Windows 10: Clean Install Windows 10 - CD Key

Hi all - I upgraded my pc last year when the upgrade was free but I need to do a clean install as my kids have totally pooched my system with malware & viruses... those have been cleaned off/out but it's still running real slow. My concern is I don't have a CD key as it was free. I've already downloaded the tool to do a clean install and burned the image onto a dvd... will the installation ask me for a CD Key after it finishes loading the initial files? And if it does ask for a key, how do I respond? Do I just enter my Windows 7 Pro CD key number?

:)

 

Windows 8.1 CD Key not valid when installing final version of Windows 10

I was trying a clean Win 10 install on my HP Laptop from Windows 8.1 CD Key, because I was stuck on Windows preview build 10074 and it had many issues. The Win 10 install asks for the CD Key, when entered it says it is invalid. What can I do!

 

windows 10 upgrade not working well...but a fresh install is working fine....how to activate it using my windows 10 cd key....?

when i installed windows 10 as an upgrade it created lot of problems...it was slow like hell ....my network adaptors (neither wifi nor Ethernet) didn't work instead of having fully updated drivers...it takes forever to reboot when restarted....boot time
is looooong.....

finally I got frustrated and installed windows 10 directly after formatting my system drive...n now windows 10 is working perfectly well....but the problem is it is not getting activated by my windows 8 cd key....

I request you to please include an option for a clean install of windows 10 which can be activated with the previous windows' cd key.....

installing windows 10 as an upgrade is a very bad experience for most of the users in my social network....I think a clean install can provide all of us with a solution if you allow windows 10 to be activated with previous windows' cd key....

(anyways microsoft is giving windows 10 as "free" upgrade, the why not let it activated with the previous cd key as a fresh install)

 

You can (and probably should) try your Windows 7 key first and foremost. If that doesn't work, you should be able to get through installation (but not activation) by using whichever of these so-called "generic keys" matches the version you're installing:



HTH,
--Ed--

 

I'm currently using Windows 10 Pro 64bit - so I should use the Generic Windows 10 Pro key if my Windows 7 Pro key doesn't work?

 

As you have previously installed & activated Windows 10 you should have a "digital licence" stored on the Microsoft system & as long as this is so then you can install without a key. The install will ask you for one - but don't enter one - use the "I don't have a key" button & the install will go ahead & should activate itself without any problem (as long s you have an internet connection)).

 

Note that you must install the same variant (Pro / Home) of Windows 10 that you had installed previously otherwise the "digital licence" will not be valid & Windows will not activate. You can however change between 32 & 64 bit versions.

 

Ahhhhh - that's great news. Thanx. Yes - I have a Microsoft Account and have registered both pc's with the free Windows 10 upgrade last year!

 

Having linked a licence to your Microsoft account can help if you ever need to run the Activation troubleshooter, but it isn't needed to allow automatic activation without a key.

Any PC that took the free upgrade to Win7 gets a digital licence. It's stored on the activation servers along with a unique hardware ID to identify the PC. Just installing the same edition (Home or Pro) on the same PC will activate automatically, purely on the basis of its hardware ID (which doesn't include the disk, so you're free to upgrade that and still get activation).

 

The only hardware change was my video card about 2 months ago so that's good to know./ Thanx Bree

 

During the free upgrade from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro your system became a Windows 10 Pro Device. Your systems hardware profile (motherboard details) were submitted to and stored on the Microsoft Product Activation Server.

This means that you can clean install Windows 10 Pro by skipping input of the Product Key. (Alternatively you can input your Windows 7 Pro OEM Key here):



Then selecting Windows 10 Pro:



Post-installation your motherboard details will be resubmitted to the Microsoft Product Activation Server which will recognise your system and give it the green light for Product Reactivation.