Need advice on transferring Windows 10 from old PC to a newer PC

[ravisunny2]

Hi,

I am about to move my retail version of Windows 10 to another newer PC.

The newer PC does not have any OS. It has a brand new SSD.

I have double-checked that my Windows 10 is indeed a retail version using the “slmgr /dlv.”

There is already considerable information of this topic on the internet.

Still I need to be double sure I proceed the right way because I don’t want to mess things up.

1) Can I first install my copy of Windows 10 on the newer PC first and activate it before removing the license from the older PC?

The answer seems straightforward except for an article I read of the internet where removal first caused a major problem.

The message there is “Note: We previously recommended that you remove the old PC from your Microsoft account before transferring your license and this worked for us in tests. However, we heard from some readers that they were unable to activate their new computers after this or to get the old PC back on license. So don't try to deactivate your old PC, at least until you have successfully deactivated [activated?] the new one.”

https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to...With a regular license, you,it on the new one

2) I have the original product key, but I also have my OS linked to a Microsoft hotmail (outlook) account. I could use the Microsoft account for activation except that my password is rather long and difficult to type in.

Can I use the original product key for activation?

BTW, when I tried to get the product key using some software, the key is different from the original one I got at the time I purchased Windows 10.

Thank you,
Ravi

 

[Gabriel Pike]

The answer is, it depends. It depends on how windows was activated to begin with as to how well it will transfer. In theory, you should be able to install windows and sign in with the account that has the windows license. This has not always worked for me in practice. At worst case install windows on the new PC and run it without a license. Windows will still work but you will have the watermark. Otherwise there are many resellers of windows keys for a fraction of the retail cost.

 

[comnut]

It would be simpler to just image your original drive, then *everything* will go over..
BUT most good imaging software needs paying for..
EVEN the 'free' ones.... I was there, selected all the bits, ready to set it going and ' please input password'..???

clonezilla is another good one, but it's very long technical, lots of switches that could go VERY wrong, etc etc...

 

[Mark Fuller]

Did the original license come from the microsoft store or did it come with the pc when you bought it. If you bought it online from the microsoft store you don't need any license key, which is why I am unsure of how you came to purchase it, unless it was from a third party. How did you get the license key originally?

 

[spottedme]

Yes, you can install Windows 10 on the new PC and activate it before removing the license from the old one. Just make sure the new activation goes through successfully. That advice you mentioned about not deactivating the old PC first is spot on—better safe than sorry!