Reinstalling Windows on a new hard drive for a laptop

natey7

Distinguished
Sep 10, 2014
3
0
18,510
The hard drive on my laptop died and I am going to replace it with a fresh one. When I reinstall Windows on this new hard drive, am I going to need a product key? If so, how would I retrieve the key?
 
Solution
No... If windows 10 was activated before it will reactivate again on the hardware

When you install win 10, and get to screen asking for a Licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and then once complete, check its activation servers to confirm PC is registered to use Win 10. All info of PC + product key + possibly an email address are recorded on a Microsoft server so you don't need to know it anymore.

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
No... If windows 10 was activated before it will reactivate again on the hardware

When you install win 10, and get to screen asking for a Licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and then once complete, check its activation servers to confirm PC is registered to use Win 10. All info of PC + product key + possibly an email address are recorded on a Microsoft server so you don't need to know it anymore.
 
Solution