Windows 8 Licensing: uninstall current 8.0 to install on new box?

[SteveInReno]

Hi, all! Searched around for a definitive answer on this, mostly just finding "yeah, give it a shot" as the result.

I have a Win8 laptop (not Win8.1) that I will be selling. How do I go about de-licensing that installation so I can use it on a new laptop that I've just received?

Thanks!
SteveInReno

 

[davidhk129]

If your laptop comes pre-installed with Win 8, the answer is .......no, you cannot.
The sticky point is that Win 8 product key of your laptop.
Since the laptop comes pre-installed with Win 8, that product key is an OEM product key, as such it is NOT transferrable. The key lives and dies with the original hardware.
Without a valid product key, you cannot install a copy of Win 8 to another computer.

 

[SteveInReno]

David, thanks for replying! This particular laptop came with Win7 that I used a Win8 upgrade (digital package) on. I'm sure I can dig up the Win8 upgrade key from the old emails, but my concern was UNINSTALLING the current Win8 license, irrespective of the state it leaves the laptop in (I'll probably wipe it and put the original Win7 back on it), and using that upgrade license key to upgrade the new laptop (which came with Win7 Home Premium Super-Deluxe UberWow Standard Elite version ;-) ). I don't want to eat the license for the Win8.

 

[davidhk129]

That is what I meant to tell you.

If you do the uninstall and revert the old laptop back to its original Win 7, then you have freed up the Win 8 product key.
You can then use that Win 8 product key to install Win 8 into a new computer.

 

[SteveInReno]

Ah, great!! Thanks! I was unsure if the uninstall did an actual de-activation of the license in the same way it does the activation. I know with the Server versions it's not quite that cut-and-dried.

Thanks again!
Steve

 

[davidhk129]

You are welcome.
Good luck and enjoy your new laptop.