. OEM remains OEM and retail stays retail.

From the Microsoft EULA:

4. Transfer. The provisions of this section do not apply if you acquired the software in Germany or in any of the countries listed on this site (aka.ms/transfer), in which case any transfer of the software to a third party, and the right to use it, must comply with applicable law.

a. Software preinstalled on device. If you acquired the software preinstalled on a device (and also if you upgraded from software preinstalled on a device), you may transfer the license to use the software directly to another user, only with the licensed device. The transfer must include the software and, if provided with the device, an authentic Windows label including the product key. Before any permitted transfer, the other party must agree that this agreement applies to the transfer and use of the software.

b. Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you. You may also transfer the software to a device owned by someone else if (i) you are the first licensed user of the software and (ii) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. You may use the backup copy we allow you to make or the media that the software came on to transfer the software. Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between devices.

 

[britechguy]

@nlinecomputers,

Thank you. Nothing like going to the source!