Using an old Windows 7 Key for a fresh install of Windows 10?

[The0x]

I'll make this brief. I will be receiving the funding to build my own computer (parents are buying me parts for Christmas). But they gave me a budget of $800. Which is pretty great! But I can't afford to have a copy of W 10. But my old laptop had been upgraded to W 10 with the free update Microsoft gave out. So can I still use it's W 7 key? Or had the W 10 "free" upgrade destroyed it?

[Enderman]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

[vanished]

When you "upgrade" an old key, it does not replace or destroy the old one, it simply grants you a new, (additional) license for that computer (and that computer only) to run Windows 10.  It can be reused any number of times on that computer and should activate automatically.  If you have an unmovable (OEM) license of Win 7 or 8, this means that you can run Windows 10 on that machine, or return to 7 or 8 at any time as that key will still be valid.  If you have a movable (retail) license of Win 7 or 8, you can actually get unlimited copies of Windows 10 because the free upgrade offer, despite them saying it was shut down years ago, is actually still a thing.  Simply install Win 10 on any computer, use your retail key for Win 7 (for example), and it will act like you are using the key on that computer, then "upgrade", thus granting you a Win 10 key, and then, since you're not actually using the Win 7 key, it's free to then go and be used on another machine.

 

I suspect this will not work for you because laptops typically have OEM keys that cannot be moved though.

[The0x]

1 hour ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

When you "upgrade" an old key, it does not replace or destroy the old one, it simply grants you a new, (additional) license for that computer (and that computer only) to run Windows 10.  It can be reused any number of times on that computer and should activate automatically.  If you have an unmovable (OEM) license of Win 7 or 8, this means that you can run Windows 10 on that machine, or return to 7 or 8 at any time as that key will still be valid.  If you have a movable (retail) license of Win 7 or 8, you can actually get unlimited copies of Windows 10 because the free upgrade offer, despite them saying it was shut down years ago, is actually still a thing.  Simply install Win 10 on any computer, use your retail key for Win 7 (for example), and it will act like you are using the key on that computer, then "upgrade", thus granting you a Win 10 key, and then, since you're not actually using the Win 7 key, it's free to then go and be used on another machine.

 

I suspect this will not work for you because laptops typically have OEM keys that cannot be moved though.

So I cant install Windows 10 with my laptop's key, but I can use the old family computer we have lying around, install 10 with it's 7 key, but the 7 key will still be activated?

[vanished]

Just now, The0x said:

So I cant install Windows 10 with my laptop's key, but I can use the old family computer we have lying around, install 10 with it's 7 key, but the 7 key will still be activated?

Yes that should work fine, provided that computer's license is movable.  Again, unless it's a custom build the answer is probably no, and even then it's not guaranteed.  If you didn't specifically buy a movable one odds are it's not since the OEM (unmovable) licenses are generally cheaper iirc.

[The0x]

19 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

Yes that should work fine, provided that computer's license is movable.  Again, unless it's a custom build the answer is probably no, and even then it's not guaranteed.  If you didn't specifically buy a movable one odds are it's not since the OEM (unmovable) licenses are generally cheaper iirc.

On the desktop it says Windows 7 Prem OA. It doesn't say anything about OEM, so would it be movable?

 

[vanished]

1 hour ago, The0x said:

On the desktop it says Windows 7 Prem OA. It doesn't say anything about OEM, so would it be movable?

 

I'm not sure what OA means.  If you can find the package with the disk and key on it that should make it clear.  Or alternatively, the sticker on the side of the machine.

[homeap5]

I still can't understand why preinstalled Windows cannot be move to another computer. It's still paid version, users pays more for laptop with Windows so it's not free copy. But Microsoft licensing is strange.

[CitrusBoot]

14 hours ago, The0x said:

On the desktop it says Windows 7 Prem OA. It doesn't say anything about OEM, so would it be movable?

 

OA stands for OEM Activation, so it's unlikely to work.

5 hours ago, homeap5 said:

I still can't understand why preinstalled Windows cannot be move to another computer. It's still paid version, users pays more for laptop with Windows so it's not free copy. But Microsoft licensing is strange.

It's a paid version, but it's a discounted version. One restriction of the discount, I guess.

[homeap5]

43 minutes ago, CitrusBoot said:

It's a paid version, but it's a discounted version. One restriction of the discount, I guess.

So if I buy Windows cheaper in shop (with some discount) then I have no right to move it into another computer?

Price should not be a factor imo.

 

[LogicalDrm]

I think if its tied to your MS account, you should be able to move it. Otherwise answer is nope. Win7/8/.1 branded OEM keys (aka those that come with laptops and prebuilds) are tied to first machine they are activated on.

[CitrusBoot]

5 hours ago, homeap5 said:

So if I buy Windows cheaper in shop (with some discount) then I have no right to move it into another computer?

Price should not be a factor imo.

 

 

If you buy Windows cheaper in a shop, it's because you negotiated with a shop owner for a standard Windows license. When OEMs negotiate with Microsoft (I don't know how much negotiation actually goes on in that relationship, but I doubt there's much) it's for an OEM license, which is cheaper partly because it doesn't include as much flexibility in the end user terms. 

[LinusOnLine]

I used an old Windows 7 key last week to upgrade an OEM license to Windows 10 on another computer. Seems like you can move even OEM licenses if you have a Microsoft account.

[grss1982]

On ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 6:41 AM, The0x said:

On the desktop it says Windows 7 Prem OA. It doesn't say anything about OEM, so would it be movable?

 

Does it look something like this?

 

http://img.frbiz.com/nimg/21/c1/03ab9395987cdaf786332cb8fddf-0x0-0/microsoft_windows_7_home_prem_oa_strong_style_color_b82220_dell_strong_coa_sticker.jpg

 

That's a Dell sticker by the way.  But just to be fair there are Windows 7 Prem OA stickers without a logo of the manufacturer:

 

http://img.hisupplier.com/var/userImages/2012-12/19/145451086_windows7_home_prem_OA_oemsoftware_coa_label_oem_ke_s.jpg

 

Found those two above in Bing images by the way: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=windows+7+prem+oa&FORM=HDRSC2