New Install- Why is Windows Activated?

[john1in2]

I just built a new computer with my son who is in middle school. New case, motherboard, memory, HDD, etc....

I downloaded the Windows 10 ISO to USB, installed Win 10 Pro 64 bit and skipped the part where you enter the product key.

I figured we have about 30 days to purchase a license so I bought a product key a few days ago.

When I went to enter the new key, the PC says its already activated through my son's microsoft account?

All he did was try to get Cortana to work by logging into his kid microsoft account.

What gives, is Windows free now? What happened?

I have done a lot of searching on the interent but I cannot figure this out!!

 

[Wolfie]

Hi John,

did your son deactivate a different computer and selected to move the licence when he was logged in to his MS account?.

If you install win 10 without a key, you can use it but there will eventually be a reminder bottom right and certain functions are disabled, that said, you can use it until MS decide to make everyone buy a licence!.

 

[Bastet]

Was there a previous PC connected to your son’s account which had a Retail license? If so then then new PC has picked up this license once you logged in with a Microsoft account.
If not or the license was OEM then from where did you purchase the Motherboard? Perhaps it had a Windows 7 license in the BIOS which has been used to activate Windows 10.

 

[Bighorn]

The same with the activation happened with me when I had to replace an IP/Insider Preview computer, logging into my Microsoft account during the setup process picked up my machine and it activated.

 

[john1in2]

Hi, my son has never had a computer before, he only has a Microsoft account (and also x box live account) for the purpose of playing Minecraft.

The motheboard and all components were new from Amazon, motherboard is here-
https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-H410M-S2H-LGA1200-Motherboard/dp/B08932B8FL/

I do not think the license could have traveled with the Microsoft account or could have traveled with the hardware.

We have another PC he uses sometimes, but that PC runs Windows 7. If he played Micecraft on it would that have done anything?

 

[Bighorn]

According to their Website Minecraft is a Microsoft product so the answer would be Yes. Same for XBox.

 

[john1in2]

How is this even possible? So what would happen if he initially he signed into MineCraft or Xbox at the neighbors house, it would transfer a license to my new PC installation? I highly doubt that . There has to be more (and less) to this?

 

[Bastet]

If he signed in on someone else’s PC/xBox then his account would be added to the neighbour’s xBox/PC & may lock them out of their account.
If he’s signing in on his own PC/xBox at a neighbours then nothing will happen.

 

[Shazbot]

If an unregistered installation is logged into with a microsoft account that has an association (e.g. is a family member on a machine like yours @john1in2 ) then microsoft will pick up on your sons registration/credentials and the link to the PC with windows 10 at your home, and try to use that to activate the unregistered copy of windows.

IF you son logged into somone elses computer, and it is already an authenticated copy of windows, then all he will do is "add himself to the user list of that computer" - NOT lock out the owner of the computer and their account. @Bastet - because there is already a licence key for that computer, and licences are based on hardware-set, not number of user account on a particular machine.
Otherwise every time someone logs into a shared computer, ownership would jump around, which would be madness.

 

[Steve9999]

I just built a new computer with my son who is in middle school. New case, motherboard, memory, HDD, etc....

I downloaded the Windows 10 ISO to USB, installed Win 10 Pro 64 bit and skipped the part where you enter the product key.

I figured we have about 30 days to purchase a license so I bought a product key a few days ago.

When I went to enter the new key, the PC says its already activated through my son's microsoft account?

All he did was try to get Cortana to work by logging into his kid microsoft account.

What gives, is Windows free now? What happened?

I have done a lot of searching on the interent but I cannot figure this out!!

I re-installed windows 10 after it kept crashing, I believe I didn't have to activate it because I logged in with my MS account, it put back all my settings, dark mode, my custom wall paper, everything. Other than that I have no idea how it knew to go back to all my settings, I had things disabled that I didn't have to go back & disable it again. I was sitting and watching The Boys on amazon when I noticed my wall paper popup on my other monitor right in front of me within hours of signing into my Microsoft account. That's the only way I can think of how that happens

 

[StevenG]

I just built a new computer with my son who is in middle school. New case, motherboard, memory, HDD, etc....

I downloaded the Windows 10 ISO to USB, installed Win 10 Pro 64 bit and skipped the part where you enter the product key.

I figured we have about 30 days to purchase a license so I bought a product key a few days ago.

When I went to enter the new key, the PC says its already activated through my son's microsoft account?

All he did was try to get Cortana to work by logging into his kid microsoft account.

What gives, is Windows free now? What happened?

I have done a lot of searching on the interent but I cannot figure this out!!

What version of Win-10 have you got with the new Gigabyte H410M S2H computer in the “Activation” section of Win-10? Is it Home or Pro? As and if your sons Win-7 is registered on the same email and has a Microsoft account then the “Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account” is used? As you can still upgrade from Win-7 to Win-10 with the Win-7 key and/or Microsoft account, usually if that is the case then it upgrades from Win-7 to Win-10 Pro.

What I would suggest is for you to make a different Microsoft account specifically for the new Gigabyte H410M S2H computer and use the new Win-10 Key as then that new key will be specifically associated to your new Gigabyte H410M S2H computer. As it is now its always going back to a Microsoft registred account irrespective of the key, simple.

 

[davehc]

I suspect john1in2 has left the building

 

[StevenG]

I suspect john1in2 has left the building

He’s done an Elvis lol