Replace laptop HDD - Win10 license question

MookJong · 29 Jul 2016 at 10:48

Looking to put an SSD and more RAM in the wife's laptop as it is slowing.

The laptop was shipped with Win7 preinstalled. It has since been updated to Windows 10. If I install a new SSD how can the license be transferred? We have no installation disks. The HP recovery partition is all that existed, but I wiped that (maybe stupidly) when doing the Win 10 upgrade.

SC0TTRS · 29 Jul 2016 at 10:54

how old is the laptop?

Windows Licence keys are inbedded within the UEFI on certain makes/models also.

joey1211 · 29 Jul 2016 at 10:56

The Windows10 .iso is officially available to download. Is there a licence sticker on the laptop, maybe under the battery. Or extract it using Key Finder / Magical Jelly Bean

And as above, the UEFI thing.

Armageus · 29 Jul 2016 at 10:59

If you have no plans to actually do a clean install, you should be able to use something like Macrium reflect to clone the existing drive to the new drive (i.e. connected via a USB caddy, or plug both into a desktop PC)

joey1211 · 29 Jul 2016 at 11:00

The laptop will call out to the Microsoft servers and activate once 10 has been installed. Upgrading memory / storage won't affect the licence, usually only a new motherboard.

SC0TTRS · 29 Jul 2016 at 11:06

MookJong said:
The HP recovery partition is all that existed, but I wiped that (maybe stupidly) when doing the Win 10 upgrade.

Armageus said:
If you have no plans to actually do a clean install, you should be able to use something like Macrium reflect to clone the existing drive to the new drive (i.e. connected via a USB caddy, or plug both into a desktop PC)

Think he's already wiped the existing OS :-/

Armageus · 29 Jul 2016 at 11:11

SC0TTRS said:
Think he's already wiped the existing OS :-/

I read it that he had wiped the hidden recovery partition (original windows 7), but has a currently operating Windows 10 installation.

MookJong · 1 Aug 2016 at 16:14

Yep Win7 partition was wiped. Currently have 10 installed.

linktoinsanity · 1 Aug 2016 at 21:46

MookJong said:
Yep Win7 partition was wiped. Currently have 10 installed.

Your answer is:

joey1211 said:
The laptop will call out to the Microsoft servers and activate once 10 has been installed. Upgrading memory / storage won't affect the licence, usually only a new motherboard.

v0n · 5 Aug 2016 at 00:28

I've just encountered problem with the above - got new laptop for my lady, it had windows 8.1, owner activated win 10 upgrade, I want to replace HDD with SSD, need win 10 iso - but iso doesn't seem available via browser from MS anymore, all google links to official iso now return "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found."

Hitman_Leon · 5 Aug 2016 at 00:57

Try the media creation tool on this page http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

v0n · 5 Aug 2016 at 01:09

Hitman_Leon said:
Try the media creation tool on this page http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

That's the one that refreshes to /www.microsoft.com/library/errorpages/smarterror.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/en-gb/software-download/windows10 and returns "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found.
The URL may be misspelled or the page you're looking for is no longer available."

marc2003 · 5 Aug 2016 at 01:25

If you use a browser which allows you to fake your user agent and pretend you're not on windows (or use a non-windows device), this will let you download the ISO...

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10ISO

v0n · 5 Aug 2016 at 13:43

Now, I am checking it on Mac (and Linux), is it meant to be accessible only to Windows machines?

Wow, that's an ef up. So, your drive fails, you have to reinstall, you need a second windows machine, booting off linux live cd won't do?