I’ll use the HP 290 as an example. If I wanted to put Unraid on it, am I able to use the Windows key off of the 290 to use in a different computer? So the HP’s that have the Windows keys tied to the motherboard, are the keys transportable?
No, the key is tied to the machine itself. Even if you did extract it, you would be violating the terms of the OEM license.
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OEM license keys are bound to the hardware. Retail keys are bound to your MS account and portable.
(ooh, ninja’d!)
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Ok, so delayed follow up. Before I recommission my 290 with Unraid or Freenas and VM’ing Windows, I’m trying to see if the hardware-bound key will work when vm’d. Based on one Reddit thread, it should. Anyone experiment with that yet?
Otherwise I may need to take the plunge and report back
If you can figure out what hardware device to pass through then it’s maybe possible. But I wouldn’t vouch for it or recommend it. In addition to probably being against the terms of the hardware license
With a VM, it’s unlikely that you need to activate windows anyway…