I'm building a new PC and I currently have a prebuilt one that came with Windows installed on a reusing SSD. I want to know if I need to buy a new Windows license and download it again for my new setup, or can I do something else?
4 Answers
Keep in mind that Windows licenses are usually tied to your motherboard. Since your prebuilt PC likely has an OEM key, it won’t transfer to your new motherboard. If you just move your SSD over, it might boot but could deactivate Windows. If you want to do a fresh install, I recommend using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB drive. You can wipe your SSD during the installation process.
Just download it from Microsoft.com; it's pretty straightforward!
You can actually download Windows for free from Microsoft's website. If you end up needing a license, there are quite a few trusted places selling them ranging from $40 to over $100, but sometimes you can find great deals too.
There’s one popular tech site where you can often buy Windows for about $15, which is a steal!
I got a legit Windows license from Groupon for about $12, which was a great deal!
True, but sometimes prebuilt PCs come with retail keys which are transferable. It's worth checking if that's the case for you! Also, you can use Windows without activating it; you'll just miss out on some personalization options.