Because the key lives in the firmware, you do not need to manually enter a product key when reinstalling Windows on the same HP machine; the installer will pick it up automatically.
Legitimate Windows 10 ISOs from Microsoft are never preactivated. Activation requires:
If a website offers a "preactivated" ISO, it has been modified by a third party. This violates Microsoft’s licensing terms and likely includes cracks, loaders, KMS emulators, or worse. windows 10 pro hp oem iso preactivated x64 link
Microsoft allows indefinite use of Windows 10 without activation:
I strongly advise against this. Even if the file claims to be “clean,” these are common outcomes: Because the key lives in the firmware, you
Reputable security firms (Kaspersky, Malwarebytes) regularly find that over 90% of “preactivated Windows ISOs” contain malware.
Steps for HP Cloud Recovery Tool:
This gives you a legal, clean, HP-specific Windows 10 Pro ISO – but it will not be preactivated unless your PC has a valid digital license.