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My first question is -- I've seen someone here link to a site that sells cheap Windows 10 licenses that are legit. Anyone know what that site is and whether it really is reliable? Basically I'd just create a Windows install boot and plug that license in right?

Second question -- I'm building a new PC and am most likely going to try to sell my old one as a complete build. I have never done this before and am trying to figure out the easiest way. I will do a clean install with a new license on the new PC. I have no files or data that needs to be saved on the old boot drive. What's the easiest way to safely restore Windows 10 to a clean install on the old PC so that it's ready to be sold? (no hardware is going to be changed)

Sysprep is what you want to do for option 2. For option 1, I personally stick with the big names like Newegg or Amazon.

You can find cheap OEM Windows-key resellers on Amazon and e-bay. But if your sources were referring to a dedicated site for software licenses, Kinguin.net is probably the best known site for key resellers.

Note that in each of these cases, you are dealing with individual resellers rather than actually Amazon or ebay. But all these sites have some measure of buyer protection, ostensibly.

As to legality, the keys being sold are usually unactivated OEM keys, and more rarely, volume license keys. The software license for these keys state that they are not intended for resale, although the actual legal status is murky. The EU has found in favor of users legally being able to resell keys and licenses, but the US has not, so if you are selling in the US, you may not have legal protection for your use and purchase of said keys.

The keys you get will almost certainly activate Windows, but there is no guarantee that MS can not deactivate the key at a later date, especially if you are not in a legally protected zone like the EU.

If you're selling your PC, it's probably safest to leave the issue of buying and activating keys to the customer. You can preinstall an unactivated copy of Windows, or bundle a USB install drive, and tell them to get their own Windows key, and leave it up to them where to source it from. Alternatively, if the PC that you are selling is using an OEM key, the Windows key is tied to the motherboard and will not activate for you if you build a new computer and try to activate it on that. So you could just sell the PC with the key that it was using before, just be sure to do a clean install that is not linked to your MS account, and to deactivate the PC from your list of authorized devices on your Microsoft Account control panel.

Ahhh good to know. It seemed like everyone in that thread were talking like the licenses were 100% legit, but your explanation sounds a lot more in line with what I'd expect.

In that case, I think I will transfer the license from my old drive to my new PC and leave a clean install inactivated on the old pc for the new user.

Any tips on the best way to uninstall the license key from the old PC? I bought the license retail

Voldenuit already mentioned it, but I remember this from a couple of years ago. I cannot personally verify that it works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXTqz3Fd28M

RickyTick wrote:

Voldenuit already mentioned it, but I remember this from a couple of years ago. I cannot personally verify that it works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXTqz3Fd28M

I know some people who bought Win10 Pro keys from Kinguin for $10-20, and they still work (for now).

Microsoft selling Win 10 Pro for $200 when it comes with dialhome, Candy Crush and no real way to manage updates are the real criminals, here.

@OP: If you want to remove your current license key, I think a clean install and don't enter any serial when prompted is the best bet.

Ah, I guess it was answered in a round-a-bout way. Thanks

If Windows 10 has already been activated on the old machine, simply download the Windows10 ISO from Microsoft and install it like you would (delete the old partitions is the easiest, secure erase is the safest). The reinstall wont ask for your Windows key because it's already imbedded in the BIOS somewhere.

As an anecdote. I use unactivated OEM licenses all the time on my new builds and have never had a problem. I imagine most of those licenses come from companies (like mine) that buy an OEM PC, then immediately re-image it with their own version/license of Windows. The license that the OEM PC shipped with simply goes unused.

There's nothing wrong with OEM licenses except they (purportedly) cant be transferred. That was inconvenient with pre-Windows 10. But now that Win10 locks itself on a BIOS, I'm not sure it matters if you have an OEM or Retail license, it's going to be locked to the machine you activate it on.

Usacomp2k3 wrote:

Sysprep is what you want to do for option 2. For option 1, I personally stick with the big names like Newegg or Amazon.

Sysprep is not a clean install.

If there are user files, they will remain on the hard drive. This includes misc data files (doc/jpg/etc) as well as installed programs.

DPete27 wrote:

If Windows 10 has already been activated on the old machine, simply download the Windows10 ISO from Microsoft and install it like you would (delete the old partitions is the easiest, secure erase is the safest). The reinstall wont ask for your Windows key because it's already imbedded in the BIOS somewhere.

As an anecdote. I use unactivated OEM licenses all the time on my new builds and have never had a problem. I imagine most of those licenses come from companies (like mine) that buy an OEM PC, then immediately re-image it with their own version/license of Windows. The license that the OEM PC shipped with simply goes unused.

There's nothing wrong with OEM licenses except they (purportedly) cant be transferred. That was inconvenient with pre-Windows 10. But now that Win10 locks itself on a BIOS, I'm not sure it matters if you have an OEM or Retail license, it's going to be locked to the machine you activate it on.

Interesting... I don't really have data I'm afraid to lose on my computer, so the worst that could happen is that my license would deactivated and I'd have to buy another right? (that is, if I used an inactivated OEM license)

For #2, just goto settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery. In there, click the Get Started button under Reset this PC. It'll ask if you wanna keep personal files or not, just say no. You're good to go at that point.

To be sure the key is removed from the old machine:

Run from an administrator command prompt: slmgr.vbs /upk

upk = Uninstall Product Key


But you might still need to contact MS by phone or through support when activating your new PC. They will ask for an install id provided by Windows setup.

Why not just DBAN/SecureErase the old drive and let the buyer handle installing their own OS?

The link for the cheap Windows 10 licenses was:

https://www.hrkgame.com/en/games/produc ... m=software


With regards to cleaning up the old PC, you can just do "Reset this PC" from Settings > Update and Security > Recovery. You'll be given the option to either keep your files or start completely fresh. If you're worried about someone recovering old files than I second the DBAN/SecureErase on the drive and then sell the system As Is...meaning they'll need to provide their own license. The link above has Windows 10 Pro OEM for $15.

If the system already has its own Win10 license that can't be transferred, why remove it? Computers are more valuable as a "turn-key" product.