Windows 10: How to re-install W10 without losing activation key

You can't use Windows 7 product key to upgrade only clean install Windows 10. I'm not talking about free upgrade offered by Microsoft and ended.

With Windows 10 Threshold 2 update, Microsoft has fulfilled the promise to change the Windows 10 activation process and allowed you to use your Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 product keys for activation directly after clean installation.

 

Activation using GenineTicket.xml definitely still works (I've been trying swapping in and out of Pro Workstation recently). Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First Installation Upgrade Tutorials

Don't know about clean install and activating with 7 key. It would only take 10 minutes to check it if you have one though.

 

I wish i had a Windows 7 key i let you have it.

 

Thanks but I don't need one. You can buy them off ebay for about $0.50 anyway. They are genuine I'm sure.

 

I've got a number of old multiuse MAK's that I can use if I want to run a win7 Virtual machine for longer than 120 days for testing or support but not going to waste one of those to check the status of the update process *Wink

 

On other forums, people have tried it and it still works.

Anyway, what is the problem with trying - the 7 key is not invalidated doing an upgrade, so worst case, upgrade does not work.

 

I know my 8.1 keys work, it should also work with 7

 

Hi,
The only keys that don't work to activate 10 is 8-8.1 or 7 Upgrade keys even if they are retail.

 

Unless you did a clean install on new hardware (or VM) without an existing digital license today then you don't know if your 8.1 keys will work today - let alone tomorrow.

You certainly don't know if 7 keys work - it is idle speculation.

I can say - with 100% certainty as I tested it - yesterday the GenuineTicket.xml tutorial on this forum worked.

Whether it will work today, tomorrow or next year only MS can decide.

 

Well ... I did a clean install just after the new year with my retail 8.0 keys and it worked. Since 8.0 is no longer they become 8.1 keys

 

The deadline for the Assisted technology offer was extended to 16th January 2018, as stated previously It would appear that as of yesterday the unofficial free upgrade extension was still in operation but as @lx07 has stated this could change at any time at Microsoft's whim, they officially closed the offer back in July 2016 *Eek

 

Dude, they ain't going to change until they see the majority on windows 10 and it still long way to go . They know how many are still using 7 and the businesses still need to convert over. The businesses still have to make sure their employee's know how to use 10 . So, I still see maybe a year to go if not longer

 

Hi,
Yep doubt MS will stop absorbing 7 licenses
They may stop reactivating the upgraded licenses though lol when people get upgraders remorse *Biggrin

 

I did see some reports that the 30 day rollback option was reduced to 10 days and then removed completely.

So reactivation is the least of your worries if you're not sure

This is the offer that ended in 2016 of course *Smile

 

Hi,
I'm sure MS will make another push before EOL of 7
Last chance blah .... *Tongue