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I'm considering buying a PC which comes with Windows preinstalled; typically I run Linux.

If I were to format the hard drive and install Linux so that Windows was removed from the hard drive, just note the license key? Just keep or re-use the output from: wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey and then re-activate?

Assuming no hardware changes, as that seems to be a factor.

Pardon, not sure whether it's a retail or OEM license -- nor the specific version of Windows 10. (Just buying from Amazon, newish desktop PC.)

Thufir
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1 Answers1

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I assume the question is whether having wiped out Windows 10, how to reinstall it.

If the PC came with an OEM license, then OA3xOriginalProductKey will display it. If it displays as blank, then the license is not OEM and can be retrieved by a product such as ProduKey.

The license key might also be contained in a sticker on the computer case.

In many cases, and especially when upgrading to Windows 10 from a previous version, you will not have a product key. Instead, the PC gets registered on Microsoft activation servers with a digital license (formerly called digital entitlement) that can always be used to activate Windows 10 on that PC, as long as the hardware hash does not change excessively. The "key" is then a generic one that cannot be used for re-activation.

You need to carefully examine the situation and decide on the best method for conserving the key. I suggest to also google your key, to find if this is only a generic one. For a generic key, the hardware hash is the real key for Microsoft.

harrymc
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