How to install Windows 10 on new HDD for laptop?

[Neoking]

So my laptop's hard drive failed, and I'm looking to purchase a new hard drive for it. I had Windows 10 installed before it died. My laptop also has a DVD drive in case that'll be useful.

After I buy a new hard drive and set it up inside my laptop, how can I keep my copy of Windows 10 without having to purchase a new product key? It seems like if I download an image of Windows 10 on a DVD or USB and I use that to boot on the laptop, it'll ask for a product key to install (which I don't have).

 

[sizzling]

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

 

[Neoking]

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

 

[USAFRet]

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

Go here and download the MediaCreation tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Create either a USB install, or download the ISO and create a DVD
Boot from that and install on the new drive.

Since your PC was already upgraded, it should not ask for a license key.

 

[Neoking]

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

Go here and download the MediaCreation tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Create either a USB install, or download the ISO and create a DVD
Boot from that and install on the new drive.

Since your PC was already upgraded, it should not ask for a license key.

Even if Windows will be installed on a totally new hard drive? I upgraded on my old hard drive that's now completely corrupted...

 

[USAFRet]

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

Go here and download the MediaCreation tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Create either a USB install, or download the ISO and create a DVD
Boot from that and install on the new drive.

Since your PC was already upgraded, it should not ask for a license key.

Even if Windows will be installed on a totally new hard drive? I upgraded on my old hard drive that's now completely corrupted...

Yes, it should work.

 

[Neoking]

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

Go here and download the MediaCreation tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Create either a USB install, or download the ISO and create a DVD
Boot from that and install on the new drive.

Since your PC was already upgraded, it should not ask for a license key.

Even if Windows will be installed on a totally new hard drive? I upgraded on my old hard drive that's now completely corrupted...

Yes, it should work.

I'm very sorry that I'm bothering you again, but I'm a bit skeptical. The upgrade was done on the HDD that's failed and that I'm throwing out. Since I'm buying and installing a totally new HDD with no history of upgrading to Windows 10, how would the Windows 10 I will be installing onto it with a USB or disc know that I had previously upgraded?

 

[USAFRet]

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

Go here and download the MediaCreation tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Create either a USB install, or download the ISO and create a DVD
Boot from that and install on the new drive.

Since your PC was already upgraded, it should not ask for a license key.

Even if Windows will be installed on a totally new hard drive? I upgraded on my old hard drive that's now completely corrupted...

Yes, it should work.

I'm very sorry that I'm bothering you again, but I'm a bit skeptical. The upgrade was done on the HDD that's failed and that I'm throwing out. Since I'm buying and installing a totally new HDD with no history of upgrading to Windows 10, how would the Windows 10 I will be installing onto it with a USB or disc know that I had previously upgraded?

Your system was Upgraded to Win 10. System = motherboard in the eyes of MS.
So....when you do the new install on the new drive, when it activates, the activation server will see that same motherboard and say. "Oh....he's good to go"

But at this point, you have no other option but to try it. See what happens. If it fails for some reason, then you get to call MS and plead your case.

But it will activate.

 

[Philip Navarro]

I am having this same issue. My laptop had the click o death shortly after upgrading to Windows 10. But apparently the product keys are tied to the Motherboard now and can be found in the BIOS.
When my new hard drive comes in I am going to attempt to run the grab the key from the BIOS and do a clean WIN 10 install.

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

 

[Neoking]

I am having this same issue. My laptop had the click o death shortly after upgrading to Windows 10. But apparently the product keys are tied to the Motherboard now and can be found in the BIOS.
When my new hard drive comes in I am going to attempt to run the grab the key from the BIOS and do a clean WIN 10 install.

Where did your old copy of Windows 10 come from? If it was an upgrade you use your original Windows key from 7/8.1

Yeah, my laptop had Windows 8.1 before I was allowed to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free. Problem is my laptop came preloaded with Windows 8, so I have no product key.

You don't need to do that! When it asks you for your product key, all you have to do is hit "skip" and Windows will automatically recognize that your system had Windows 10. I just recently received my new hard drive, and that's what I did.

There will be two different parts where it asks you to skip or not give the key now - one before the install and one after.

 

[Meatballz]

I believe that Windows 10 checks your processor rather than the motherboard to confirm that the installation is still on the same machine. I recently lost a SATA channel and replaced my motherboard and when I put it together I was wondering if Windows 10 would complain but it didn't and it remains activated. Interestingly, my Norton Internet Security S/W noticed that the motherboard had changed and it zeroed out my subscription. I was able to log into my Norton account and reactivate the license and got my remaining days restored.

I too am wondering about exactly what is being asked here since I upgraded from Windows 7 and all I have if my drive dies is my old Windows 7 disk. It would seem that Microsoft would need to have saved my system information so that if I built a new system drive it would "know" that it was in the same system as the processor ID remains the same. There was talk some years ago about MS & Intel getting together so that they could better control their licensing since the majority of Windows licenses are OEM rather than full and they are meant only for the machine originally installed on. My Windows 7 was a full version and I am uncertain if that was carried over with the upgrade to Win 10. In the meantime I have created a full image of the system disk using Macrium Reflect just in case.