So I ordered a HP Spectre x360 14t w/ Windows 10 Pro. back in July. It finally shipped today. I also just took a look at the laptop's product page and they're now offering it with Windows 11 Pro. (Won't ship until early October). Is there any way to change the Windows 10 Pro. "key" or license that's embedded in the UEFI, into Windows 11 Pro.? What I want to be able to do is (once it's available): - use Microsoft media creation tool to create an 11 Pro. install flash drive - swap out the SSD in the laptop with a brand new one - install 11 Pro. using that flash drive - have it automatically activate as 11 Pro. even without an internet connection
No. To my knowledge, after Windows 7 Microsoft dropped the ability to activate offline; embedded OEM-keys need also connection to MS-servers for activation, no difference to the usual retail key, except the "bundling" to the hardware.
Ah ok. So for all intents and purposes (since an internet connection is needed) once that embedded Windows "license" / "key" / "digital entitlement" is tied to my Microsoft account (by using the laptop as-is and signing into it with my Microsoft account) it wouldn't matter that the embedded key is for Win10 Pro.. I can then: - replace the SSD with one of my choosing - image it with the 11 Pro. USB flash drive I'm going to create using the Media Creation Tool once it's available once it's imaged, will it ask me for a product activation key? If so, can I use a KMS key for this? If it doesn't ask for a product activation key I'm assuming I would only need to sign back into it with my Microsoft account to activate Windows.
You don't need a MS account. This is useful for migrating licenses, but not necessary for activation. In case of "digital entitlement", which is usually shown, if the actual license is a sort of upgrade (example: SLIC-activated Windows 7, free upgraded to 10), MS server will recognize your mainboard from a hardware-hash. So no account needed, it will activate automatically if connected to lan. The installation-setup will only ask for a key, if no key is found in hardware (ACPI-table in bios/UEFI). A later change of licensing or edition is possible, KMS should work with Professional.
Perhaps yes, perhaps no. Newer biosses uses often custom-hashes to prevent from unautorized changes, and from the past i remembered HP-bios as difficult or impossible to mod. It could work with a tool from HP, but unlike with the common bios-tools we know.
No need for any keys changes. This ISO will readout the MSDM and use it for auto sku selection at setup from boot and activate it when the system goes online. That can only be achieved by KMS or KMS38 activation.
as it's a free upgrade the windows 10 key will work the same as a windows 11 key that is if they differ in any way at all just like a windows 8 key just works with windows 10 you can't tell maybe if you want to change a home to pro key