[SOLVED] Win 7 to Win 10 License question

[dg27]

I have a Win 7 Pro license key for the installation on my desktop. If I wipe that drive and do a clean install of Win 10 Pro, will that license key work?

A friend who does install professionally said that I have to leave the Win 7 installation in place and proceed from there (either as an upgrade or a clean install).

I just read the megathread clean install post (which was great), but I'm unsure about this aspect.

 

[USAFRet]

Your Win 7 license will probably work.
It has worked for the last couple of years since the official 'free upgrade' period expired.

Today (Feb 2020) this is now 3 weeks beyond the actual lifespan of Win 7.
Will it still work? Probably.

 

[Colif]

I believe you can use the win 7 key to clean install win 10.

I did it the long way myself but it was 5 years ago. I upgraded to win 10 through 7 and then later on clean installed.
Clean install might be better choice as I found not all the features worked right on a upgrade.

 

[retroforlife]

ive had a lot of strange issues with upgrade and not doing a clean install with windows 10 so so many random problems lol

the key will most likely transfer mine did a few days back

 

[onespeedbiker]

I went the upgrade route and thought it went wrong because all my files/icons and apps disappeared. However after a subsequent reboot, and with great relief, all my files/icons and apps showed up. While I did not have any issues, I did a subsequent clean install anyway.

 

[dg27]

Thanks, all.

I think I'll go for the clean install and hope for the best. I've been holding on to 7 for as long as I could, then last week my external webcam stopped working (works on two other systems). I think something in my current Win 7 install got corrupted; I don't want to carry over any problems.

 

[noyaus]

Yeah what I did when I upgraded my PC to Windows 10 from Windows 7 Professional was do a clean install. i also upgraded my SSD as well while I was at it. I just feel like a clean install would be much better and ensures smoother running of your PC than a direct upgrade. I have heard stories of direct upgrades making some systems "shaky"

 

[faalin]

I just upgraded a windows 7 home license to windows 10 over the weekend (feb-8-2020)

Just boot into windows 7, download the microsoft windows media creation tool Here, run it and and during the prompts it will come up with upgrade now or make a windows 10 ISO. Just tell it to upgrade now and it will wipe the drive and install windows 10 for you, no need to even type in your CD key.

 

[dg27]

Just tell it to upgrade now and it will wipe the drive and install windows 10 for you, no need to even type in your CD key.

Thanks, faalin.

I thought that the drive will only get wiped with a clean install and that with an upgrade only the OS is touched and your other programs remain intact.

I've been taking inventory over the past few days and I have over 75 programs. I also have Pro Tools (audio software, i.e., DAW). That has over 100 3rd-party plugins (each a separate install).

That's why avoiding all that work is an issue: I thought an upgrade would accomplish that.

 

[Colif]

I thought that the drive will only get wiped with a clean install and that with an upgrade only the OS is touched and your other programs remain intact.

that is how I understand it as well. Upgrade just does C drive and keeps everything in place. All programs should still exist and work.

run installer from file explorer (navigate to USB and click setup.exe)
it will offer to upgrade current PC, agree.
it may ask about keeping files/settings. agree
this will restart PC and upgrade the install to win 10. It will replace 7 with 10, all other files "should" still be there.

there is always chance it won't work so backups are one idea.

 

[faalin]

It should give you two options, Windows 10 Clean Install or In-place Upgrade. The last computer i did had a brand new windows 7 install done on it so there was no need for the in place upgrade. I just had it do the clean wipe and install of 10.

 

[hang-the-9]

I have a Win 7 Pro license key for the installation on my desktop. If I wipe that drive and do a clean install of Win 10 Pro, will that license key work?

A friend who does install professionally said that I have to leave the Win 7 installation in place and proceed from there (either as an upgrade or a clean install).

I just read the megathread clean install post (which was great), but I'm unsure about this aspect.

I have done probably a dozen Windows 10 setups using the OEM Win 7 license on the computer and it activated.

 

[stonecarver]

I have a Win 7 Pro license key for the installation on my desktop. If I wipe that drive and do a clean install of Win 10 Pro, will that license key work?

I you do go the route of a clean windows 10 install BUT BEFORE you wipe your Windows 7 use your gatherosstate.exe to get your Legitimate GenuineTicket.xml file OFF your Windows 7 Registered Machine.

It's not pirating it's YOUR MACHINES ONLY ticket that Microsoft uses to see if you had a Registered copy of Windows 7 in the first place. FYI this only works for your machine tied to your motherboard.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...10-directly-without-having-upgrade-first.html

It saves the hassle of having to put windows 10 on top of windows 7 and your registered. READ THE INSTRUCTION and put your GenuineTicket.xml after you get it OFF YOUR MACHINE on a USB drive or some where safe you will need to put this back onto your new windows 10.

This is just a helpful way to stream line IF YOU CHOOSE to clean install and will keep 7 to 10 still registered.

 

[dg27]

that is how I understand it as well. Upgrade just does C drive and keeps everything in place. All programs should still exist and work.

there is always chance it won't work so backups are one idea.

Thanks. This is helpful. I use Acronis religiously for the OS plus another backup program for all my files. Everything is backed up redundantly several times a week.

I you do go the route of a clean windows 10 install BUT BEFORE you wipe your Windows 7 use your gatherosstate.exe to get your Legitimate GenuineTicket.xml file OFF your Windows 7 Registered Machine.

It's not pirating it's YOU MACHINES ONLY ticket that Microsoft uses to see if you had a Registered copy of Windows 7 in the first place. FYI this only works for your machine tied to your motherboard.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...10-directly-without-having-upgrade-first.html

It saves the hassle of having to put windows 10 on top of windows 7 and your registered. READ THE INSTRUCTION and put your GenuineTicket.xml after you get it OFF YOUR MACHINE on a USB drive or some where safe you will need to put this back onto your new windows 10.

This is just a helpful way to stream line IF YOU CHOOSE to clean install and will keep 7 to 10 still registered.

Thanks--had never heard of this at all. Sounds like this keep that license tied to this machine.

 

[dg27]

I did my clean install of Win 10 Pro 64x over the weekend.

Used the license key shown on the back of my Dell for the OEM Win 7 Pro install.

Windows 10 accepted it without any issues. I'm activated.

Thanks to everyone who weighed in.