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I've recently upgraded my computer. My old computer has windows 10 home on it and it was originally windows 7 home.On my previous computer it has To Be Filled By O.E.M.It also says "windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account" . As it was custom built It should still have the license.
For my new computer I installed windows 10 home from my brothers windows 10 boot USB he had. I made extra sure to have both of the computers linked into my Microsoft account and both in fact pop up on manage devices. The new computer and old computer are on manage devices.
However when I go to setting > update and security > activation >troubleshoot > I changed hardware recently >however I don't see the new computer on there.
The new one says Windows 10 Home (10.0.17134.345) on manage devices.
The old one also saws Windows 10 Home (10.0.17134.345) so they are the same . So please if somebody can help I would appreciate greatly.
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Answer accepted by question author
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If the old one shows Filled in by OEM then that licence originated from an OEM licence and cannot be transferred to a new device. You would need a retail licence for that and it doesn't matter if you have it linked to your account or not, it's the type of licence that matters.
You need to buy a new licence.
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Activation depends on what type of license you have of Windows 7/8/10.
If Windows 7/8/10 came preinstalled with the computer, that is called an OEM license. For an OEM license, the license dies as soon as Motherboard dies. So essentially it is non-transferable. If that is the case you need to get a new license.
However, this is not same for retail licenses i.e. you purchased the license through Microsoft store. That does carry transfer rights. If that is the case, please see the below steps:
Run the activation troubleshooter on the new device using the below steps:
Go to Settings>Update and security>Activation and run the troubleshooter.
Select I recently changed hardware on this device.
Please note that Activation troubleshooter requires you to have digital license linked to Microsoft Account.
Alternatively, if that does not help, you would have to call Microsoft Support.
Contact Microsoft using the phone numbers below or use the chat support link(weekdays only)
https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/405170...
https://partner.support.services.microsoft.com/...
Please let us know if you need any assistance.
I don't have the product key for it so I guess I have to get another version. get a retail copy. Aww well thanks anyways.
If you believe it was a retail and you have the product key with you, contacting Microsoft Support would be apt. We Non MS staff can offer limited help in activation.
My windows 7 was a retail version that I installed onto my old computer. Which then it upgraded to windows 10. So did it just make it seems like it was prebuilt into the mother board? and it says windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account. But if that is truly the case its unfortunate but I want to make sure it definitely was the license on my old one that can't transfer or not. Just want closure on this to be honest. Also thanks for the reply
