Question New System - Upgraded Windows 7?

[flllyi]

Hello,

I am getting a new system soon. I was wondering if I can still use my same upgraded Win7 OS. I did the free Win10 upgrade ages ago. Wondering if I can transfer this to the new system and if possible - how might I go about that.

 

[white.a.drew]

Windows 10 update was designed to also make your hdd/ssd plug and play. So any win 10 drive should unplug from any system intel to intel amd amd to amd, so if it is a new intel and you have intel it should be plug and play. It will boot like a new computer saying performing first time boot and detecting drivers then boot to your desktop

 

[britechguy]

@white.a.drew: Er, no. Definitely not.

A Windows 10 license key is tied directly to the motherboard of the machine on which the installation was licensed.

On Transferring a System Drive with Windows 10 to a Completely Different Machine

Yes, you can do this, but you will get one of three results:

1. The machine will not boot, period. In which case you will simply have to do a completely clean install of Windows 10 anyway. If the hardware is really different this is the most likely outcome.

2. The machine will boot and run, even relatively well, and you can reactivate Windows, but because the hardware is completely different you will spend weeks to months chasing one issue after another because virtually nothing from the old hardware matches the new and that would make any OS crazy. It’s expecting things that just aren’t there anymore.

3. The machine will boot and run flawlessly, though Windows will not be activated. This happens, but is the least likely outcome. I’ve personally never seen this occur, but there are enough credible reports that it must happen on occasion. I would also imagine this only happens when one is dealing with actual or virtual "hardware twins" for the transplant.

My general advice is to start again from scratch with a completely clean (re)install. It all depends on what your tolerance for experimentation and frustration is. But you should expect that all will not go perfectly smoothly, into the indeterminate future, if you do not start from scratch.

If the machine in question ever had Windows 10 installed and activated at any point in the past it when you reinstall it will automatically fetch the digital license for the edition that it knows that machine last had. You can, of course, choose to upgrade it to a different edition, e.g., Home to Pro, by purchasing a Pro license key and using Settings, Update & Security, Activation Pane, Change product key link. After doing the under the hood activation for the components that were previously locked, you’ll have Windows 10 Pro instead. Windows 10 does not have to be reinstalled, as all components are already present, it is the license key that determines which are unlocked and active, which in turn is what determines the edition you’re running.

 

[flllyi]

So I was planning to do a reinstall... My question is - do I install using a win7 installer or win10 installer? Do I use my windows 7 key for Windows 10?

 

[Wolfshadw]

Use the Windows 10 installer.
Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change

-Wolf sends

 

[britechguy]

Use the Windows 10 installer.
Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change

The way Windows 10 handles licensing is just so far removed from prior versions of Windows that it's become almost useless to use the terms OEM or Retail when it comes to user-purchased licenses anymore.

But there is a difference between user-purchased and OEM-preinstalled, isn't there? And from what I have been told (as I haven't actually tried to do it) you cannot reactivate what had been an OEM-preinstalled license, whether that started out life as a Windows 7 installation upgraded to Windows 10 or a Windows 10 installation from the OEM. Is this correct? If it is, then it's impossible to know whether an existing license, even if linked to one's Microsoft account, would reactivate barring knowing about the status of the original license.

It can't hurt to try reactivation, but I wish I knew more, and from more direct experiences being shared, about exactly when a Windows 10 license can be reactivated versus when it cannot.

 

[Wolfshadw]

As far as the licensing is concerned, there was no difference between pre-installed and user-purchased OEM versions of Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1. That license was tied to the motherboard the OS was initially installed on. The only way it could be transferred was if you claimed the initial motherboard had failed, a replacement motherboard was not available so a new system had to be built AND you managed to get in touch with a sympathetic Microsoft Customer Support agent.

It's my understanding that the same limitations apply with licenses upgrade to Windows 10. Pre-installed or user-purchased OEMs can be upgraded to Windows 10, but still cannot be transferred to a new system (without the help of a sympathetic CSA). Personally, I cannot say as I've never tried it myself either.

-Wolf sends

 

[white.a.drew]

@white.a.drew: Er, no. Definitely not.

A Windows 10 license key is tied directly to the motherboard of the machine on which the installation was licensed.

On Transferring a System Drive with Windows 10 to a Completely Different Machine

Yes, you can do this, but you will get one of three results:

1. The machine will not boot, period. In which case you will simply have to do a completely clean install of Windows 10 anyway. If the hardware is really different this is the most likely outcome.

2. The machine will boot and run, even relatively well, and you can reactivate Windows, but because the hardware is completely different you will spend weeks to months chasing one issue after another because virtually nothing from the old hardware matches the new and that would make any OS crazy. It’s expecting things that just aren’t there anymore.

3. The machine will boot and run flawlessly, though Windows will not be activated. This happens, but is the least likely outcome. I’ve personally never seen this occur, but there are enough credible reports that it must happen on occasion. I would also imagine this only happens when one is dealing with actual or virtual "hardware twins" for the transplant.

My general advice is to start again from scratch with a completely clean (re)install. It all depends on what your tolerance for experimentation and frustration is. But you should expect that all will not go perfectly smoothly, into the indeterminate future, if you do not start from scratch.

If the machine in question ever had Windows 10 installed and activated at any point in the past it when you reinstall it will automatically fetch the digital license for the edition that it knows that machine last had. You can, of course, choose to upgrade it to a different edition, e.g., Home to Pro, by purchasing a Pro license key and using Settings, Update & Security, Activation Pane, Change product key link. After doing the under the hood activation for the components that were previously locked, you’ll have Windows 10 Pro instead. Windows 10 does not have to be reinstalled, as all components are already present, it is the license key that determines which are unlocked and active, which in turn is what determines the edition you’re running.

That's amazing because in the past 4 months I have been moving my windows 10 ssd from amd to amd system not one issue but okay what ever you say bro. Not to bring up my brothers who do the same things with there intel.. You may have done something wrong yourself because "EVERY WINDOWS 10 drive I have used has been able to do plug and play" AND MY BROTHERS so just because you had a problem doesnt mean you should tell other people that they shouldn't bother trying when I do this day in and out with my server and may desktop

 

[britechguy]

I leave it as an exercise to the reader to decide which advice is likely to be correct.

Unless the processor class is the same, and even then, I would not ever consider that any "plug n' play" attempt will last for long as a fully functioning system.

But, do as you will. I will advise against it, as exactly how Windows 10 gets installed is directly dependent on the hardware on which it is installed, and pulling a system drive from a system with one processor and motherboard and expecting that it will reliably and automatically work in a system with completely different ones, even if made by the same manufacturer, is unwise.

 

[King_V]

Wait, if the Windows 7 was, say, a retail version, wouldn't entering that Windows 7 key while using the Windows 10 USB installer convert it to a Windows 10 license and allow it on the new machine? The only downside I can think of is that it may wind up converting to a non-transferable key at that point.

I think.... maybe.

 

[white.a.drew]

I leave it as an exercise to the reader to decide which advice is likely to be correct.

Unless the processor class is the same, and even then, I would not ever consider that any "plug n' play" attempt will last for long as a fully functioning system.

But, do as you will. I will advise against it, as exactly how Windows 10 gets installed is directly dependent on the hardware on which it is installed, and pulling a system drive from a system with one processor and motherboard and expecting that it will reliably and automatically work in a system with completely different ones, even if made by the same manufacturer, is unwise.

i swear people need to do research into things before commenting on peoples stuff. research it.... WINDOWS 10 was desgined for plug-n-play... not meant for constant back and forth like i do but i have never had a issue even the way i do it. my server is running of of a a ssd i created on my desktop 2 years ago and hasn't ever had ANY OS ISSUES. only issues it has had is from user errors. so please tell me how if it's not designed off a plug-n-play basis, yes it AGAIN MEANT TO BE amd to amd, intel to intel.... but as long as you don't cross that line. Windows 10 plug in play system works GREAT.

 

[USAFRet]

Windows 10 update was designed to also make your hdd/ssd plug and play. So any win 10 drive should unplug from any system intel to intel amd amd to amd, so if it is a new intel and you have intel it should be plug and play. It will boot like a new computer saying performing first time boot and detecting drivers then boot to your desktop

"plug and play" ?

Not a chance.
Win 10 is better with different hardware than previous versions, but by no means 100%.

I've seen it work, I've seen it fail, even when Intel->Intel.

 

[Wolfshadw]

WINDOWS 10 was desgined for plug-n-play..

Key word here being "designed".
In theory (and sometimes in practice) it works.

In all reality, do a clean install and save yourself the headaches.

-Wolf sends

 

[white.a.drew]

i swear people need to do research into things before commenting on peoples stuff. research it.... WINDOWS 10 was desgined for plug-n-play... not meant for constant back and forth like i do but i have never had a issue even the way i do it. my server is running of of a a ssd i created on my desktop 2 years ago and hasn't ever had ANY OS ISSUES. only issues it has had is from user errors. so please tell me how if it's not designed off a plug-n-play basis, yes it AGAIN MEANT TO BE amd to amd, intel to intel.... but as long as you don't cross that line. Windows 10 plug in play system works GREAT.

That is me leaving out the fact that i have built 5 computers in the past year doing this exact thing, and not one of my friends or family who are running these systems now have had 1! os problem. the only issues they have had since the pc's have been built are the fact that two of them watch to much x rated things without anti virus and or any protection at all. the other one of them that had a problem was because i didn't realize i built a high power hungry system and had a low level psu in it

 

[white.a.drew]

As far as the licensing is concerned, there was no difference between pre-installed and user-purchased OEM versions of Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1. That license was tied to the motherboard the OS was initially installed on. The only way it could be transferred was if you claimed the initial motherboard had failed, a replacement motherboard was not available so a new system had to be built AND you managed to get in touch with a sympathetic Microsoft Customer Support agent.

It's my understanding that the same limitations apply with licenses upgrade to Windows 10. Pre-installed or user-purchased OEMs can be upgraded to Windows 10, but still cannot be transferred to a new system (without the help of a sympathetic CSA). Personally, I cannot say as I've never tried it myself either.

-Wolf sends

this is a lie the oem vs mean the product key and only be used once and is now locked to that system a retail product key can be used 3 times on separate machines, then locksand is ussually nolonger usable unless on one of the three system already used on the oem is only usable on the one system it was activated on to begin with. "some not all retail vs of the keys can be used as much as you want. the's are usually the really spendy keys

 

[USAFRet]

"3 times on separate machines" ?
So ONE OS license purchase gave you that license key for 3 systems?

ummm....no.

 

[white.a.drew]

"3 times on separate machines" ?
So ONE OS license purchase gave you that license key for 3 systems?

ummm....no.

really because the key that is registered to my machine runs my brothers, mine, and my nephews pc's then locked and no longer is usable on other machines. where as my dad's retail copy of win 10 is running his, my mom's, my sister's, my older brothers, and my uncles pc's and still is usable where as the oem on my mom's ;aptop comes back as used after one use

 

[USAFRet]

really because the key that is registered to my machine runs my brothers, mine, and my nephews pc's then locked and no longer is usable on other machines. where as my dad's retail copy of win 10 is running his, my mom's, my sister's, my older brothers, and my uncles pc's and still is usable where as the oem on my mom's ;aptop comes back as used after one use

While it may 'work', the actual licensing specifically states one and only one system at a time.

 

[white.a.drew]

"3 times on separate machines" ?
So ONE OS license purchase gave you that license key for 3 systems?

ummm....no.

WINDOWS 10 WAS DESGINED, for user friendlyness in almost every way they could think of. where as it comes to tech's, gamers, schools, or anything in general they tried there hardest to make windows 10 smooth.... i love how everyone just try's to use it like it's A win 7, B win8, when in all honesty it's no where near the two it's diffrent ALL AROUND, just shares some of the same characteristics as the two togther

 

[white.a.drew]

While it may 'work', the actual licensing specifically states one and only one system at a time.

FOR OEM KEYS RETAIL KEYS ARE DIFFERENT before forcing someone to spend money that's not needed do your research, If you have a oem key it's usable once that's it, like the $120 retail key though RETAIL key you can use it 3 times sometimes if your lucky more, i know for a fact the $200 retail keys work AT-LEAST on 5 different computer's before locking

 

[USAFRet]

FOR OEM KEYS RETAIL KEYS ARE DIFFERENT

Please show us any documentation from Microsoft that states a single purchase Windows 10 license key, OEM or Retail, is authorized for 3 different systems, simultaneously.

 

[USAFRet]

But now that we've gotten completely off-topic from the original question of "Wondering if I can transfer this to the new system and if possible "

....It might work, it might fail. It might work, sort of.

Prepare for a full wipe and reinstall.
Be glad if it actually works without the reinstall.

But do prepare for that install.

 

[white.a.drew]

Please show us any documentation from Microsoft that states a single purchase Windows 10 license key, OEM or Retail, is authorized for 3 different systems, simultaneously.

LEARN TO DO REsearch i shouldn't have to do you work for you if you know your right then all you need to do is go to google and type difference between Microsoft oem key's and retail keys

 

[white.a.drew]

however will just to happily show a 5 year know everything he's wrong

 

[white.a.drew]

how do you post photos wow this is getting old, there's a attch clip for it but refuses to work, But just in 4 minutes i have found 6 websites that agree with my statement oem key are one time use where as retail keys are not first one being o wait i must wrong MICROSOFT REALLY?????