Is image backup worthwhile if OEM Windows license does not transfer?
I am hoping that I am wrong, but, am reading that Windows OEM licenses do not transfer between machines. Firstly, I need to be told if I'm correct on this assessment. If this is the case, how is it suggested to transfer a hard drive image from one computer to another via image restore or universal restore, or drive clone, or whatever method, and retain all my programs and activate Windows on the new machine?
I have not performed this action yet, but, one of our businesses is looking to upgrade their machines and would like to not have to re-load all of their programs. It would be nice to just move the old image to the new machine.
Helpful suggestions are appreciated.
... Unless both systems are using the same version (home = home or pro = pro) of Windows 10 where windows 10 was already activated on both machines. In that scenario, your OS would still register just fine since Windows 10 licensing is solely based on the hardware being registered with the Microsoft servers and is not based on a license key.
So, I could clone a drive image from machine 1 to machine 2, boot up machine 2, enter an activation code and continue on my merry way?
IF they are both the same version of Windows 10 (home or pro) and had previously been activated, then, that is correct. And, no activation code should be necessary since it's all based on the hardware and the previous activation already being registered with Microsoft for that hardware.
Any other OS and or combination of OS is a no-go because they require the original license keys to activate. (XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 or going from Win10 home to a system that had Win 10 Pro or vice-versa).
Windows 10 is a lot nicer in this regard that pervious OS's
Sorry to respond so late to this message... but I just now saw it browsing, and so may some other person in the future, so:
Yes, it's worth it, IMO, to do image backups with OEM Windows, for several reasons.
First, moving the image to a new PC (or what seems to be a new PC to MS) is only one of the possible outcomes. It could be that the data on the HDD/SSD get corrupted somehow (perhaps by malware), and you'd restore to the same system to get back to where you'd been. Or perhaps the HDD/SSD might fail, and after you replace the device, you'd like to get all your data back to where it was. A simple change of the HDD/SSD doesn't usually cause a Windows installation to deactivate by itself.
Even if the motherboard does fail, you are allowed to replace it for repair purposes under the OEM Windows license. When Windows deactivates, you can call the number they give to tell the MS representative that you have replaced the motherboard for repair purposes (not upgrade; upgrade means you need to buy Windows again). I've done this with my Windows 7 PC and it worked fine.
As for Windows 10-- It's probably going to work just fine with a restored image. They stopped the official free upgrade period, but even now, five months after the free upgrade ended, there are reports that the upgrade (by means of typing in your Win 7 or 8 key at install) still works for free. MS really, really wants people on 10; this seems to be more important to them than collecting a few more license fees. They can't continue the officially-advertised free upgrade forever, as it would make them look too desperate, so it appears they're doing it in a low-key way, unofficially yet officially (since they are the ultimate arbiter on what upgrades are permitted).
I've replaced the motherboard on a Windows 10 machine and booted up the old Windows install, expecting to have it tell me I have to activate Windows again (as I had seen in the past with 7), but it never did. I went to the activation info screen, and it said "Windows is activated (digital license)" or something like that, even though that particular combination of parts forming a computer had not existed before. MS could change the rules any time, but if they did, I would imagine that the "repair is ok" rule would still work with 10 too.
Hello Everyone,
I tried recovering the system image on a computer2 taken a backup from computer1 with the same hardware and same everything. When I installed system image on a computer2 I can see it is asking me to activate windows or to renter the product key as I don't have because the computers bought are with pre-installed WIN10 OEM licence. In short WIN10 is no more genuine now. But, as per above inoformation it should do the job but it didn't.
Can anyone please help me with this? Your prompt response will be appreciated as I need to fix this soon as running late on deploying machines.
Did you try to activate using the phone service? The activation windows should have a link to help with phone activation if the online activation doesn't work.
Through the phone service, you will have to input on your phone a long key shown to you, and then enter on your compuater a long key given to you. It is possible that the phone service will ask you how many computers you have installed Windows on.
Ok, so how online activation works? Simply it activates automatically after deploying image on a computer or I have to do it manually?
Hi Everyone,
This works. I finally noticed that when I took system image backup of computer1 it was joined to domain with custome computer name. And when I restored that system image on computer2 it came with the same computer name of computer1. When I changed the name of computer2 to something different and restarted a machine, the windows was activated automatically and the product ID was also changed. Which means now I can do the same for all computers and windows will be still genuine as it says that windows is activated with unique product id for all computers.
Please correct me if I am wrong somewhere or need to some changes.
But, I would thanks everyone for this. It helped me with the problems.