1

I recently upgraded from windows 7 Ultimate to windows 10 Pro. My question is- How to re-install windows 10 pro after wiping the HDD without losing my license? Where are the activation files to take backup?

Note: I have already taken backup of my previous windows 7 activation files using this method. Should I try the same exact method for windows 10 activation files? Will it work?

Note 2: I have the product key from previous windows.

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

You can directly install Windows 10 (from version 1511 released on November 2015) using your Windows 7 Product key.

Regarding the activation, as you already migrated your PC to Windows 10, Microsoft stored a numeric signature of your PC Hardware linked to your license.

This means that it will recognize your PC and will re-activate it (it must be the same hardware).

Improve this answer
4
  • Is there any way to activate it offline after re-installation(like the link I shared for windows 7)? because I think if I activate online too many times on same hardware microsoft will require me to do a phone call to authenticate and I would like to avoid that
    – Najeeb Taher
    Mar 4, 2016 at 15:11
  • Why do you want to avoid a free call to Microsoft that will solve your activation limit if there is still any ?
    – nex84
    Mar 4, 2016 at 16:16
  • anonymity? -_- I am just asking whether there is a way to offline activate win 10 after re installation like we could do it in win 7.
    – Najeeb Taher
    Mar 4, 2016 at 19:09
  • Microsoft product activation is handled by Microsoft servers. You can (as Windows 7) activate online or by phone (it seems that phone activation doesn't work for Windows 10 yet). By the way, it remains activated even if you are offline after the first activation. As far as I know In Windows 10 (at least), the activation is checked periodically so the activation may be deactivate after a while. Regarding anonymity, Microsoft will gather and link your product key license and the hardware numeric signature of your PC. That's all.
    – nex84
    Mar 7, 2016 at 8:59

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .