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Win 10 upgrade, clean install, still no action plan given ?

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Yeah, installing the Windows 10 upgrade on a system that didn't already have a copy of Windows on it doesn't work.

Even though I have a valid Windows 7 Pro license key, the damn thing isn't accepted when I try to activate Windows with it.
 
It is free, what are you complaining about? So it is an extra step if you want a clean install afterwards, so what?

Seriously, if you hate that idea sooooo much just go buy a new copy of Win10 and do clean install the first time.

🙄
 
SparkyJJO said:
It is free, what are you complaining about? So it is an extra step if you want a clean install afterwards, so what?

Seriously, if you hate that idea sooooo much just go buy a new copy of Win10 and do clean install the first time.

🙄
Click to expand...

You're right buying a new copy is the way to go. But with the already 50 threads of problems just on this site, it reminds me of Vista all over again. I'll stick with W7 until the next hardware upgrade cycle for me and buy a retail or whatever stick and install clean from the start, thanks for the suggestion, very helpful indeed.
 
Dahak said:
To get your free Win10 key, Yes you have to do an upgrade from a previous activated version.

You could get the 500GB drive, clone the 128 to the 500 then do the upgrade, while keeping the 128 free/disconnected to keep it clean incase
Click to expand...

That's kind of what I was planning on doing only I was just going to set the Windows 10 install aside in case I wanted it later and continue using the original Windows 7 install instead. But I'm concerned that it'll destroy/revoke my Windows 7 key. People everywhere act like Microsoft has been clear about how all this works but that's simply nonsense. They've "clarified" things so many times I can't even remember what they've said anymore. And just because some guy related to Microsoft might have said what I wanted to hear at one point doesn't mean I believe it.
 
PingSpike said:
That's kind of what I was planning on doing only I was just going to set the Windows 10 install aside in case I wanted it later and continue using the original Windows 7 install instead. But I'm concerned that it'll destroy/revoke my Windows 7 key. People everywhere act like Microsoft has been clear about how all this works but that's simply nonsense. They've "clarified" things so many times I can't even remember what they've said anymore. And just because some guy related to Microsoft might have said what I wanted to hear at one point doesn't mean I believe it.
Click to expand...

They don't "revoke" your Windows 7 key. Even after you've upgraded you're allowed to go back to 7 if you wish.
 
GrumpyMan said:
You're right buying a new copy is the way to go. But with the already 50 threads of problems just on this site, it reminds me of Vista all over again. I'll stick with W7 until the next hardware upgrade cycle for me and buy a retail or whatever stick and install clean from the start, thanks for the suggestion, very helpful indeed.
Click to expand...

Of course some people with some hardware and drivers are gonna have problems, but the majority will have no issues or just miner issues,
i for instance i like it and it runs great for me even better the Win 7,on my machines.
Out of 14 million or more that upgraded,50 issues with hardware or software is
nothing.
 
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For folks such as myself with lots of hardware and software the upgrade process didn't go so smoothly and a clean install will be in order soon. My laptop went super smooth without any issues. When it came up on 10 the taskbar was slightly different and the fly out menus were a bit different but not much else. I use classic shell so it retains that familiar windows 7 appearance. The standard menu is far better than the 8/8.1 metro approach but it still doesn't go far enough for me.
 
ketchup79 said:
Since it is free for one year, I think it's worth it to go ahead and get the update within the next year (so you will have the free license) then go back to 7 until you are ready for it. For taking the effort, you will have a free Windows license with support for many years to come.
Click to expand...

Are you saying you think the following would work and do you have a link that might support the idea?

Make an image file of an existing retail Win 7 installation in October 2015. Then take the free update in October 2015. Upgrade install the free upgrade over retail Win 7. Maybe or maybe not do a clean install of 10 as well. Configure it and install a bunch of applications. All is well. Make an image file of the Win 10 installation and applications in November 2015. Then revert to the original retail Win 7 say in December 2015 via a restoration of the October 2015 image. Live happily on that Win 7 retail restore for a few years.

Then later--long after the "free upgrade" has expired---say in 2018, restore the Win 10 image file you made in November 2015---to totally new hardware.

I'd love to think that would work, but I fear activation hell.

We just don't know about expected activation/licensing behavior AFTER the free upgrade expires.

16 page, 152 post thread on the topic at Microsoft here, with no clearcut answers the last I looked:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/.../6ee1dfe0-8adc-4cce-a46a-748963cf56d1?page=16
 
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Once you have it, you have it. That's already been hashed out. You just have to do the in-place upgrade to get it.
 
ignatzatsonic, some of what you ave saying depends on what copy of Windows you have. If it is OEM, it will be tied to the same hardware that you have when provided the Windows 10 key. Retail would not have this limitation, so long as it is one install at a time.

Once you have the key, you are golden. you can go back to what you had, stay on 10. Point is that a key for 10 "should" last you quite a while.

I have recovery media for my laptop, so I just let it upgrade from 7 to 10 and it did fine.

With the desktop, I am going to clone it to another drive and let it do the update to 10. That will be put away and save it for whenever I am ready to update.
 
WHAT KEY? Ketchup, I have yet to see a single valid key for a properly upgraded retail copy of 7 or 8.1. What key are you referring to now? One bought from Microsoft? I'm inclined to think no such key exists at this point. So how do you transfer such a copy from one machine to another?
 
ketchup79 said:
ignatzatsonic, some of what you ave saying depends on what copy of Windows you have. If it is OEM, it will be tied to the same hardware that you have when provided the Windows 10 key. Retail would not have this limitation, so long as it is one install at a time.

Once you have the key, you are golden......you can go back to what you had, stay on 10. Point is that a key for 10 "should" last you quite a while.
Click to expand...

As I said in my post, I'm referring purely to a RETAIL Win 7 installation, that is then upgraded by the free upgrade offer before next July. Then you immediately revert to Win 7. Then in 2018 you buy new hardware and attempt to get Win 10 on the new hardware without paying.

You don't get a new key as far as I have heard, with the free upgrade offer.

"Should" doesn't inspire me very much. That's the problem.

I realize there is no issue going from retail 7 to Win 10 now or until next July. I'm referring to 3 years down the road, coming from Win 7, after you've already upgraded to 10 and then reverted to 7.


We need more info from MS and no one is likely to believe what they are told until AFTER the free upgrade offer expires and people start experimenting.

I don't mind paying in 2018 in that situation. I'm just wondering if I'll have to. Win 10 has nothing I need, but like everyone else, I will be forced off Win 7 sooner or later.
 
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EULA states going from retail 7 or 8 gets you a retail 10 license, that can be transferred. Once you have it, you have it.

The only unknown is exactly how that whole key thing is handled, but unless Microsoft plans on violating their own EULA then there is no issue transferring the Windows 10 you got from upgrading from 7 on another set of hardware.
 
Underclocked:
If you are upgrading from 8.1 to 10, your key does not change if the key is on/in the BIOS.
If you are upgrading from 7 to 10, you will receive a new key.

I have upgraded a win 7 laptop this far, and Magical Jelly Bean verifies that the keys are vastly different.

ignatzatsonic:
Since you have Retail, you are good to upgrade parts at any time, or switch it to a completely different computer.
 
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Puffnstuff said:
You can dl an iso to burn that will have your unique key built into it specifically for the pc that you dl'd it on.
Click to expand...

AFAIK, that's not correct. The Windows 10 .iso files from Microsoft are all generic and do not themselves include a product key. Instead, the installation process retrieves the Windows 7/8.1 product key from the local machine, then sends that old product key info (via the internet) to Microsoft, which then churns out a new Windows 10 product key.
An internet connection is required for this process to function.

Has anyone done a Windows 10 upgrade without an active internet connection, and still show up as being "activated"?
 
Puffnstuff said:
That came directly from microsofts site and they've changed the information since then.
Click to expand...

Um, sure. An ISO would never have your key on it. As noted above, the ISO will either be the UEFI key from your BIOS (which only applies to 8 and 8.1, as earlier computers did not come this way) or a key given when you go through the upgrade process (mostly applies to 7).

Or it would come in the packaging for a legally purchased version.
 
I have upgraded a retail Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro. The only key I could find was a generic key, the same as you would see if an insider (one of about 3 variants). I tried my 8.1 key and it did not work.

Have you done such an upgrade and are you speaking from experience?
 
Underclocked said:
I have upgraded a retail Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro. The only key I could find was a generic key, the same as you would see if an insider (one of about 3 variants). I tried my 8.1 key and it did not work.

Have you done such an upgrade and are you speaking from experience?
Click to expand...

Was the key in your BIOS? That is where it would get the 8.1 key This was mentioned in another thread, but I didn't put the link in this one, so I have updated my earlier post.
 
Underclocked said:
How would a RETAIL Windows 8.1 key be in my bios? I think you've answered my questions.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't. But if, say, you installed a retail version of Windows on a computer that had an OEM key for the same version, it might activate and everything with the OEM key, assuming one did not manually change it. This would only apply to a board distributed (or on a computer sold) by an OEM who hard-codes the key into the BIOS.

Keep in mind these are somewhat generic answers, as I don't know the specifics of the computer(s) you are talking about.
 
Therein lies the problem. As far as a legal install of a RETAIL Windows 8.1 being upgraded to Windows 10... there IS NO KEY that will work to reinstall Windows 10 to a replacement computer at this time. That leaves one heckuva lot of folks STUCK if they do such an upgrade, have no key, and then are compelled to move their supposedly RETAIL Windows 10 to another system. Your answers are not just generic, they are wrong.

ps: this computer has an embedded key for Windows 8 (which would be legal for 8.1) and the upgrade never utilized that key at all. It only upgraded my retail pro install.

This is a problem, which along with all the embedded spyware, that makes Windows 10 a very unappealing "upgrade".
 
I have never seen a retail version of Windows have a key that was embedded into a BIOS, because there are none. These are for OEM only. Here are some links:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/will-bios-embedded-windows-8-product-keys-cause-reinstall-troubles/
http://superuser.com/questions/513904/how-to-extract-win-8-oem-key-embedded-in-the-bios
http://www.cnet.com/news/windows-8-moves-to-bios-based-product-keys/

Bottom line: if you actually have a Retail version of Windows, you will have a machine-independent key.

Adding some info on this:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...ee-offer/eb768ea7-68e5-4215-9bfb-cf45b911190e
 
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