Windows 10: Determine whether a Windows 7 computer has Windows 10 upgrade rights

I work for a company that manages hundreds of desktop computers for many companies. We're beginning the push to get all of our users up to Windows 10 since Windows 7 is reaching end of life in January.


I'm quite certain that many of the computers we manage, which are currently running Windows 7, came with Windows 10 upgrade rights and a product key which is valid for either Windows 7 or Windows 10. However, I'm struggling to find a reliable way to verify whether any individual computer has a valid Windows 10 key. In most cases, we don't have the original box or receipt or any documentation that came with the computer. I have serial numbers, etc., but I need a reliable method of knowing whether a computer can be upgraded to Windows 10 without having to purchase a new license.


I'm aware of various software programs available which are capable of displaying the product key which is held in BIOS of OEM computers, but they don't say whether it is a Windows 7 or Windows 10 product key. It's my understanding that if a computer came with Windows 10 upgrade rights, then the product key is actually a Windows 10 key, but is valid to activate either Windows 7 or Windows 10. However, some computers may only have a Windows 7 key in BIOS, which is not capable of being activated on Windows 10.


I don't want to charge a customer for travel time and onsite labor to upgrade their computer, and then find out the product key in BIOS is only valid for Windows 7. Most computers in recent years don't come with a COA or any external indication whether it includes a Windows 10 license.


Sorry for being long-winded. I just hope to properly explain my question. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

:)

 

Windows 10 upgrade problem, no input accepted

I really hate having to come here and ask for help, but I really am stumped. It hurts my geek pride. I have a PC with fairly modern hardware in it. It has a p8p67 pro in it. I have tried upgrading windows 10 on it twice now. Both times I have had the same result.

After windows finishes upgrading it goes to the log in/set up screen. I can't do anything. No keyboard or mouse input is accepted.

I will list some, or hopefully all, of the troubleshooting steps I have tried:

• Move keyboard and mouse to different USB ports.
• Try different keyboard or mouse.
• Restart computer, repeatedly.
• Google for related issues.
• Update Bios, because why not.
• Create boot media and revert to windows 7.

The windows 10 system restore boot media works fine with keyboard and mouse. All USB ports work in windows 7. I don't know what is wrong. I suspect that windows 10 is lacking a driver of some sort, but since the computer accepts no input I have no way of checking for which driver let alone installing it.

Please help me figure this out. If I have to revert back to windows 7 again, I am not going to get it upgraded to windows 10. Thank you in advanced.

 

How to reinstall Windows 10 if my computers used the free upgrade from 7 and 8?

Will windows 10 still accept the license keys from 7 and 8 now if I reinstall my computer?

Does Microsoft keep a list of users who upgraded to Win 10 using their 7 and 8 keys so that when users need to reinstall windows 10 the old keys would work?

Do I need to call in Microsoft to ask them to activate my Windows 10 when I give them my win 7 keys?

Both computers are laptops. The windows 7 machine had the serial printed on the back, and I needed to enter that when I upgraded to 10. The windows 8 machine had the serial built in inside its boot system so I didn't need to enter the key when I upgraded to 10, but I did manage to write down the keys using a fetcher program.

 

Windows 10 upgrade problem, no input accepted

i've seen this when the stock USB drivers went kaput. Only ever seen it once - i used a PCI USB 2.0 card and connected the mouse and keyboard to that, and manually updated the USB 2/USB 3 drivers.