New
#11
Factory OEM-SLP installs don't activate online, they activate via the SLIC table in the BIOS. That only works though, if you have an OEM PC with the factory SLIC table and the matching custom factory OEM install media. Dell, Acer etc install media obtained from them for that specific PC model.
If you clean install with stock media using the OEM-COA key, the key on the COA sticker on an OEM PC, you have to do a phone activation the first time you use the key on the Sticker. After that I do believe it will just activate online. I'm talking PC's with Dell, Acer etc OEM COA stickers.
Retail and OEM System Builder editions activate online.
Enterprise editions also require activation, its just done via KMS, or MAK. I have on occasion run Windows 10 Enterprise, I had to activate online with my MSDN MAK key. In a Corporate setup they would activate via the companies in house KMS server.
Last edited by alphanumeric; 18 Mar 2017 at 12:40.