Will Windows be unlocked if installed over a licensed version on laptop?

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_dawn_chorus_

_dawn_chorus_

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Aug 30, 2017
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I recently built a desktop and after loading and registering windows, I decided to try the usb on my old deceased laptop and see what happened. At best I thought I could run Win10 in unlicensed mode. The laptop had last had Win 8.1 on it before it died on me but to my surprise after completely wiping it and everything was installed, my Win 10 version was fully unlocked!
I thought this might be because it came with windows 8 so somehow deep in there it still had the license code? Or something...

SO; I am now doing the same thing to my girlfriends "dead" laptop and I got windows to repair and it seems to work with Win 8.1, so if I install Win 10 from the usb drive will it end up unlocking for her too? Do laptop OS licensees transfer like that?
I just don't want to install Win10 and have her stuck with the locked version instead of the currently unlocked Win 8.1 but she would prefer Win 10.
 
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While you haven't specifically mentioned using a Microsoft account for your Windows 10 login, and since we're only speculating here anyway, I would question if having one or more machines with Windows 10 tied to a Microsoft account may have inadvertently allowed your laptop to activate through your Microsoft account. The ability to activate Windows 10 after having significantly changed hardware through the Microsoft account was added after one of the major updates to the OS. It may have some loopholes in how it activates licensing, and for that matter, it may be intentional by Microsoft.

If your girlfriend isn't using a Microsoft account as her primary login or doesn't have any Windows 10 licenses attached to a Microsoft account, I...
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Math Geek

Math Geek

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MERGED QUESTION
Question from _dawn_chorus_ : "Will Windows 10 usb be unlocked if installed over a licensed versionof 8.1 on laptop?"



it should not work like that.

it is possible somehow it gave you the free upgrade from win 8 but that window is supposed to be long closed. i'd say you got lucky and would not count on it working again.

not saying don't try it but be prepared to stay with unactivated win 10 if it does not work. can still use win 10 fine that way but you lose some personalization abilities.
 
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bigpinkdragon286

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While you haven't specifically mentioned using a Microsoft account for your Windows 10 login, and since we're only speculating here anyway, I would question if having one or more machines with Windows 10 tied to a Microsoft account may have inadvertently allowed your laptop to activate through your Microsoft account. The ability to activate Windows 10 after having significantly changed hardware through the Microsoft account was added after one of the major updates to the OS. It may have some loopholes in how it activates licensing, and for that matter, it may be intentional by Microsoft.

If your girlfriend isn't using a Microsoft account as her primary login or doesn't have any Windows 10 licenses attached to a Microsoft account, I wouldn't expect it to activate.

No matter the route you go, I would first make a backup image of the hard drive before installing Windows 10 so all changes to what sounds like an otherwise working laptop can be reverted.

If having Windows 10 is that big of a deal to her, and the activation doesn't happen, she can always purchase a license and activate it on the laptop.
 
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_dawn_chorus_

_dawn_chorus_

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On the Desktop build which I bought the Win10 usb for I actually opted out of signing in with a Microsoft account once I realized I could, but did enter the key. My laptop most likely had a Microsoft account tied to it initially, but I never signed in or entered a license key while installing Win10 over the broken Win8 (it was caught in an endless attempt to repair then a blue screen loop).

Her laptop may or may not be tied to an account, ill have to check, I wasn't prompted to sign in during the repair process. I suppose she doesn't NEED Win10, but she has it on her newer gaming/music laptop, so I thought it would be nice to not have different OS for her to navigate (I forgot how different the two are navigation wise) as the old one will be used for teaching stuff.


 
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