Win 10 key

[HypedKid]

Is true that if I delete windows and install it again on same pc,  key will be not needed again?

[LukeNukem9]

2 minutes ago, HypedKid said:

Is true that if I delete windows and install it again on same pc,  key will be not needed again?

How would that work? you can link microsoft accounts with your old and new install then it might work.  

[paddy-stone]

Shouldn't do, but just make a backup of the key just in case. There's software that can show you your keys like this  https://www.abelssoft.de/en/windows/Helpers/MyKeyFinder

[HypedKid]

Just now, LukeTheCoder05 said:

How would that work? you can link microsoft accounts with your old and new install then it might work. 

How??

[Dujith]

5 minutes ago, HypedKid said:

Is true that if I delete windows and install it again on same pc,  key will be not needed again?

Yes, if you did not change anything (MB, CPU, GPU, HDD ect ect) then it will reactivate without any problems.

Edit: Talking about Windows 10

[Radium_Angel]

3 minutes ago, HypedKid said:

Is true that if I delete windows and install it again on same pc,  key will be not needed again?

It depends. If it's an off-the-shelf buy like Dell or HP< then the key is typically stored in BIOS, and yes, you can wipe and re-install without issue. If it's a custom build, then no, you'll still need the key

[paddy-stone]

1 minute ago, LukeTheCoder05 said:

How would that work? you can link microsoft accounts with your old and new install then it might work.  

Saved on the motherboard, on some anyway.

[HypedKid]

2 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Saved on the motherboard, on some anyway.

I read somewhere that Microsoft saves the system info and recognises it

[LukeNukem9]

3 minutes ago, HypedKid said:

How??

best bet is to search it or ask some else here. i personally don't know as i've been running unactivated windows for almost a year now.

[paddy-stone]

1 minute ago, HypedKid said:

I read somewhere that Microsoft saves the system info and recognises it

Yes, that's if you're signed into an MS account, and not a local one IIRC.

[GoodBytes]

3 minutes ago, HypedKid said:

Is true that if I delete windows and install it again on same pc,  key will be not needed again?

If you have a pre-build Windows 10 system  (or 8 if you took advantage of the free upgrade offer when Windows 10 was released) from a large manufacture like Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, etc. then the product key is actually stored in the UEFI.

Windows 10 will just grab it for you and do the activation.

 

If you have a computer that is custom built by you or someone, or an older pre-build system pre-Windows 10:

•  If you have a Microsoft linked account on the system: The product key is sync with it on Microsoft servers. When you clean install, use the same account, Windows 10 will detect a match or close match in hardware, and pull the product key and perform its activation.
• If you have only a local account, then the product key is sync with a unique hardware signature generated by Windows 10 when it was last installed/last hardware change, and if it is an exact match, then it can get it from MS servers and activate.

[HypedKid]

Just now, LukeTheCoder05 said:

best bet is to search it or ask some else here. i personally don't know as i've been running unactivated windows for almost a year now.

@LukeTheCoder05 any performance changes??? I'm thinking about using the inactivated

[HypedKid]

3 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

If you have a pre-build Windows 10 system  (or 8 if you took advantage of the free upgrade offer when Windows 10 was released) from a large manufacture like Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, etc. then the product key is actually stored in the UEFI.

Windows 10 will just grab it for you and do the activation.

 

If you have a computer that is custom built by you or someone, or an older pre-build system pre-Windows 10:

•  If you have a Microsoft linked account on the system: The product key is sync with it on Microsoft servers. When you clean install, use the same account, Windows 10 will detect a match or close match in hardware, and pull the product key and perform its activation.
• If you have only a local account, then the product key is sync with a unique hardware signature generated by Windows 10 when it was last installed/last hardware change, and if it is an exact match, then it can get it from MS servers and activate.

So if I make account now, it will work?

[LukeNukem9]

1 minute ago, HypedKid said:

@LukeTheCoder05 any performance changes??? I'm thinking about using the inactivated

Well... the only thing you cant do is customized. no background, themes, or menu changes or anything. because you have a product key, i would just try to reactivate it with the other guys's ideas above.

[GoodBytes]

47 minutes ago, HypedKid said:

So if I make account now, it will work?

Not sure when it syncs up. My guess, at the next activation check cycle, which I don't know in how many days/weeks/month.

[GoodBytes]

52 minutes ago, HypedKid said:

@LukeTheCoder05 any performance changes??? I'm thinking about using the inactivated

They are no performance differences if you run Windows 10 activated or not, linked account or not.

Running Windows 10 not activated, is like running Windows 10 in trial mode. You can see it that way.

You have everything working as normal, but some options are disabled until you have an genuine license that is activated on the system, and you have a watermark that will appear after a while on the desktop telling you that Windows is not activated.