Windows 10: cannot upgrade from win7 to win10

I have 6 computers at my premises 4 ran windows 8.1 pro and two currently running win 7 HP. Now all the installations are fully activated and full RETAIL versions and upto date with all updates. Because my broadband (LOL) connection is very slow (sub 2 Meg ) it would take many hours to upgrade each PC via Windows updates etc. so I downloaded the Media Creation tool then got both the Win 10 Pro and Win 10 Home ISO's as according to Microsoft one can use the subsequently burned installation media DVD to Upgrade the current installed OS by running the SETUP.exe file from the working computer.
I decided to upgrade the Win 8.1 systems first and ran the corresponding set up file and all went through the upgrade process flawlessly without asking for a product key at any point.
So, grinning with success went about the same method on my windows 7 Home Premium computers none of which had the Upgrade Icon anywhere. In all cases after the initial set up process I was asked for a product key. Here where it all stopped. I have spent very many hours reading hundreds of internet postings about the Win 10 upgrade but not yet found a solution. Several people have told me that I have to upgrade Win 7 directly from the Media Creation tool rather than via the Installation DVD that this tool can create that successfully did my Win 8.1 Pro systems. This is not what MS tells me. So any ideas folks ?
As an aside as I have upgraded my Win 8.1 Pro systems to Win 10 according to the EULA I can transfer the license to another computer as it is derived from RETAIL products as per all previous Windows OS's. Reading on the various forums there appears to be some doubt as to how to accomplish this with some sites saying that MS says it cannot be done even though the EULA gives permission. I have even seen comments that MS will have to modify the EULA !!
This upgrade process was supposed to be dead simple but it is proving the opposite as far as I am concerned as transferable product keys no longer exist on Win 10 upgraded installations.
Sorry for the ramble but would appreciate if anyone could give my the definitive answer to my Win 7 upgrade problem*Sad

:)

 

Windows 10 upgrade

Just upgraded from Win7 to Win10. Had two users in Win7. Cannot access both users in Win10. Both users not even showing up when Win10 opens. How do I access both user accounts in Win10?

 

Win10 upgrade

I've upgraded to win10 from win7 now my keyboard won't work so cannot progress to rest of upgrade.

 

When it asks you for a key on upgrade/install just skip that step.

 

On a couple of my Dell systems (a laptop and a desktop), I did an clean install of Window 7 first, making sure it was activated. I then made sure that Windows 7 was completely updated and that all of the drivers were working. I also made sure that the system had the latest available Dell drivers and bios.

After this, I then performed the Windows 10 upgrade, not booting from the upgrade media, but just running Setup.exe from it. All of my upgrades were successful using this method and without problems. I was only asked for the key during the Windows 7 clean install. Windows 10 upgrade did not ask for a key during installation. I used a USB flash drive for the Windows 10 upgrade that I made with the Microsoft Upgrade Tool ISO and Rufus.

Previous to all of this, of course, I backed up all of my personal data and restored it to the PC after the Windows 10 update.

 

Sorry ---There is no visible option to skip when it asks for password otherwise I would have done it

 

As I said in my question I have done all of this. My WIN 7 installation was completely up to date and activated and I ran setup.exe from the installation media as per my Win 8.1 upgrade method but it always asked for a product key but with no option to skip.

 

What version is the Win 7. Home, Pro, Ultimate.
What version of Windows 10 are you trying to upgrade to?

Sounds to me like there is a mismatch.

What does winver show you on the Windows 7 systems? Should look something like this:

 

It's very easy to miss if you're not looking for it. This is from Microsoft:

 

Fully understand what you have quoted from MS but this text refers to re installing on the same PC that the original upgrade was done I want to know how to get the license transferred to a NEW computer as it was upgraded from a Retail copy. If you are saying that you can only re install on the PC that you originally used then that is just the same as having an OEM license.

Or have I not interpreted the above MS statement correctly ??

 

There is no mismatch. Winver correct. I wanted to upgrade from Win 7 HP 64 bit to Win 10 Home 64 bit. To make sure that I had not downloaded the wrong Win 10 version I did a clean install on a spare PC (Using generic product key) and is ended up with Win 10 64 bit Home.

 

Here is an update.
I bit the bullet and did a direct upgrade to one of my Win 7 computers from the Media Creation Tool when it asked to update this PC now. Some 7 hours later !! I had an activated Win 10 Home product. So it seems that all my Windows 8.1 machines would upgrade from the installation DVD that I made from the ISO file but NONE of my Win 7 machines would do the same----strange.
So it seems that I am going to have to spend many more hours upgrading some more Win 7 machines over the Internet rather than from ISO's.
Has anyone out there migrated their retail licensed Win10 installation to a NEW
computer---if so how ?
Thanks for all your replies
Peter

 

If (like you say) you have used the Windows Media creation tool to download the correct versions of Windows 10 for your computers then there IS an option to include the Windows key or 'Skip this step.' prior to the upgrade.

If you are doing a clean install, Windows will also invite you to use the number again after installation.
Again, you can pass on that option if you want to.

Cyberrufus is correct - it's not very easy to see, when you are installing the OS, but it IS there.

If all six of your computers are indeed activated then you don't (shouldn't) ever need the key that it came with.
(This applies to both OEM versions and retail purchases.)
Your license will automatically be transferred to Windows 10 when you upgrade. (UPGRADE, NOT CLEAN INSTALL)

Several people are wrong.
You can't use the Windows Media Creation tool to install the OS.
It's only purpose is to help you download the right version of Windows and the correct media for you to install it with (DVD or USB.)
For me, though, the USB option never worked.
I had to unpack the ISO onto the USB sticks! *chuckle

 

Sorry my friend but you can use the Media Creation Tool to install the OS upgrade---when it is run if gives you the option of upgrading the current PC there and then (which I have just done) or allows you to create installation media for use on other PC's (I have done this as well)

 

Hi there

as others have pointed out -- MEDIA CREATION TOOL CAN be used to install the OS on any system - you have to choose USB or ISO option when creating the tool rather than UPGRADE this PC option.

W10 activation WILL remain in place even for CLEAN installs IF and ONLY IF ( sounds like a Maths theorem !!) the system has been UPGRADED from a QUALIFYING OS such as W7 Pro or W8.1 Pro which has had all the latest updates applied and been activated LEGALLY. I.e You can't download a pre-activated version from a Torrent or use those "dubious KMS activators" etc).

After a legal activated upgrade you can Clean install to your hearts content - activation will remain in place.

You only need to enter a product number if you are installing a brand new PURCHASED Retail version of W10 -- we don't have people yet on the Forum who have tried installing the RETAIL purchased versions yet - hopefully they will post their experiences soon.

Cheers
jimbo