Odd Question.

[Oasis1974]

This might sound strange but I have a PC sitting at home that isn't going to be used by me again. I don't want to sell it but I don't want my hard drive with Windows on it just leave a PC that's it. My point if I take out the Nvme drive with Windows on it is that it. I mean can someone put a drive in and just use a bootup USB of Windows 10 and reinstall it as I think it's linked to your hardware maybe the Mobo? I have done a few reinstalls of Windows and never needed the activation key I could just skip giving the key option upon reinstall. BTW I'm moving away just not selling the PC

 

[Zefan]

It's Windows that recognises it's now installed on new hardware, prompting re-activation. Someone else installing a hdd and OS will have no problem, as long as they themselves have a licence. Feel free to yank your drive.

 

[drakulton]

If the hardware has been registered with ms, you can always revert the OS to a local account and then delete the PC from your list of ms account linked devices. A new user may not need to have a license.