Reinstalled Win7, don't have activation - how to upgrade to 10?

[thetastycat]

Hey all - bit of a complicated situation! I built my parents a Windows 7 machine a few years ago, and it got so overloaded that it was barely running, so I reinstalled windows. But of course, I can't find either the installation disk or the activation key. Windows 7 doesn't run very well before it's activated! But I do know Windows 10 has basically a free upgrade where they don't bother you too much if you don't have it activated. I'm trying to do the 10 upgrade, but the installer says "You will need to activate Windows before upgrading." Any ideas? One friend suggested I contact Microsoft because they would have a record of me authenticating Win7 on this machine back when I first installed it - maybe that?

I promise it is a real copy that I bought from Newegg! Many, many thanks for the help!

 

[Snipergod87]

You need the CD Key to activate Windows. If you don't have that you are out of luck.

 

[navalweaponsofficer]

Your only options are to find the key and upgrade to 10 or to just install 10 from scratch.

Unfortunately you should have recovered the key from windows before reinstalling which would have prevented your current predicament.

 

[thetastycat]

You need the CD Key to activate Windows. If you don't have that you are out of luck.

Thanks for the reply. Any way to recover the CD key? Would Microsoft have a record of me activating it the first time?

 

[Snipergod87]

They won't. As navalweaponsofficer said you could have recovered it prior to reinstalling the OS, but not so much now.

 

[thetastycat]

Yeah, hindsight is 20/20! Didn't even know I could have gotten the key before reinstall.

Hmm...so I could install 10 from scratch? That would be fine since they really don't have anything back on the machine yet...

Thank you all! Lessons learned already.

 

[maxwellmelon]

just wondering did you back up your old windows 7 before clean installing it again?

if so restore that backup (that backup will be an activated windows 7)

do the windows 10 upgrade and activate it( that will log the microsft 10 code in there servers for your system)

then do your clean install of windows 10.

 

[boosted1g]

This is why you are supposed to put the sticker on the computer case (and for legality reasons).

There is no recovering the key because overwrote the data on that hard drive.
If you hand not then you could mount it as external, load the registry hive and get the key.

At this point your only option is to buy a new windows license.

You can try contacting Microsoft but I have never heard of Microsoft helping anyone get their license key with a reverse lookup like that

 

[navalweaponsofficer]

Yeah, hindsight is 20/20! Didn't even know I could have gotten the key before reinstall.

Hmm...so I could install 10 from scratch? That would be fine since they really don't have anything back on the machine yet...

Thank you all! Lessons learned already.

Yes you can install win 10 from scratch it will not be activated nor will it ever activate, unless you purchase a license which can be done through the win 10 OS.

 

[thetastycat]

............................

Guys, I am an idiot. I only build PCs for myself and my parents, so I only do it every few years. I just pulled the case away from the wall, and GUESS WHAT...THERE'S THE ACTIVATION KEY

I really appreciate your help - sorry to have wasted you time!!

 

[maxwellmelon]

we have all been there. looks like boosted1g triggered your memory tastycat I would recommend him for the pick as solution.