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Moving a Windows 7 licence key

  • 10-10-2011 02:28PM
    #1
    Shiminay
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 28,633 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hello all,

    Later on this week I hope to be taking delivery of some new hardware. I've got a copy of Win 7 Ultimate at home that I'll want to continue using, but I don't know what the deal is with moving keys from one set of hardware to another. I recall running into issues with the Genuine Windows thing before after some hardware changes.

    Currently installed on a 500GB drive, I was just going to copy any essentials off it, format, and fresh install after rebuilding with the new hardware - anything else I should be worrying about? Is there some sort of "deactivate this Windows and free the licence key up again" function somewhere?

    Also, since I'm here, how does one clear away the "which OS are you booting into" from the disk - had a failed install attempt on this drive before and the BIOS thinks there're 2 copies of Windows 7 installed on the disk - this is the Master Boot Record I need to look at, yea?


Comments

  • #2
    cookie1977
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,794 ✭✭✭cookie1977


    This thread might help:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=73045704


  • #3
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 19,210 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    Or this thread, when I did a hardware change:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056130696


  • #4
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,224 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    If it's the copy we got at the launch preview then you'll be fine. You should be able to get rid of the MBR by booting to the Win7 Disk, then use the custom install option and format the drive. You could also boot in to a gparted live disk and format it that way.

    In relation to activation, it may work using the online process but if not then you'll need to activate it over the phone (automated system so no human interaction) which is a bit of a pain but it will work ok in the end. I installed and re-activated my own copy several times.

    Only way you'll get a GTFO for moving your product key is if it's a n OEM license, the one received at the preview was a retail one.


  • #5
    Shiminay
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 28,633 Mod ✭✭✭✭Shiminay


    Cool, thanks for that folks. Doing the build on Monday - all the parts are finally here, just doing dataz transfers from the OS hard disk to a storage disk before I do a wipe and clean install (cause that MBR thing annoys me).


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