Windows 10 Digital Activation between two similar computers

LordX

LordX

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Hey guys,

I have two systems that a customer built - extremely similar systems, each activated with a Digital License of Windows 10 Home (NOT tied to any MS account).

One system (his most critical) had the motherboard die, and he asked me to simply swap the hard drive from that one to the other. No problem. Boots fine and all his files/programs are now accessible.

Problem is, since the swap, Windows is now showing as NOT activated. Even though this motherboard is clearly digitally licensed. If I put the old drive back in, Activated...

A reformat is not an option at this point - so how can I have the Win10 installation detect the digital license of this motherboard?

Reinstalling windows 10 on a motherboard with a digital license never has given me issues, but this straight swap is.

I googled about resetting windows activation - and the only article was from windows 7 - the command: slmgr /upk which is for 'uninstall product key'.

Will this work for Digital Activation too?

Anyone ever run into this scenario?
 
So long story short, link the digital activation on the old hard drive to a MS account - then do the activation troubleshooter on the new/replacement hard drive after it is installed...
 
Maybe a silly question - but this customer has local accounts only on both drives (and likes it that way). Linking the digital license wont force the user login to MS Account mode will it?
 
LordX said:
Maybe a silly question - but this customer has local accounts only on both drives (and likes it that way). Linking the digital license wont force the user login to MS Account mode will it?
Click to expand...
You could always return to a local account and check if activation holds.
1675478015462.png
 
britechguy said:
Belarc Advisor pulls this when you run it, or did up through 2022 at least.
Click to expand...
Depends, it gets replaced by the generic key when activated at least I have seen it happen. Been awhile though.
If it is this key it is the generic key for Home. YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
 
This is what Belarc shows for this machine, from early 2022, well before my Win11 in-place upgrade:
Microsoft - Windows 10 Home (prior license) 00342-20100-00000-AAOEM (Key: G4K2H-KTNGB-6KBBF-2R8WX-MG92J)
Microsoft - Windows 10 Home (prior license) 00342-20100-02020-AAOEM (Key: 3NVVJ-F9YX3-Y6628-B9GW7-X77CJ)
Microsoft - Windows 10 Professional (x64) 00330-80952-38641-AA625 (Key: DXCVN-D3MQF-QRH7B-FJJFV-94R9G)

And, from mere moments ago:
Microsoft - Windows 10 Home (prior license) 00342-20100-02020-AAOEM (Key: 3NVVJ-F9YX3-Y6628-B9GW7-X77CJ)
Microsoft - Windows 10 Home (prior license) 00342-20100-00000-AAOEM (Key: G4K2H-KTNGB-6KBBF-2R8WX-MG92J)
Microsoft - Windows 10 Pro (prior license) 00330-80952-38641-AA024 (Key: DXCVN-D3MQF-QRH7B-FJJFV-94R9G)
Microsoft - Windows 11 Professional (x64) 00330-80952-38641-AA499 (Key: DXCVN-D3MQF-QRH7B-FJJFV-94R9G)

I have no idea whatsoever why 2 Windows 10 Home licenses are listed, although this machine was a refurb, so it could be that there's the "as born with" and a later "after refurb by HP" license.
 
nlinecomputers said:
And this exact problem is why you DO want a Microsoft Account on your PC. You can retrieve your keys with it.
Click to expand...

Small addition: And you want it there from the moment you are doing OOBE.

If, for some reason(s) that remain unfathomable to me, an end user insists that they want a local account only for daily use, then, by all means, set one up for them for that purpose AFTER the machine has initially been configured with a Microsoft Account linked Windows user account where the MS Account is known to the person who is the owner of the computer.

This is what I do because I have seen, too many times, clients have to go through hell with Windows licensing and M365, etc., because they're terrible record keepers. The least we can do is something that makes restoration of the machine to their ownership easy in the case of something like a motherboard replacement.

I find it so weird, really weird, that almost every user I know of that insists on a local account then goes about logging into OneDrive, Edge, etc. If your stated concern is "privacy" you gain zero by manually logging in to Microsoft services versus having automatic login occur because the Microsoft Account and the Windows user account are linked.

The resistance to Microsoft Account linked Windows accounts makes no sense, none, if the person uses Microsoft services while logged in to a local account. What "Microsoft knows" in either of those conditions is virtually the same. There's probably a number of insignificant differences, but you're certainly not hiding anything from Microsoft via the use of a local account then logging in to Microsoft services by hand. The pièce de résistance being that you're using - wait for it - a Microsoft Account do to that logging in by hand.
 
britechguy said:
Small addition: And you want it there from the moment you are doing OOBE.

If, for some reason(s) that remain unfathomable to me, an end user insists that they want a local account only for daily use, then, by all means, set one up for them for that purpose AFTER the machine has initially been configured with a Microsoft Account linked Windows user account where the MS Account is known to the person who is the owner of the computer.

This is what I do because I have seen, too many times, clients have to go through hell with Windows licensing and M365, etc., because they're terrible record keepers. The least we can do is something that makes restoration of the machine to their ownership easy in the case of something like a motherboard replacement.

I find it so weird, really weird, that almost every user I know of that insists on a local account then goes about logging into OneDrive, Edge, etc. If your stated concern is "privacy" you gain zero by manually logging in to Microsoft services versus having automatic login occur because the Microsoft Account and the Windows user account are linked.

The resistance to Microsoft Account linked Windows accounts makes no sense, none, if the person uses Microsoft services while logged in to a local account. What "Microsoft knows" in either of those conditions is virtually the same. There's probably a number of insignificant differences, but you're certainly not hiding anything from Microsoft via the use of a local account then logging in to Microsoft services by hand. The pièce de résistance being that you're using - wait for it - a Microsoft Account do to that logging in by hand.
Click to expand...
Well the few clients that I have that insist on no Microsoft Account avoid the services as well. But then they marry Google’s ecosystem which I think is worse at respecting your privacy. #SMH

I want to use local accounts on setup only because I often don’t know if the client already has a Microsoft Account and stumbling on passwords in the middle of an install on my bench is just a horrendous disruption of workflow. I want the systems prepared as much as possible before deploying so that time on site is minimal. A local account lets me install any and all 3rd party software.
 
@nlinecomputers

Which makes sense for the way you work, and I get that.

Since my business model is primarily, "I come to you and do the work in your home or office," the person who owns the machine is present, even if that's via, "Can you come over here for a minute?"

These days, though, I simply presume that any Windows computer I get that is a drop-off will have an MS Account Linked Windows user account, and acquisition of password information for access is part of the intake.

We are in the era of MS Account Linked Windows user accounts, like it or not, so I've adapted to that fact whether I'm on-site or not. I presume I'm going to need a password, even for machines with local accounts. And were someone to ask me to do a setup off-site for a completely new machine, MS account and password are part of the intake on that, too.
 
britechguy said:
@nlinecomputers

Which makes sense for the way you work, and I get that.

Since my business model is primarily, "I come to you and do the work in your home or office," the person who owns the machine is present, even if that's via, "Can you come over here for a minute?"

These days, though, I simply presume that any Windows computer I get that is a drop-off will have an MS Account Linked Windows user account, and acquisition of password information for access is part of the intake.

We are in the era of MS Account Linked Windows user accounts, like it or not, so I've adapted to that fact whether I'm on-site or not. I presume I'm going to need a password, even for machines with local accounts. And were someone to ask me to do a setup off-site for a completely new machine, MS account and password are part of the intake on that, too.
Click to expand...
Oh I try to gather that information but if it’s a new PC trying to get Microsoft Account information before delivery is very off putting. When the client is looking over your shoulder at the prompt they get it. Explaining that you will need to do it doesn’t seem to connect until it’s staring them in the face.
 
nlinecomputers said:
Explaining that you will need to do it doesn’t seem to connect until it’s staring them in the face.
Click to expand...

Interesting, as I don't often have that. But I think part of that is because a great many of my new machine setups that are occurring off-site are for individuals who already use an MS linked Win account on their existing equipment. They're aware of the existence of the link, and thus know that it needs to be established, again, on the new equipment.

Though I'll be the first to admit that this is a tiny, tiny, tiny minority of the fresh setups I ever do. Almost all of them occur on site.
 
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