How to deactivate Windows Key?

[DankLord]

So I just bought some new parts for my PC (Mobo, CPU, RAM and SSD) and I was wondering how I could deactivate the Windows key from my current mobo so that I can use it on my new one, I also need to view the key itself as I lost the retail key.  I am using Windows 10 at the moment.

[EIijah]

2 minutes ago, DankLord said:

So I just bought some new parts for my PC (Mobo, CPU, RAM and SSD) and I was wondering how I could deactivate the Windows key from my current mobo so that I can use it on my new one, I also need to view the key itself as I lost the retail key.  I am using Windows 10 at the moment.

How did you get windows 10? You might have to get 7/8.1 key and then upgrade

[DankLord]

1 minute ago, EIijah said:

How did you get windows 10? You might have to get 7/8.1 key and then upgrade

It was originally a Windows 10 key, so I never upgraded.

[airdeano]

pretty straightforward:

Quote

 

To deactivate Windows 10 by uninstalling the product key, you need to do the following:

• Open an elevated command prompt.
• Type or paste the following command: slmgr /upk. Here upk stands for uninstall product key. The /upk parameter  uninstalls the product key of the current Windows edition. After a restart, the system will be in an Unlicensed state unless a new product key is installed.

 

can reactivate using this article: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/deactivate-uninstall-windows-product-key

scroll down to reinstall.

[DankLord]

1 minute ago, airdeano said:

pretty straightforward:

 

Thanks for the quick response, but do you know the command for viewing the product key? And to confirm, once deactivated the key can be used again? Sorry for so many questions. 

[airdeano]

that'd be through using a key finder. also i believe in that article, they show the script to cipher the key.

[vanished]

If it's the type of license that can be moved between machines (albeit only being active on one at a time), you don't have to deactivate anything as far as I know.  You can just install it on the new machine and it will work.  You only really need to deactivate the old license if you are giving away/selling the old PC and don't want another person activating Windows on your license, potentially causing your new install some problems.

[DankLord]

18 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

If it's the type of license that can be moved between machines (albeit only being active on one at a time), you don't have to deactivate anything as far as I know.  You can just install it on the new machine and it will work.  You only really need to deactivate the old license if you are giving away/selling the old PC and don't want another person activating Windows on your license, potentially causing your new install some problems.

Well the license I am using is student edition? Does that make any difference?

[vanished]

1 minute ago, DankLord said:

Well the license I am using is student edition? Does that make any difference?

I don't know honestly, but I don't expect it would matter.

[GoodBytes]

You don't need to deactivate Windows. When you activate Windows on a new system (or upgraded one, assuming it is a retail copy, as OEM you can't), then it will deactivate the other system.

[DankLord]

15 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

You don't need to deactivate Windows. When you activate Windows on a new system (or upgraded one, assuming it is a retail copy, as OEM you can't), then it will deactivate the other system.

All is good, I am extremely happy that my build was completed without any hiccups, Windows installed like a charm.