Windows licence

General Topics
1

Hello,

If I get a windows licence with the framework laptop (pre-configured edition if it matters), can I wipe the drive, install Linux and then reinstall windows later (for resale purposes for example)? From my understanding, the windows key depends on a hash of all the hardware UUIDs and if these stay fairly “similar” (not sure exactly how similar is required but this is what I’ve read-- would appreciate insight here too), then a clean reinstall of windows will activate fine.

Or would it be better to remove the NVMe drive with windows and install Linux on a different drive?

Thanks!

2

Yep, if the device had windows before you just click on I don’t have a product key and it will activate. Done it before with my PC.

1 Like
3

Thanks @Josh_Cook! It has to be the same flavor though, correct? I have an ISO that is Windows 10 (Version 1909 x32 and x64) and can install Home, Home N, Home Single Language, Education, Education N, Pro, Pro N. Presumably, I can just use that and select the flavor of the previously installed windows (in this case win 10 Home)? I’m happy with this ISO because I’ve tested that it works with secure boot and legacy BIOS using Ventoy.

Does windows commonly offer ISOs with options to install all flavors of Win 10? I think I got this ISO from MSDN back when that existed.

4

You can specify the flavor of windows (Home, Pro, etc.) during the install IIRC, or if the device had windows before it’ll use whatever flavor of windows it used to have

5

For prebuilt systems the windows license is bound to the mainboard. So if you have to replace the SSD should not be an issue.
You can download the latest windows installer images from microsoft which include all the versions:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
or
https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

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6

There are limited hardware swaps available before Microsoft invalidates your license but a call usually fixes that

Either way I wouldn’t worry