Windows 10 licence vs hardware upgrades?

[Trouble]

You do not have a product key any more to transfer.
You have what Microsoft now calls a "Digital Entitlement" based on the underlying OS that you upgraded from.

 

[Trouble]

So, if in the far future you (WP55) wish to get a second computer and use your Retail key then you will have to boot with the retail disc and use Windows 7.

AND if he did that, with the other computer still in operation, it would likely be a violation of the license agreement as the Retail Windows 7 key is supporting his Windows 10 upgrade rights to a Digital Entitlement.

 

[WP55]

Ok thanks all - so, as I was beginning to conclude - upgrading to Win 10 from a Win 7 Retail licence offers no extra to upgrading from a Win 7 OEM licence.

So in my position wanting to finally move from XP, I may as well obtain a Win 7 OEM licence (cheap!) and go from there... I can no longer see any reason for getting a retail version of Win 7 (not for using Win 7 but simply as a path to Win 10)

 

[davidhk129]

Yes, OEM license is much cheaper.

I have read somewhere that in actuality, it is not legal. But MS never balks.
I could have misunderstood what I read.

 

[RecumbentTim]

Ok thanks all - so, as I was beginning to conclude - upgrading to Win 10 from a Win 7 Retail licence offers no extra to upgrading from a Win 7 OEM licence.

So in my position wanting to finally move from XP, I may as well obtain a Win 7 OEM licence (cheap!) and go from there... I can no longer see any reason for getting a retail version of Win 7 (not for using Win 7 but simply as a path to Win 10)

I got this one for under $60. Even though it is for Refurbished builds it is perfectly legit and I upgraded it to Windows 10.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LG20IB2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2ZSFHXSGZ76UT

 

[clifford_cooley]

Your underlying product key (I don't care which version of Windows or which Windows product type) suffers "death by upgrade", so nothing that came before is applicable in your musings.

If that were true you couldn't continue to activate a previous OS using a OEM key that was upgraded. A retail key would offer even more liberty. The only time restraint is the free upgrade period.

 

[Trouble]

you could on the same machine. that's not the actual discussion.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Your not seeing this as a downgrade option to return to your previous OS either. Which then allows for the original retail license to be moved to another machine.

 

[Trouble]

starting with a Windows 7 Retail licence
- this will allow me to ugrade now to Windows 10 (yes I already know this part!!)
- AND, in some months time, AFTER the option to upgrade for free to Windows 10 has expired........
- .......remove Windows 10 from the computer it's on and install a fresh copy on a different computer.....

Just trying to follow the bouncing ball.

 

[clifford_cooley]

bouncing confusing ball which is where MS seems to want us.

 

[RecumbentTim]

Ok thanks all - so, as I was beginning to conclude - upgrading to Win 10 from a Win 7 Retail licence offers no extra to upgrading from a Win 7 OEM licence.

So in my position wanting to finally move from XP, I may as well obtain a Win 7 OEM licence (cheap!) and go from there... I can no longer see any reason for getting a retail version of Win 7 (not for using Win 7 but simply as a path to Win 10)

I just installed Windows 7 Home Premium on a second motherboard using an OEM disc ($60) and it is activated and validated. However, Windows 10 failed to load but made it to the final stages. It wrecked my install so I reloaded the OEM disc and installed Windows 7 from scratch (skipped the key entry) and now it is activated and validated.
The re installation of Windows 7 did not proceed smoothly but with persistence and tenacity I finally beat it into submission.

I was surprised that Microsoft gave me no flak for the second computer.