[SOLVED] Window 11 upgrade prep?

[PsychoPsyops]

I built a new PC recently. I currently have Win10 Home edition installed on it, not activated. I have a cd key for Win11. The Win10 updates are taking forever. Do I have to fully update Win10 before installing Win11?

 

[USAFRet]

I built a new PC recently. I currently have Win10 Home edition installed on it, not activated. I have a cd key for Win11. The Win10 updates are taking forever. Do I have to fully update Win10 before installing Win11?

It is recommended, yes.
Let all the current updates happen.

A fully activated Win 10 will NOT require a new license key for upgrading to Win 11.

What are the FULL specs on this system?
Is it known to be fully compatible?

 

[PsychoPsyops]

It is recommended, yes.
Let all the current updates happen.

A fully activated Win 10 will NOT require a new license key for upgrading to Win 11.

What are the FULL specs on this system?
Is it known to be fully compatible?

Yes, my new mobo has all the security features required by Win11 and said it is Win11 compatible.
I just asked because the Win10 updates have been failing often and the Win10 20H2 update is taking hours to install.

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, my new mobo has all the security features required by Win11 and said it is Win11 compatible.
I just asked because the Win10 updates have been failing often and the Win10 20H2 update is taking hours to install.

That may indicate some other hardware problem.

I strongly suggest you get it all working on its current OS, before adding the complexity of a new one.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

That may indicate some other hardware problem.

I strongly suggest you get it all working on its current OS, before adding the complexity of a new one.

Thank you. I’m a firm believer in doing things the right way, rather than the quickest way, so I’ll follow your advice.
I don’t think it’s a hardware issue, I’ve read early Win10 updates often had these problems. The Win10 installation media I had created was back in 2016, back when it first came out and was free to everyone, so I probably just need to create a newer one later. That in itself is weird though, since they’re both selling it and allowing it to be downloaded for free.

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you. I’m a firm believer in doing things the right way, rather than the quickest way, so I’ll follow your advice.
I don’t think it’s a hardware issue, I’ve read early Win10 updates often had these problems. The Win10 installation media I had created was back in 2016, back when it first came out and was free to everyone, so I probably just need to create a newer one later. That in itself is weird though, since they’re both selling it and allowing it to be downloaded for free.

Oh.
If your Win 10 install thing is from 2016, yes...the updates WILL take a while.
You should have just created a new one, current as of today.

And Win 10 is not 'free', never was.
The installation is free. The license key is what costs money.
As it is with Win 11.

A previously valid Win 7/8 license could upgrade to either 10 or 11 for free. But at some point along the line, you had to pay MS some money.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

Oh.
If your Win 10 install thing is from 2016, yes...the updates WILL take a while.
You should have just created a new one, current as of today.

And Win 10 is not 'free', never was.
The installation is free. The license key is what costs money.
As it is with Win 11.

A previously valid Win 7/8 license could upgrade to either 10 or 11 for free. But at some point along the line, you had to pay MS some money.

I see, that makes more sense. In 2016 I did upgrade from Win7 and didn’t need a key. I also don’t recall being given a key. So in my mind, I thought as long as I always had the Win10 installation media, I could get around it.
Also, I work as a sys admin, and at the office I can just create a Win10 install media straight from their website without a key and install it on any computer in the office and they are always activated, even new ones.

 

[USAFRet]

I see, that makes more sense. In 2016 I did upgrade from Win7 and didn’t need a key. I also don’t recall being given a key. So in my mind, I thought as long as I always had the Win10 installation media, I could get around it.
Also, I work as a sys admin, and at the office I can just create a Win10 install media straight from their website without a key and install it on any computer in the office and they are always activated, even new ones.

Your old Win 7 had a license key, MS knew about it.
Upgrade to Win 10 no problem.

Your current thing is using an ancient install. It would need to run through 6 years of updates.
As you're seeing, t s falng.

A new Win 10 install, made today, will not have that issue.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[USAFRet]

Or, you could have just created a Win 11 install USB, and avoided Win 10 completely.
https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

 

[PsychoPsyops]

Your old Win 7 had a license key, MS knew about it.
Upgrade to Win 10 no problem.

Your current thing is using an ancient install. It would need to run through 6 years of updates.
As you're seeing, t s falng.

A new Win 10 install, made today, will not have that issue.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

Cool. The troubled updates actually just finished finally. After I upgrade to Win11 with my key, I’ll look into creating a new installation media. Thank you again.

 

[USAFRet]

Cool. The troubled updates actually just finished finally. After I upgrade to Win11 with my key, I’ll look into creating a new installation media. Thank you again.

After updating to Win 11, you won't need the Win 10 thing again.

Create a new one for Win 11.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

After updating to Win 11, you won't need the Win 10 thing again.

Create a new one for Win 11.

Understood. I ran the pc health check for compatibility and said I meet all the requirements. It then said my Win11 update is not yet ready.
Would you happen to know how long it’ll take before the update becomes available? Is it safe to install all my desired programs while I wait?

 

[USAFRet]

Understood. I ran the pc health check for compatibility and said I meet all the requirements. It then said my Win11 update is not yet ready.
Would you happen to know how long it’ll take before the update becomes available? Is it safe to install all my desired programs while I wait?

So you currently have a fully installed WIn 10?
Activated or not?

How long before YOUR system sees the default upgrade to Win 11....completely unknown. It rolls out quite slowly and randomly.
One of my systems is Win 11 capable, has not yet been notified to Update.
All my non-Win 11 capable systems have already told me they are not.

Yours may get the automatic notification in a day, week, Christmastime...lol

If the system is fully compatible, no harm in doing it yourself.
There is also no harm in waiting.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

So you currently have a fully installed WIn 10?
Activated or not?

How long before YOUR system sees the default upgrade to Win 11....completely unknown. It rolls out quite slowly and randomly.
One of my systems is Win 11 capable, has not yet been notified to Update.
All my non-Win 11 capable systems have already told me they are not.

Yours may get the automatic notification in a day, week, Christmastime...lol

If the system is fully compatible, no harm in doing it yourself.
There is also no harm in waiting.

Yes, it is fully installed and updated now, just not activated.
I'm perfectly fine with waiting for the Win 11 update to activate it with my Win 11 key, I'm just worried the "Activate Windows" watermark will burn-in to my OLED screen...lol. Also, it seems like there might be harm in forcing the upgrade by other means, as everyone and their mothers are recommending to wait for the genuine update.

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, it is fully installed and updated now, just not activated.
I'm perfectly fine with waiting for the Win 11 update to activate it with my Win 11 key, I'm just worried the "Activate Windows" watermark will burn-in to my OLED screen...lol. Also, it seems like there might be harm in forcing the upgrade by other means, as everyone and their mothers are recommending to wait for the genuine update.

You probably just should have done a Win 11 install from the start.

It may be months before it gets the default Notification.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

You probably just should have done a Win 11 install from the start.

It may be months before it gets the default Notification.

Well, that brings me to another question, if you don't mind.
I had bought the Win 11 key from https://www.keysfan.com/windows-11-professional-key.html and you can see I did so because of the price difference.
Since I bought this beforehand with my misunderstanding about how the licensing works, I couldn't install Win 11 from the start, without buying the entire installation.
Do you think I am right in assuming that I can use this key I had bought to upgrade and activate? I don't think it is any different from any other key.

 

[USAFRet]

I had bought the Win 11 key from....

Those dirt cheap software licenses sure are appealing, aren't they?

They also may not be totally valid.
At all.

Did you buy your hardware at similar "discount"?
No, you did not.
Licensed software is no different.


You could have downloaded the Win 11 install direct from MS, at the link I provided above.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

Those dirt cheap software licenses sure are appealing, aren't they?

They also may not be totally valid.
At all.

Did you buy your hardware at similar "discount"?
No, you did not.
Licensed software is no different.


You could have downloaded the Win 11 install direct from MS, at the link I provided above.

Yeah, I've been spoiled by cdkeys.com. Countless game keys I've bought from them were all valid, so I thought this would act the same. I know there is always a risk, though.
And yes, I did buy all the hardware without a similar discount, but it just doesn't feel right buying an OS, that is not much different from Win 10, for so much money. That and I'm a frugal sob. Anyway, thanks for your help.

 

[USAFRet]

Good luck.
Hope it works out for you.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

Good luck.
Hope it works out for you.

Do you happen to know what Settings > Activation > Change Product Key does?
If I put my Win 11 key in with this option, will it install & activate? Or is this another one of those 'not recommended' upgrade methods too?

 

[DSzymborski]

Yeah, I've been spoiled by cdkeys.com. Countless game keys I've bought from them were all valid, so I thought this would act the same. I know there is always a risk, though.
And yes, I did buy all the hardware without a similar discount, but it just doesn't feel right buying an OS, that is not much different from Win 10, for so much money. That and I'm a frugal sob. Anyway, thanks for your help.

So you paid for a legit Windows 10 key then? Then it should work with Windows 11.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

So you paid for a legit Windows 10 key then? Then it should work with Windows 11.

No, I paid for a possibly legit Win 11 key. I do not have a Win 10 key.

 

[DSzymborski]

No, I paid for a possibly legit Win 11 key. I do not have a Win 10 key.

So, to be clear, you didn't pay for a legit Windows 11 key because it wasn't enough of an upgrade over Windows 10, an OS you didn't pay for in the first place? Do you see the inherent problem with this excuse?

And if you didn't pay retail price, it's not "possibly" legit. CDkeys is not an authorized seller of Windows keys.

 

[USAFRet]

Do you happen to know what Settings > Activation > Change Product Key does?
If I put my Win 11 key in with this option, will it install & activate? Or is this another one of those 'not recommended' upgrade methods too?

No.
Entering a Win 11 license key does not automagically upgrade a Win 10 to 11.
That 'Change' is for putting in a different license, or changing a Home to Pro. Within the same OS.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

No.
Entering a Win 11 license key does not automagically upgrade a Win 10 to 11.
That 'Change' is for putting in a different license, or changing a Home to Pro. Within the same OS.

Got it. Thank you. No more questions I promise lol