Windows 10 keys are all the same after updating several computers.

By Gungel
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Gungel

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This week I updated a small business with 3 Windows 8.1 installations to Windows 10. Each of the Windows 8.1 systems had its own key, but all systems had the exact same hardware. After updating to Windows 10 pro the license keys for all 3 systems are now the same. All systems say that they are activated and have a valid license. Will I have a problem in the future with this client? and has anyone else seen this problem and if so how did you fix this?

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PGHammer

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Do they have different user accounts?  If they do, then that is NOT a bug - licensing is tied to the user account;  NOT the CD key.  (Tying software licensing to CD keys is easier in terms of piracy - which is why Microsoft is deliberately moving away from it with Windows 10 - and likely with Office 2016 as well, if not Office 365 going forward.)

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Eric Veteran

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Windows 10 upgrade licenses are tied to a hardware ID, not any user accounts or your Microsoft account. The key is a generic upgrade key and isn't needed for anything. Once you have installed Win 10 over a valid Win 7/8 installation that device is registered and will reactivate whenever 10 is installed on it. Just hit "skip" for both of the product key requests.

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Gungel

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o they have different user accounts?  If they do, then that is NOT a bug - licensing is tied to the user account;  NOT the CD key.  (Tying software licensing to CD keys is easier in terms of piracy - which is why Microsoft is deliberately moving away from it with Windows 10 - and likely with Office 2016 as well, if not Office 365 going forward.)

I installed them all with the same user admin account. Hopefully this does not cause any future licensing issues.

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PGHammer

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Windows 10 upgrade licenses are tied to a hardware ID, not any user accounts or your Microsoft account. The key is a generic upgrade key and isn't needed for anything. Once you have installed Win 10 over a valid Win 7/8 installation that device is registered and will reactivate whenever 10 is installed on it. Just hit "skip" for both of the product key requests.

Windows 10 upgrade licenses are tied to a hardware ID, not any user accounts or your Microsoft account. The key is a generic upgrade key and isn't needed for anything. Once you have installed Win 10 over a valid Win 7/8 installation that device is registered and will reactivate whenever 10 is installed on it. Just hit "skip" for both of the product key requests.

I was thinking of the hash calculated based on installed hardware (that IS a component of said hash); however, it's not totally based on the hardware - there ARE other components to the hash.  In any case, it IS a move from reliance on easy-to-fake components (such as license keys) without going all onerous (such as hardware dongles).  If Microsoft can tame software licensing without making it more onerous (or actually make it LESS onerous to users), good for them.

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Gotenks98

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Do they have different user accounts?  If they do, then that is NOT a bug - licensing is tied to the user account;  NOT the CD key.  (Tying software licensing to CD keys is easier in terms of piracy - which is why Microsoft is deliberately moving away from it with Windows 10 - and likely with Office 2016 as well, if not Office 365 going forward.)

Its got nothing to do with user accounts. Its totally hardware based. Microsoft has even said so.

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Eric Veteran

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I was thinking of the hash calculated based on installed hardware (that IS a component of said hash); however, it's not totally based on the hardware - there ARE other components to the hash.  In any case, it IS a move from reliance on easy-to-fake components (such as license keys) without going all onerous (such as hardware dongles).  If Microsoft can tame software licensing without making it more onerous (or actually make it LESS onerous to users), good for them.

I'm not sure how it works now, TBH. I upgraded my HTPC to Windows 10 then replaced both the video card and hard drive and it still activated immediately as soon as the install was complete. I only created a local account because I hate how it makes user folder names out of your e-mail address if you sign in straight to a MS account. :/

In the past changing those two components at once would have triggered a reactivation so maybe it considers certain motherboard data (like OEM certificates) sufficient now if it's present.

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