Subject: Re: Is there a way to see if my 64-bit W10 Pro. retail key was
registered in my MS account online?
Ant wrote on 4/11/24 10:11 PM:
I don't see it any where even in my device list (my custom built PC)
online. I want to be sure it matches what I see on my PC with its
"Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account" (MS account) and "Windows is activated with a digital license" (local account). I want to be sure it is there online if I ever change
my PC's hardwares and/or reinstall, from scratch, so I can reactivate
online easily.
Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)
You won't see it.
You're retail Win10 Pro 64 bit key activated Windows 10
- you may be able to see this product key in Belarc Advisor in the
'Software Licenses' category
=> look for the item 'Windows 10 Pro(prior license)
You should/may also see(in Belarc) a line item(s) for:
Windows 10 Pro(prior license) with the MSFT assigned generic 'digital
license key
and/or
Windows 11 Professional(x64) with the MSFT assigned generic 'digital
license key'
***Note: The Windows 10(prior license) may or may not be present since
you started with a retail key, and once Win10 Pro was installed, it also became digitally licensed***
=> in either case(one or two digital license keys, it's a generic MSFT activation server created key(more specifically not a product key). The
key can not be used locally for activation.
=> your device's unique footprint is linked to the Microsoft Activation server as being digitally licensed and has been even with Windows 10.
The license key you see in Belarc should be the same key seen in the
registry location that Paul referenced. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
BackupProductKeyDefault
If you clean installed Windows 10 Pro x64, your device will be capable of
both paths
- entering your Win10 Pro product key(relinking the same device as
digital licensed) and activating the installed Win10 Pro o/s
or
- skipping product key entry, using the digital license for Win10 Pro
to install and activate the installed Win10 Pro o/s
If you chose to clean install Windows 11(which is also digitally
licensed, since you upgraded from Win10), Windows 11 will use the digital license(when skipping the product key entry) to install and activate the
Win11 Pro o/s.
If you choose to change major hardware(e.g. CPU, Mobo) you should have a Microsoft Account(MSA) logon on the device before replacing any
hardware(CPU, Mobo). The MSA account will show the device(like a Local
logon) as digitally licensed but also additionally linked to your MSA
Why...the difference?
That MSA linkage allows you to easily reactivate Windows 11 on the same device without the need to jump through special hoops, because the MSA linkage(unlike a Local account) for a digital licensed device includes
the 'Activation Troubleshooter' for reactivating a device after a major hardware change.
=> See this article for additional info. Read the sections titled
'Reactivating Windows after a hardware change'
'Reactivate Windows 11 after a hardware change" <
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/reactivating-windows-after-a-hardware-change-2c0e962a-f04c-145b-6ead-fb3fc72b6665>
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