Hey everyone!
I got my desktop with dual boot (Kubuntu & W11) and wanted to know if I ever go fully Kubuntu, am I able to reinstall Windows again?
I don’t have a disc, but my desktop came with it pre-installed. Is it tied to my Live account?
Since presuming the computer came with Windows activated preinstalled, then the license key is likely embedded into the BIOS of the device. Reinstalling Windows will not void that license key because you already paid for it with the “windows tax.” I’ve reinstalled windows on my pre-built “gaming” PC and the license activated automatically.
There are some pains getting a USB bootable installer image with Windows on a full GNU/Linux system, but it is entirely possible. It’s also possible to virtualize windows with GPU pass-through or use Wine/Proton which should always be examined before attempting to reinstall Windows (which is always a last resort).
I just want to reiterate that it is a major pain creating a bootable Windows installation USB drive on a Linux or macOS system. It’d be prudent to create it before installing Linux or make sure you have another Windows computer accessible to you to avoid some headaches if needed.
Ventoy, Ventoy, Ventoy .
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I tried that once, technically possible but it wouldn’t let me login on the install I had been using long term previously (seemed fine on a completely fresh install)
Need windows little enough that I’ve just put my existing license in a fresh VM instead
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How does one set this up? Just create a blank VM and pass the drive through?
I set mine up a while back, I can’t remeber if I installed windows 10 on bare metal or in the VM. I remember I tried both, I want to say installing in the VM worked better. But what I do, is first set up KVM/qemu with virtual machine manager. Then IF YOU DONT HAVE WINDOWS ALREADY wipe the drive you want for windows. I usually just wipe and leave it as free space and not create a partition. Then in virtual machine manager, create a new virtual machine. Use local install media as the install option, select your windows ISO, then instead of ‘create disk image for virtual machine’, you check 'select or create custom storage and type in /dev/nvme1n1 or whatever the drive address is. check the customize before install and make sure its using UEFI instead of BIOS.
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE WINDOWS INSTALLED, open virtual machine manager, add new virtual machine, manual install, select or create custom storage, then type ‘/dev/nvme1n1’ or whatever your address is. Check the custumize configuration before install and make sure its using UEFI instead of BIOS.
for both you’ll want to install the KVM windows drivers you can find them on github
You can download the Windows ISO from Microsoft. The Windows License information is stored in your BIOS, IIRC
Just as pee is stored in the balls, sure. Any computer with a BIOS that did the bidding of Windows like that is automatically insecure garbage. Thankfully it isn’t a thing, your license info is stored by Microsoft attached to your account.
It really is.
sudo strings /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDMSpec straight from Microsoft: https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/3/8/13818231-a8ad-4fe7-b4e1-a63cbc5d6027/microsoft-software-licensing-tables.docx
An UEFI shell application that can extract it as well: https://blog.fpmurphy.com/2018/01/accessing-acpi-msdm-from-uefi-shell.html
it really is. pee is stored in the balls
I stand corrected on everything except it being insecure garbage.
I just set up a brand new Lenovo laptop today, that came with Win11. I quickly decided Win11 was hot garbage, and installed Win10, removing all partitions and wiping all drives. I never signed into a Microsoft acct on the machine, created only a local acct in Win11 and again in Win10.
When I installed 10, it never asked me for a product key, which had me scratching my head, until I googled and found that it had already activated Win10 home and how I could activate pro.
Long story short, it does appear that newer laptops have the key in their hardware somehow.
Anyway, the writing is on the wall - I can’t keep going with Windows. Which led me to lurking here.
I know all the words, and yet they make no sense. Are you being snarky? I am new here and trying to learn, and happened to have an experience relevant to the conversation this morning.
