All those users who switched to the tenth version of the system, following the free Microsoft offer, or installed it not in the form of a Technical Preview followed by an update, but as the official full version, in some cases they encounter the fact that Windows during reinstallation, like many They think they can request a license key. And then there is the problem of how to reinstall Windows 10 while maintaining the license. How realistic is this, read on.
Can I reinstall Windows 10 while retaining my license?
The first free version was activated automatically, and with the advent of the update Treshold 2, the activation process became much easier, because the developers decided not to create problems for users.
Now reinstalling Windows 10 while retaining the license is completely elementary. If the equipment has not changed, you can reinstall the system at least a hundred times. Even replacing a hard drive, for example, from HDD to SSD, does not affect the activation request at all. If we talk about the Treshold update, then the activation was simplified to such an extent that there are no problems with a “clean” installation of Windows 10 or when upgrading the seventh and eighth modifications to the tenth. In the tenth version, even activation keys work, which were applied to previously installed Windows 7 and 8!
Reinstalling Windows 10 from scratch while retaining the license: preliminary steps
Before you reinstall the system, you will need to perform a number of simple steps. First, you should back up just in case. Secondly, you will need to use removable media, from which the installation will be made.
And in the case of a “clean” installation, and in the case of an upgrade, to create a bootable USB-drive or disk, you need to use a utility called Media Creation Tool, in which, at startup, the appropriate section is selected instead of starting the installation of the system on the hard drive. This application has the undeniable advantage that the user will receive the most current version of the system at the moment, along with the main updates.
Standard System Installation Procedure
Reinstalling Windows 10 while retaining the license begins with the installation of a priority boot device in the BIOS settings.
If a conventional USB flash drive is used as such, it must be inserted into the corresponding port before entering the BIOS parameters, otherwise the primary input / output system will not recognize it among the boot devices. If everything is done correctly, the name of the required media will appear in the Boot Device Priority section. It must be installed as the first.
After starting, the standard installation procedure follows. When the process reaches the step prompting you to enter the license key, you can simply ignore it and click the continue button. Next, it will be proposed to select the section in which you intend to install the system, and format it. Select drive C and agree with the warning (you do not need to format all other partitions). Next, we again indicate the already formatted section and wait for the installation process to complete.
In the case of the update, you should pay attention that the files of previous installations may remain on the hard disk, therefore, at the end of the installation of Windows 10, it is advisable to get rid of them, since they will hang dead weight, only taking up space.
Some nuances of reinstalling Windows 10 on laptops
However, reinstalling Windows 10 while retaining the license is not limited only to this technique. In some laptop models, you can use very specific methods.
As a rule, reinstallation of Windows 10 with preservation of the license can be carried out from special menus that are called by keyboard shortcuts or buttons on the keyboard panel or on the case. HP devices use the F11 key, Sony VAIO use the ASSIST button, Lenovo devices use the Novo Button, Toshiba systems use the number 0 key. The disadvantage of these methods is that they will install a “clean” restored system without actual updates. They will be integrated later (if automatic updating is enabled). Otherwise, you will have to use manual search with subsequent installation.
Conclusion
As it was already possible to notice, for all cases when reinstallation of the tenth modification of Windows is required, the applied technique is quite simple. On some laptop models, this process looks much more preferable than the actions performed on desktop PCs. However, we must pay tribute to the developers from Microsoft: the processes associated with the requirements of product activation are so simplified that a user of any level of preparation can perform the reinstallation of the system when it is necessary to get rid of all its errors.
As for installing updates in a “clean” system, there should not be any special problems, since this function is activated by default in Windows. If the updates are not installed automatically, there is nothing easier than using the search for important updates in the Windows Update center, and then installing them by selecting critical ones (additional updates can be integrated into the system if desired).