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Transferring my Windows 7 licence to another PC?

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  • 28-12-2010 11:52pm
    #1
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,099 Mod ✭✭✭✭
    byte


    I have a retail copy of Win7 Professional running on my current Dell desktop.

    However, I plan to do a selfbuild PC soon, and aim to install this Win7 on the new rig. Is this doable?

    The Dell will be reverted back to the copy of Vista it came with, so only one computer will still use this licence, however, all the hardware will of course be different.

    Just not sure if I can "move" my Win7 licence.

    Any help appreciated.


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    #2
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,099 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    To follow up, and for my own convenience when it comes to transfer, I think I've found the answer I spent ages looking for!
    Yes, you will first need to uninstall the product key.

    Click Start, type: CMD

    Right click CMD, then click Run as administrator

    At the command prompt, type: slmgr.vbs -upk

    Then hit enter on your keyboard

    This will uninstall the product key and set the computer back to trail mode. The key will be free to use with another another computer.

    Exit the command prompt and restart the system to confirm the changes.
    Proceed to upgrade the new computer, if you encounter any activation problems, please try activating by telephone:

    Activate Windows 7 manually:
    1. Click Start, and in the Search box type : slui.exe 4

    2. Press ENTER on your Keyboard

    3. Select your Country.
    4. Select the Phone Activation option, and hold on for a real person.

    http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7install/thread/1b73fbb1-3892-41ef-8435-596e3cf0eb94


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    #3
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,099 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    Just as a final update to this, I got my PC bits from dabs on Friday.

    I did as per instructed in the quote above, and Windows installed and activated on my PC without a hitch (online). No need to ring Microsoft.


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    #4
    Fluffy88
    Registered Users Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭Fluffy88


    Thanks for the follow up.
    I upgraded my version of vista to 7 a year ago and I now want to do a new clean install of 7 on the same laptop, just so I get rid of all the crap on it, and bring it's speed back up.

    This should help me with doing this too :)
    Anyway, thanks!


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    #5
    denballs
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 837 ✭✭✭denballs


    if your not doing anything illegal and if its easier jus use windows 7 activator.....you dont need a key to install win7 it only knocks off the annoying........this copy of win7 is not genuine on the bottom right of screen.....


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    #6
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    @denballs - or, instead of breaking the terms of the licence, the OP could be conscientious as described and ensure that their paid-for licence is correctly transferred from one machine to another.

    Just being able to do something isn't enough to make it a good idea - otherwise we'd all be walloping ourselves in the nuts with hammers and saying it was a great idea...


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    #7
    user1842
    Registered Users Posts: 1,108 ✭✭✭user1842


    You dont need to remove the product key from the old computer. As long as Win 7 is removed from the old PC it will activate on the new PC without any problems. A retail version of Windows 7 is not PC specific. The licence will auto transfer.

    Well to be more accurate, you can activate retail Win 7 up to 5 times without uninstalling anything. After that point Microsoft might deny the activation request but you can simply ring them and they will give you a new code.

    I dont think there is any point in uninstalling the key to be honest. Just wipe your old machine.


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    #8
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,099 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    Fluffy88 wrote: »
    Thanks for the follow up.
    I upgraded my version of vista to 7 a year ago and I now want to do a new clean install of 7 on the same laptop, just so I get rid of all the crap on it, and bring it's speed back up.

    This should help me with doing this too :)
    Anyway, thanks!
    Shouldn't be necessary to follow the procedure on your laptop, as none of the hardware has changed.


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    #9
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,099 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    dmclean1842 wrote: »
    You dont need to remove the product key from the old computer. As long as Win 7 is removed from the old PC it will activate on the new PC without any problems. A retail version of Windows 7 is not PC specific. The licence will auto transfer.

    Well to be more accurate, you can activate retail Win 7 up to 5 times without uninstalling anything. After that point Microsoft might deny the activation request but you can simply ring them and they will give you a new code.

    I dont think there is any point in uninstalling the key to be honest. Just wipe your old machine.
    Oh right. Shame they don't say that, or at least make it obvious.

    Anyway, it worked for me, and only took a few minutes.

    Thanks for the tip though.


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    #10
    Odaise Gaelach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,235 ✭✭✭Odaise Gaelach


    Many thanks byte for sharing your information. It'll come in handy for when I want to build a new PC later on in the year. :D
    denballs wrote: »
    if your not doing anything illegal and if its easier jus use windows 7 activator.....you dont need a key to install win7 it only knocks off the annoying........this copy of win7 is not genuine on the bottom right of screen.....

    The Windows 7 EULA states in Section 4: Activation and Section 5: Validation that you are not allowed to bypass or circumvent activation or validation. So using a Windows 7 activator is illegal, even if you already own a copy of Windows 7.


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    #11
    matt-dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,468 ✭✭✭matt-dublin


    the windows 7 licence key will only activate on one machine

    when you try and use it it will say the key has already activated.

    unless you've got a MAK which can be used multiple times

    download and install this:
    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=12044dd8-1b2c-4da4-a530-80f26f0f9a99&displaylang=en

    and it should tell you how many activations are left on yout key

    if it spits an error it usually means its a single activation license


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