Windows 10: Do Insiders Really Need to Download What We Already Have?

Wouldn't it be an idea to try and enter another key first to see if it accepts it? If it does then you should be able to leave the Insider program and remain activated.

 

It's a bit wonky as I understand things.

If you installed the TP 240 over a qualifying OS and kept it up to date - i.e upgrade, then

• Stay in the Insider program and you're still running Preview code, the next development release gets installed though WU, just as it's always been in the program.
  
  
• Leave the Insider program and your're running production code - real WU get applied, not Tech Preview
  If a valid key isn't entered, the OS still runs, but this code will eventually expire and stop booting.

How can you tell? dunno yet, but I would think the partial key reported by slmgr would either represent your qualifying OS key or some derivation of it - not 3V66T (240 TP partial key).

I was expecting some update on the Tech Preview I have installed, but after playing around a bit, the versions seem to match (for now anyway). In other words, Insiders already have the production code and if you upgraded your OS during the test phase, all you have to do is leave the Insider pgm.

If you tested Win10 by clean installing it - that's another story. Win10 has to get a valid key from someplace and the only keys entered during the TP were TP keys.

From the TP install 10.0.10240 on my machine
slmgr /dlv reports Software service as 10.0.10240.16384


Note: the partial key reported is the tail of the TP 240 key

msinfo32 reports Hardware Abstraction Level as 10.0.10240.16392



I've looked at the side-by-side files and there doesn't seem to be anything more to download (WU).
... I'll post more after completing my other testing of the ISO downloaded using the Media Creation Tool - just reorg'd the Win7 test box, but that's as far as I got on that test.

 

That is an excellent idea Gav.

Please let members know if it works.

Oh wait, you didn't say you were volunteering to test that. *Tongue

 

If I get time tonight I'll try loading up a VM and give it a bash.

 

Well after a few false starts (wrong edition ISO downloaded, bad burn on my last DVD....) Here's what I found out.

I could not provide the Win7 COA key and activate Win10 - exactly as advertised. The server first flagged the key (error: 0x0C004C003) as blocked / in use (it isn't), then I tried "enter a new key" but typed in the same key. This threw error 0x004F050 - looking at
Why cant I activate Windows 10? - Windows Help

I tried the [ Go to Store ] button in Settings > ... > activation.
No solution there other than to purchase a new license - I figured as much, but tried it to confirm.

I don't want to deter you from trying - our results might differ., especially with you trying it in a VM.

So now I'm creating a System image of the Win7 box and will go through the upgrade process. I had some expectaiton it should work when I began as this screen implies (Win7 has a COA, not Win8 or Win10). This is the 2nd screen that asks for the key, I pressed skip this on the first screen.





For me, it's back to doing it the prescribed way - upgrade first.

it's ok to remove the battery as long as the laptop is plugged in ennnnn, nice try, please play again!
Remove all power from the device before removing the battery - that would be my advice.

 

@Slartybart


Did the media creation usb upgrade not work either? I am having issue with windows update sticking and gwx not working correctly. I wish I knew if it is valid to upgrade using the media creation tool.

 

Not sure groze, haven't returned to that project yet. I was trying something else just to leanr.

The media is good and it did install, I just don't have the answer about whether the upgrade process works.

Lots of success and failures on the forums, not sure why. Some are user errors, some are misunderstandings, many are activation issues (heavy load on the servers) only a few seem to be hardware related.

The best answer I can offer is yes it is valid to use the Media Creation tool ISO to upgrade Win7 or Win8 - just don't clean install until after you have upgraded. The authentication depends on the upgrade process.

Of course, I might wait for tomorrow, try again and change that position - I see no reason why a clean install on the hardware supplying the Win7 key would not work , I can only tell you that it doesn't / didn't when I tried it.

MS makes the rules on this, so I'll play by them and try the upgrade in a few hour. I'm going out for a drink now ... maybe more than one *Wink

 

Slartybart

I did find out asking Media Creation tools. Brink said you can use that to upgrade windows 7 or 8.1, then activate it, then do a clean install using the same tool. I will be testing it out, I am going to change architectures. I downloaded both 32 & 64 bit version and put each on usb drive. I am to install windows 10 32 bit and see if I can install msworks 7. If I can, I will see if that activate. Right now windows 10 gwx is working (So far). It is downloading 10 right now. My download take longer, I am on a slow high speed connection.

 

I ran the Media Creation Tool on my 10240 Build. I selected the "Upgrade this PC now" option. It went through the whole process just like it did when I ran it on my other PC's running Windows 8.1. If 10240 was actually the same release Consumers got, I would have expected the MCT to not run and say you are already upgraded etc. I had already opted out of insider builds when I ran it. It showed activated before and after and no product code was asked for. It was originally an upgrade install from Windows 7. I haven't done any clean install of Window 10, as of yet. I don't have any plans to try one unless I have to. I upgraded 4 PC's to windows 10 yesterday and I'm still trying to catch up with getting each one the way I want etc.

 

Unless 7 or 8.1 were very "dirty" there's no need for clean install.

 

I had a lot of issues with upgrades with the early builds. A clean install and no such issues. Lately though all's been good with the upgrades I've done. A few little glitches when going from one insider build to another, but no show stoppers etc. At some point I'll be clean installing Enterprise on my laptop. I want to have another go at Windows To Go. Reinstalling Windows 10 to test/check activation etc on one of my other PC's may not happen for a while though.