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If i have an old computer that was windows 7 home edition and my friend downloaded windows 7 premium edition can i use the old license key for windows 7 home edition on another laptop after downloading a copy of windows 7 off the internet?

eduardo
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    Most likely not. They are different editions plus your old copy may be an OEM installation which would make it non-transferable. – Brian Adkins Oct 07 '13 at 23:19
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    There are no such products as "Windows 7 Home Edition" and Windows 7 Premium Edition", which makes your question confusing. There are versions called Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional. Is that what you meant? –  Oct 07 '13 at 23:51
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    Windows 7 is available in six different editions (Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate). Moses may mean from Home Basic (common as an OEM install) to Home Premium. – Debra Oct 08 '13 at 00:19
  • @eduardo - You might start by reviewing this ~FAQ: Windows 7 and Vista Activation FAQ: How do language, version, 64-bit or 32-bit, and source affect ability to install and transfer Windows licenses?http://superuser.com/questions/303136/windows-7-and-vista-activation-faq-how-do-language-version-64-bit-or-32-bit – BillR Oct 08 '13 at 17:37

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  1. If your old computer had Windows 7 Home Premium and you need to activate Windows 7 Professional, then you cannot use the product key from the first computer. License keys only activate the versions of the products they are made for.

  2. If the license key from the first computer is an OEM copy (the product key is on a sticker label on the computer case), the license is not legally transferable, regardless if they are the same version. OEM keys can only be installed on the computer with the matching sticker.

  3. If the first computer has a retail copy of Windows and the product you are installing is the same version, you can transfer it, but you must remove the old installation of Windows before activating the second.

  • 1, "yes". You need a 7 Pro key (or whatever version eduardo meant). 2, "according to MS". (I don't want to start a war so let's leave it to each person to research. Moses and I have each expressed an opinion/fact.) Consequently 3, "yes but" still possibly transferable (emphasis transfer: must not use same single use key on two computers at the same time) depending upon _your_ evaluation. _Note_, you may encounter an authentic version problem due to the complete change of hardware when you try to update the transfer copy. – BillR Oct 08 '13 at 13:41
  • @BillR #3 was under the assumption that it was a clean install. He wouldn't encounter any activation problems if he did that. –  Oct 08 '13 at 14:50
  • Re: Assuming clean install - Fair enough! Also depends on which version of software eduardo is able to find (has/borrows disk or finds online). For the laptop I'm writing this on, I ordered (for free once) ancient OEM install disks in order to convert a surplussed employer PC to a home PC (via re-install). I might have been better off doing a clean install from a more current upgrade disk (using double install) given the number of updates. – BillR Oct 08 '13 at 17:23