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by tga 3109 days ago
Most PCs come without Windows installation media and instead rely on a restore partition (keylogger included). If you try to install off random other media (e.g. MSDN), it will not recognize the OEM license that comes with the computer.

Because of this, there is no trivial way (edit: OK, without buying Windows again) to get a vanilla install including only the Microsoft keylogger, but not the HP one.
2 comments
pnutjam 3109 days ago
Not true, you can reinstall the same version and it will pick up the licensing from the BIOS. You can even extract the key from the BIOS to use on a VM (same hardware) if your running linux.

It's even very easy to get the install media direct from Windows, not like back in XP days.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10I...

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tga 3109 days ago
Thanks, this used to be an issue at least Windows 8. I'm happily surprised if it's now as easy as downloading the ISO from Microsoft and reinstalling it on an OEM machine.
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dragonwriter 3109 days ago
There's a trivial way, it's just not zero added cost if your PC was bundled with Windows: buy a retail version of Windows.
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