what does Activated with a digital license mean

[adarw]

so i was looking at a online marketplace and i asked the seller if windows was retail or oem, he responded with its Activated with a digital license. what does that mean? thanks

[Middcore]

Mean he probably bought a cheap Windows key on any number of sites and activated it.

 

It's what I would do. Paying $100+ for multiple retail copies is for suckers, especially for people who build a lot of systems to sell. 

[TetraSky]

Quote

A digital license (called a digital entitlement in Windows 10, Version 1511) is a method of activation in Windows 10 that doesn't require you to enter a product key.

 

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/activate-windows-c39005d4-95ee-b91e-b399-2820fda32227

 

Most keys bought online are "digital licenses".

[tkitch]

It means the key is stored in the computer's UEFI BIOS and you'll be all set in the future.

[adarw]

4 minutes ago, Middcore said:

Mean he probably bought a cheap Windows key on any number of sites and activated it.

 

It's what I would do. Paying $100+ for multiple retail copies is for suckers, especially for people who build a lot of systems to sell. 

oh so like ebay and those websites that sell for like 20 bucks right?

[adarw]

1 minute ago, tkitch said:

It means the key is stored in the computer's UEFI BIOS and you'll be all set in the future.

so like its not mobo transferable?

[Middcore]

1 minute ago, adarw said:

oh so like ebay and those websites that sell for like 20 bucks right?

 

That would be my guess. 

[tkitch]

Just now, adarw said:

so like its not mobo transferable?

It's tied to the computer (mostly)

 

[SteveiJobs]

IIRC A digital license is hashed in the motherboard BIOS so if you have to re-install Windows for whatever reason, as long as you don't change your hardware too much, it will just activate no problem. If you have to move motherboards or make a significant hardware change it may not activate though.

[adarw]

Just now, SteveiJobs said:

IIRC A digital license is hashed in the motherboard BIOS so if you have to re-install Windows for whatever reason, as long as you don't change your hardware too much, it will just activate no problem. If you have to move motherboards or make a significant hardware change it may not activate though.

so its oem?

[Middcore]

8 minutes ago, SteveiJobs said:

IIRC A digital license is hashed in the motherboard BIOS so if you have to re-install Windows for whatever reason, as long as you don't change your hardware too much, it will just activate no problem. If you have to move motherboards or make a significant hardware change it may not activate though.

 

I've moved Windows licenses bought from sites like sdckeys from one board to another no problem. 

 

YMMV. Still, if you have to buy like five OEM licenses to change hardware five times, you've still spend less than you would on one retail copy. 

[SteveiJobs]

2 hours ago, adarw said:

so its oem?

Maybe.

 

The "Activated with a Digital License" is a function of the key, but also of the mechanism. Certain keys are also activated using KMS or other methods.

 

Microsoft has a lot of "channels" that they sell licenses through (OEM, volume, retail, etc). At the end of the day, the "right" way to license a PC for Windows is to buy a retail copy, but there are lots of other "incorrect, but perfectly legal" ways to buy keys like eBay or resellers that may be getting unused licenses from OEMS, SIs, volume programs, student discount programs, sales, etc. 

 

However if you go this way, be warned that it's not supported by Microsoft so if you get a key that's already in use, Microsoft is under no obligation to activate it if you bought it secondhand.

[SteveiJobs]

2 hours ago, Middcore said:

 

I've moved Windows licenses bought from sites like sdckeys from one board to another no problem. 

 

YMMV. Still, if you have to buy like five OEM licenses to change hardware five times, you've still spend less than you would on one retail copy. 

Oh yea you can still move it (sometimes it takes a call into Microsoft to let them know why) but what I was getting at was that the license is tied to the hardware, so you don't even have to enter a key or anything to activate it. Once it's installed, it should automatically recognize the hash in the BIOS and activate.

[adarw]

ok thanks, lol its funny how your username is steve jobs but ur commenting about windows