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I found the following VBScript code (ARRGH!) for getting a product key. It seems to work, YMMV. It may help as a double check for some of the other ideas given in previous responses. My PC arrived with W10 and I immediately upgraded (?) to W11 as that had come out whilst the PC was in the post and it meant that I had nothing of my own on the PC to lose. I was fortunate as it was an in situ upgrade and it picked up the old key automatically, so didn't need the output from this code.
To use, save as <name>.vbs and just double click it.
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId"))
Function ConvertToKey(Key)
Const KeyOffset = 52
i = 28
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Do
Cur = 0
x = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur
Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) And 255
Cur = Cur Mod 24
x = x -1
Loop While x >= 0
i = i -1
KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput
If (((29 - i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then
i = i -1
KeyOutput = "-" & KeyOutput
End If
Loop While i >= 0
ConvertToKey = KeyOutput
End Function
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Thanks. I use a tool to pull it out of the registry, but that works too. Nice to just use WSH. Hopefully though, the product key is on the case itself. It usually has been when I've received desktops.
Edit: The last time I tried to install Win10 I had the product key (from the case of the machine) and it would not let me use it. I had to call support. They told me to choose "I don't have a product key" and that worked. It pulled it from UEFI.
There's smoke in my iris
But I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids
So I'm ready now (What you ready for?)
I'm ready for life in this city
And my wings have grown almost enough to lift me
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That script brings back nightmares. Makes me realize how easy hackers could spin up COM objects to do anything via a malicious website.
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When the manufacturer installs a new legal version of Windows, the machine gets registered with Microsoft. (The machine - not the drive!) It does not matter how you change the drive, or how many times your do a clean install, or how many times you do a re-image of the systems drive, as long as you install the same version of Windows (11 home edition) the installation will be activated as soon as the machine connects to the Internet for the first time.
I don't bother with cloning. I get rid of the bloated junk that ships with the machine by doing a clean install. Windows will be activated immediately. At least this has always worked on my Dell computers.
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
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Thank you for this!
There's smoke in my iris
But I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids
So I'm ready now (What you ready for?)
I'm ready for life in this city
And my wings have grown almost enough to lift me
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If you do a clean install on a NVMe drive: Be very aware of this issue. You may want to download the Intel Rapid Storage Drivers before you start:
The Lounge[^]
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
modified 24-May-23 8:42am.
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To be on the safe side: When you get the new machine, before you change anyting: Create an administrator account for yourself. It is probably better to tell Microsoft that you are now the owner of the new machine?
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
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I'm told logging into my microsoft account will connect it.
But here on the forums I've also been told the license that ships with a PC is associated with *that PC* and presumably as long as you don't change too much hardware it will still function such that it can pull the license from the internet or something and reactivate windows with the new system drive.
Adding, I will be logging into my MS account on that laptop as my first order of business.
There's smoke in my iris
But I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids
So I'm ready now (What you ready for?)
I'm ready for life in this city
And my wings have grown almost enough to lift me
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Make sure you update the firmware in your new SSD, in case it is affected by this[^].
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Yeah, I've been on top of that, and been lucky besides.
There's smoke in my iris
But I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids
So I'm ready now (What you ready for?)
I'm ready for life in this city
And my wings have grown almost enough to lift me
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The easiest way to achieve this, is to fully setup the laptop as-is, and tie it to your main Microsoft account, confirming the device is listed online as one of your devices. After that, create a Windows recovery stick and swap the SSD.
The license recovery only works if you have completed setup AND online activation of the system.
You can tie (and implicitly upgrade to new T.O.S.) a license it to your main Microsoft account starting from Windows 10.
Theoretically, one could even purchase a Windows 7 Pro key and install it to a VM on an OEM device with Linux, upgrade the image to Windows 8.1 while cloning the disk to the actual system before upgrading the key, and then upgrade that to Windows 10 Pro and tie it to your account. Due to the nitty-gritty details of the license agreements, it's technically not covered in the agreement.
Again, completely theoretically, because you can't buy official Windows 7 Pro keys anymore, anywhere.
*wink wink*
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#Worldle #487 2/6 (100%)
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉโฌโฌโก๏ธ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐
https://worldle.teuteuf.fr
not too hard
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
modified 23-May-23 22:04pm.
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Wordle 704 4/6
โฌโฌโฌ๐จ๐จ
โฌ๐จโฌ๐ฉ๐จ
๐จ๐จโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
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Wordle 704 6/6
โฌโฌโฌ๐ฉ๐จ
โฌ๐จ๐จ๐ฉโฌ
โฌ๐จโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉโฌโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉโฌโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
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Wordle 704 4/6
โฌ๐จโฌโฌ๐จ
๐จโฌ๐จโฌ๐ฉ
โฌ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
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Wordle 704 X/6
โฌโฌโฌโฌ๐จ
๐จโฌ๐จโฌโฌ
๐ฉโฌโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉโฌโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉโฌโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉโฌโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
dzzzz
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Wordle 704 4/6*
โฌ๐จโฌโฌ๐จ
โฌโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
โฌ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
Woo!
Played 475
Win % 100 (rounded, should be 99.789 as I lost a game)
Current Streak 400
Max Streak 400
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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โฌ๐จโฌโฌ๐จ
โฌ๐จโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity. - Hunter S Thompson - RIP
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Wordle 704 5/6
๐จ๐จโฌโฌโฌ
โฌโฌ๐จโฌโฌ
โฌโฌ๐จโฌโฌ
โฌโฌ๐จโฌ๐จ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
Hard one!
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Wordle 704 3/6
โฌโฌโฌ๐จ๐จ
โฌ๐ฉโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
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Wordle 704 3/6*
โฌ๐ฉ๐จโฌโฌ
โฌ๐ฉโฌ๐ฉ๐ฉ
๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ
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[^] ... I did, and now I'm hooked on it, and click-bait just won't do it for me anymore 
ยซThe mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindledยป Plutarch
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There's something fishy about that.
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He's just spinning us a line.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I nearly fell for it, hook, line and sinker.
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