Windows 10 from one machine to another, dont have key?

Pierre3400 · Apr 24, 2017

Hello guys,

I have 2 laptops.

One is a Lenovo that has been through a smokers home, with a Wifi card that works when it feels like it, and the other is a laptop, that works, apart from the it having needed a new HDD/SSD.

The laptop, had run a cracked copy of W7, it did have a legal key for home, but someone wanted Pro on it.
The Lenovo was born with with W8, then put back to W7, and then later upgraded to W10. So its currently running W10, and i would like to "move" this W10 to the laptop, and kill the Lenovo.

Is this possible? The lenovo does not have its key written on the buttom.

Alaric · Apr 24, 2017

You could try here. https://www.kinguin.net/catalogsearch/result/index/?q=Windows+10

Pierre3400 · Apr 24, 2017

Im not looking to buy a key, i want to use the key from the Lenovo.

trents · Apr 24, 2017

I doubt if the Packard Bell would meet the minimum hardware requirements to be able to run Windows 10. They went out of business or were bought out a long time ago.

You would be better off just replacing the wifi adapter on the Lenovo. More than likely you can pick one up off ebay for a few bucks. The are usually very easy to access on older laptops. Usually there's just a panel on the underside with a screw that allows you to get at the RAM and the NIC.

Pierre3400 · Apr 24, 2017

trents said:
I doubt if the Packard Bell would meet the minimum hardware requirements to be able to run Windows 10. They went out of business or were bought out a long time ago.

It meets the requirements, its a rebranded Acer.

I dont see what this has to do with the question at hand?

Dolk · Apr 24, 2017

So technically you can, but it is best to have your W10 key that you used to get W10. By this I mean if you didn't out right buy W10, you will need the W7 or W8/8.1 key that came with your product. Either one works just fine.

The best to do is to just remove the HDD/SDD from one system and move it over. Run the clean install feature that is now native to W10. This will remove all files on the main OS disk, but reinstall the OS at the same time. This is when you need the key, as it will un-register since it recognizes new hardware. After this, you are good to use the system. Its pretty clean and I have used this process several times before.

wagex · Apr 24, 2017

just use a windows 10 key reader, it will search the bios on the current laptop and pull the serial from there.

trents · Apr 24, 2017

Pierre3400 said:
It meets the requirements, its a rebranded Acer.

I dont see what this has to do with the question at hand?

Because there would be no point in trying to move the OS from the Lenovo to the PB if it wouldn't work anyway. I was just trying to save you some trouble, that's all.

Why don't you just replace the NIC in the Lenovo?

- - - Updated - - -

wagex said:
just use a windows 10 key reader, it will search the bios on the current laptop and pull the serial from there.

Yeah, that should work. https://www.lifewire.com/free-product-key-finder-programs-2625119 You could use the media creation tool to create an installer.

Pierre3400 · Apr 24, 2017

trents said:
Because there would be no point in trying to move the OS from the Lenovo to the PB if it wouldn't work anyway. I was just trying to save you some trouble, that's all.

Why don't you just replace the NIC in the Lenovo?

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah, that should work. https://www.lifewire.com/free-product-key-finder-programs-2625119 You could use the media creation tool to create an installer.

Trust me, i have, i picked the same make, model and everything, stuck it in the Lenovo, and BOOM failed to load, due to hardware not being compatable, turns out the NIC i needed was about the same price as a new laptop, sooooo not gonna happen.

I will try key reader. Thanks.

Pierre3400 · Apr 24, 2017

Founds a key finder, got the keys. There was windwos OEM on bios and then a W10 Pro on top of that... Strange.

trents · Apr 24, 2017

Concerning the NIC, you could also just use a USB Wifi adapter dongle.

Windows 10 from one machine to another, dont have key?

Pierre3400

annnnnnd it's gone

Alaric

New Member

Pierre3400

annnnnnd it's gone

trents

Senior Member

Pierre3400

annnnnnd it's gone

Dolk

I once overclocked an Intel

wagex

Chapstick Eating Premium Member

trents

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Pierre3400

annnnnnd it's gone

Pierre3400

annnnnnd it's gone

trents

Senior Member

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