You can no longer activate new Windows 11 builds with Windows 7 or 8 keys; maybe last chance to activate using Windows 7 or 8 keys, for 22H2. - eviltoast
  • londos@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Dumb q, if I install Linux and later decide to reinstall Windows, is that OEM license still good?

    • pjhenry1216@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      The answer is a resounding maybe. If you activated with a Microsoft account or if there’s a TPM chip, the chances of it still working increases. There are different kinds of licenses, but if it fails, there’s a better than not chance calling MS support and just telling them you had a hardware failure on your laptop and you need to reinstall, they’ll get you going. Not a guarantee though. And I’ll caveat and say this information is a couple years old (I don’t work in tech support anymore).

      • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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        1 year ago

        You can just reactivate by troubleshooting your activation in Windows.

        No need to call Microsoft about it.

        • pjhenry1216@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          The multiple posts of people not being able to do that should have made it clear that doesn’t always work.