Your OEM Windows license might expire soon. Check your specific terms to confirm.
Your OEM Windows license might expire soon. Check your specific terms to confirm.
You're concerned about your OEM Windows license when switching to Ubuntu. The good news is that the original license key remains valid even after reinstalling Windows. However, keep in mind that installing Windows again will erase all data on your laptop, so make sure you back up important files first. This process won’t affect the validity of your OEM key.
Ensure the information is accurate. You can use a PowerShell command to fetch your Windows key for backup. I recommend keeping only one OS per drive to avoid issues that arise from mixing operating systems across partitions.
It works just like a fresh install—just log in and the system will identify your hardware automatically. The only real work left is when you do physical changes, after which you can easily confirm those adjustments.
I previously used a dual boot setup with Windows 11 and Ubuntu. Startup times were very slow—around 3 to 8 seconds before switching. Now, after switching, they take about a minute. I’m using a 256 GB Samsung NVMe SSD as the boot drive, and I’m working on a university project that requires more stable performance.
You might always use a virtual machine if it meets your university assignment needs.
If your laptop is more than 11 years old, it's possible you might not have an embedded product key. This is rare but worth noting.