How can I clean install Windows 10 and activate it using W7 license?

[nice_guy75]

Hi guys,

I am on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM version but it has hell lot of useless stuffs, I tried to uninstall those, still my lappy is slow, so can I clean install Windows 10 Home and I activate it with Windows 7 license?

 

If it can be done plese let me know how can I do this?

[Tripredacus]

can I clean install Windows 10 Home and I activate it with Windows 7 license?

I don't think this is a thing. I've been reading that the free Windows 10 does not use the original license of the machine at all, but a runtime or volume license to activate.

[nice_guy75]

So upgrade is the only way?

And can I upgrade my Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 10 Home using official iso from MS and save my license as well?

[Tripredacus]

You can upgrade with the ISO or the online downloader. Now... I do not know what Windows 10 does regarding the license already on the machine.

[nice_guy75]

As far as I know they are giving free upgrade to Windows 10 from earlier version of Windows, then what does mean? If license is not saved then I have to purchase the license for Windows 10, then where is the free upgrade?

[bphlpt]

I don't know for sure, but my impression is that when you "upgrade" to Windows 10, it doesn't cost you anything in the sense that you don't have to give MS any money at that time, but you then lose the ability to continue to use your previous Windows 7 or 8.x license for any other purpose.  ie you can't have both.  You can either keep using your Windows 7 or 8.x license for your existing installation, or you can use it to "upgrade" to Windows 10 for "free" and give up your existing installation.  Think of it like you are trading in your car.  You either keep your current car, or trade it in for a new one.  You don't keep both cars.

 

Cheers and Regards

[Tripredacus]

I think the legal side covers the original license. I don't think that Windows 10 or the activation servers do anything about it. Here is a scenario:

 

Your built/bought your computer and you bought either Retail or OEM System Builder kit version of Windows 7 or 8. You have the DVD and the product key label. You upgrade to the free Windows 10.

 

So what is stopping you from taking that DVD and product key and installing it on another hard drive or computer? The EULA does. I think it is physically possible to do it and I don't know what would happen if you tried it. Do we think that the activation server is keeping track of what licenses were upgraded to the free version? Maybe... but it wouldn't work properly for everything. One example is any Windows 7 from an OEM, where you have (ie Dell) using one product key for all their computers. Certainly upgrading 1 Dell won't make it so all the other Dells won't be activated or able to be upgraded.

[affidavit]

To clean install first you must upgrade. Then use a program to grab your product key from windows 10.

Now you can goto the windows site and download the .iso for the same version of windows. Burn to disc or what not and install.

It will ask for a product key. The one that is grabbed will work and its your product key.

This is how I clean installed 10 on my laptop.

Edited August 1, 2015 by affidavit

[Wainuitech]

To clean install first you must upgrade. Then use a program to grab your product key from windows 10.

Now you can goto the windows site and download the .iso for the same version of windows. Burn to disc or what not and install.

It will ask for a product key. The one that is grabbed will work and its your product key.

This is how I clean installed 10 on my laptop.

Slight abrevation to this post -- Yes you need to upgrade from within your current windows 7 first.

Once you have the ISO from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10  you are all set to go.

Create either a Bootable USB drive or DVD.  At any time after you want to reinstall Windows 10 from fresh simply wipe your hard drive clean.

You dont need a product key, at the option to enter the key, select Do this later ( skip entering the key) Windows will install as per normal.

As long as you are on the interent it will automatically reactivate since the previous activation has already registered your Hardware (motherboard).

 

Note: the Previous install of W10 MUST have been activated from the upgrade on the same Computer first.  They use generic keys in W10.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Wainuitech

[kaljukass]

Slight abrevation to this post -- Yes you need to upgrade from within your current windows 7 first.

Once you have the ISO from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10  you are all set to go.

Create either a Bootable USB drive or DVD.  At any time after you want to reinstall Windows 10 from fresh simply wipe your hard drive clean.

You dont need a product key, at the option to enter the key, select Do this later ( skip entering the key) Windows will install as per normal.

As long as you are on the interent it will automatically reactivate since the previous activation has already registered your Hardware (motherboard).

 

Note: the Previous install of W10 MUST have been activated from the upgrade on the same Computer first.  They use generic keys in W10.

 

It is the only one and almost correct answer.

 

Missing is the fact that before upgrading you have to be signed in to Microsoft account and logged in your PC with Microsoft account. And if You have the OEM key, may be necessary to contact the Microsoft, if there is no automatic activation immediately.

And it is true that you get a new key and the previous (old) will be canceled after one month.

 

Once this is done and Windows 10 is activated, you can perform a clean installation and do not insert nowhere no serial key, just enter the Microsoft account information, if prompted. It be asked a little bit before the end of the installation. You must select "I own..." then "Next,"  etc.

 

[jaclaz]

I don't know , IMHO the thingy is too new for making (yet) this kind of statements:

 

And it is true that you get a new key and the previous (old) will be canceled after one month.

Surely this is what Windows 10 says , but when a month will have passed and someone will actually try to upgrade back to Windows 7 we will know what actually happens.

 

There are also some legal implications in the stuff as I see it.

 

The License for a previous OS version is to all effects a "lifetime license", I find it possible, if not probable that someone that will have done the (free but somehow "forced") switch to windows 10 may decide to go back after more than 1 month and if this will not be allowed will take some form of legal action against MS.

 

On the other hand, don't call me a pessimist, I am just thinking out loud, there will be millions of "original", "legitimate", "COA" (and what not) Windows 7 DVD's around that will arrive to the second hand market that if used for the switch to Windows 10 will not work/activate and a very few that (since they were not used for the switch to Windows 10) will be - at least until EOS in January 14, 2020 - perfectly valid with NO WAY to know which is which until install/activation time.

 

jaclaz

[Wainuitech]

 

Slight abrevation to this post -- Yes you need to upgrade from within your current windows 7 first.

Once you have the ISO from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10  you are all set to go.

Create either a Bootable USB drive or DVD.  At any time after you want to reinstall Windows 10 from fresh simply wipe your hard drive clean.

You dont need a product key, at the option to enter the key, select Do this later ( skip entering the key) Windows will install as per normal.

As long as you are on the interent it will automatically reactivate since the previous activation has already registered your Hardware (motherboard).

 

Note: the Previous install of W10 MUST have been activated from the upgrade on the same Computer first.  They use generic keys in W10.

 

It is the only one and almost correct answer.

 

Missing is the fact that before upgrading you have to be signed in to Microsoft account and logged in your PC with Microsoft account.

 

 

 

 

  NOPE- you dont have to have a Microsoft Account.

 

I've done at least 9 reinstalls on customers computers after the original OS, either W7 or 8.1  was upgraded to W10 , and none had MS accounts. The OS still runs better on a fresh install compared to a upgrade. Fun jumping between 2-3 computers at once

One of my workshop Computers has had 3 reinstalls so far -- no MS account on it. Hey- got to break W10 to fix it

 

What you have to do is first upgrade what ever OS you have ( W7 or 8.1)  Make sure its activated. ( IMPORTANT)

 

You can then wipe the hard Drive clean, or change hard Drives ,do a fresh install of W10. When you upgrade to W10 the motherboard is registered on MS's servers. This means if you ever need to reinstall, no product key is required, as its the hardware thats registered, not the licence key.

 

Microsoft are using generic keys, so if you do a install of W10 ( upgrade or fresh later on), use a key finder, do a google search and there will be lots of people with the same key.

The "gotya" is if your motherboard dies you need to buy a new key/licence. Its enforcing the OEM licencing you can say. Dont know what will happen if a new PC dies after a few months and a call is made to MS, in the past they would give you a new code to enter.

 

If a Computer has not been upgraded from a previous activated OS, then it cant activate. (unless you enter a new W10 Key)

 

If you have a insider Program installed build, thats when you have to have to sign in to your MS account.

 

BUT the "gotya" on that at the moment is Microsoft have blocked all previous active keys. If you need to do a reinsatll its currently showing as Product key blocked. As long as the original install build was activated and you dont reinstall it, it will still ( or should be ) active. This "problem" should be resolved once they release new builds, whenever that is.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Wainuitech

[Tripredacus]

Surely this is what Windows 10 says , but when a month will have passed and someone will actually try to upgrade back to Windows 7 we will know what actually happens.

Not exactly. The software says that the option to uninstall Windows 10 and go back to your previous OS will disappear after 30 days. It specifically means the button on the Recovery page. That is all we know so far. We don't know:

- if the process is actually deactivated (aka can you run the command the button does from CMD or Powershell)

- What happens to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 licenses that go through the activation server (OEMSB, Retail, MSDN, OEM 8.1 key in BIOS)

Fortunately we do know that neither of these licenses will be affected since neither of these go to the MS Activation servers:

- Windows 7 from Direct OEM (where OEM name is on the COA)

- Windows 7 or 8.1 with KMS

And unknown to me personally:

- Windows 7 or 8.1 from MS Refurbisher.

[DosProbie]

Good info guys, so bottom line is that you can't do a "offline activation" (unless Microsoft has made a provision for a phone activation) but must have a active working internet connection, similar to Office 2010 and above to connect to the MS servers.

~DP

[jaclaz]

Not exactly. The software says that the option to uninstall Windows 10 and go back to your previous OS will disappear after 30 days. It specifically means the button on the Recovery page. That is all we know so far.

Not exactly-exactly, the screenshot:

Go back to Windows 7

This option is only available for a month after you upgrade to Windows 10.

Get Started <-inside the button

 

says "only available for a month after" for all we know may mean that it "disappears" or that the text will remain as is and that the Get Started button get disabled or that the text changes to:

No Way Back

You used Windows 10 for more than one month, we tricked you successfully into it, now it's too late to revert to Windows 7.

Play (Ad-sponsored) Solitaire <- inside the button

 

 

or that everything remains as is and when you press the "Get Started" button you get (say) a Blue Screen Error or any "normal" (in the sense of normally clear) Windows error like "Something happened".

 

And one month is 30 or 31 days (or 28 if you installed Windows 10 on 1st of February)? 

 

We don't know

Exactly.

jaclaz

Edited August 5, 2015 by jaclaz