Factory Reset - Do I loose the Windows 10 Free upgrade?

jazzy

I am hoping to sell my notebook which is around 2 years old. The notebook came with Windows 8 installed I upgraded to Windows 10 through the free offer that they had a while back. I would like to do a factory reset to remove all of my data. So I presume the notebook would revert to Windows 8? or is there a way to retain the Windows 10 o/s?

esuhl

Yes, and yes. Once you revert to Windows 8, download and install Windows 10. Microsoft will recognise your laptop (via a hardware hash) as having a valid licence, and will allow you to complete the Win10 installation.

Peter999_2

If you need to download the windows 10 iso you can get it here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/

jazzy

Peter999 wrote: »

If you need to download the windows 10 iso you can get it here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/

Would my current licence number work with a new windows 10 installation?

Peter999_2

You don't need to input a licence key, just click on skip when it asks you for the key.

As soon as it gets on the internet it will automatically activate.

Le_Kirk

jazzy wrote: »

Would my current licence number work with a new windows 10 installation?

Only on that machine.

Neil_Jones

Windows 10 doesn't use licences as far as the free upgrade was concerned. It's tied to your hardware and you can reinstall until the cows come home and it'll still activate.

The only need for a licence with regards to 10 is when you first install it on an empty hard drive. After that the above applies.

Basically as long as you don't change the motherboard it's yours for life.

jazzy

So if I am carrying out a reformat, is it best to carry out a factory reset which will revert the system back to windows 8 and then carry out a windows 10 upgrade? or would it be better to download a windows 10 iso and do a fresh install?

AndyPix

Fresh install is a much better option

Neil_Jones

In Windows 10 you have the Refresh This PC Option which give you the opportunity to reset the machine as a new install, or you have the Fresh installation which, in Creators Update is part of Windows Defender, or for previous builds is available here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10startfresh

You can reset to Windows 8 and upgrade back to 10 that way but it's twice the effort for the same outcome.

esuhl

Neil_Jones wrote: »

Windows 10 doesn't use licences as far as the free upgrade was concerned.

Yes it does. You need a valid Windows 10 licence to be allowed to install the OS.

During the free upgrade period, you could either do an in-place installation, in which case your hardware hash would be sent to Microsoft, and MS would automatically license your computer for Win10 and issue a generic Product Key (shared by all users who performed an in-place upgrade).

Or you could have performed a clean installation by using your Windows 7/8 Product Key. Instead of issuing you a new licence, your existing licence would be upgraded to include an OEM version of Windows 10, also linked to the hardware hash.