Share via

Installing Windows 10 on a new hard drive

Anonymous
2019-05-18T23:52:41+00:00

I am installing a new SSD on my wife's computer and she wants a fresh install rather than transferring everything over.  I have everything ready to go, but have a few questions about the product key for Windows 10.  It is activated with a digital licence linked to her Microsoft Account.

Is the correct product key the one in System information?

Do I need to deactivate the key before removing the hard drive?  Note that the old HDD will no longer be used at all.

Is there anything I need to do before or after installing and using the product key?

Thank you for your help

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Licensing and activation

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2019-05-19T03:05:30+00:00

    Licensing and activation work differently in Windows 10. I'll explain with a metaphor:

    Say you're going to a museum. You present the ticket-taker with your ticket, after which the ticket-taker stamps your hand, allowing you to enter and re-enter the museum without needing a ticket.

    Your license is the ticket. Your hand stamp is the activation. The license gives you the right to be activated, and once you are activated, your activation is valid forever. You no longer need your license.

    In your case, your computer has already been activated. Installing your SSD won't change that, because once your computer is activated it will always be activated. So you no longer need to enter your license.

    Or as my teenager would say: You're in, bro.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Brian Tillman 25,465 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2019-05-19T00:02:31+00:00

    Changing the hard drive should not affect the licensing of Windows. If you use the same Microsoft account you used initially, the licensing server should detect that it's the same PC and Windows should activate. See if this article is helpful: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/400073....

    This article, from a non-Microsoft web site may also be of help: https://www.easeus.com/backup-recovery/how-to-i.... while it's not Microsoft, I believe it to be reliable.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. DaveM121 884.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2019-05-19T08:53:36+00:00

    Hi, you can reinstall Windows 10 at any time and it will not cost you anything !

    Since you previously had Windows 10 installed and activated on that PC during the installation process skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 10 on this PC', and activation will not be an issue, your PC will have a digital entitlement stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers

    Make sure you install the same Edition of Windows 10 (Home, Pro . . . etc.) you previously had installed to avoid Activation issues

    Click this link:

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-downlo...

    to download the Media Creation Tool (Click on Download Tool Now), with that you can download the latest Windows 10 ISO (Select Create Installation Media for Another PC), you can create a bootable USB flash drive (min 8GB) using that tool

    Then, Boot your PC from the Installation Media you just created (change Boot Order in your BIOS) to begin installing Windows 10

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments