Windows 10: Laptop had Win 8 and upgraded to Win 10. Can I install a clean Win 10?

As topic says, friends laptop had Win 8 and he updated to Win 10. Now I wonder if he can install a clean Win 10 through USB with his Win 8 serialkey.

:)

 

Win 10 Product Key

Hi,

I had a laptop with Win 8.

I then upgraded to Win 8.1.

Recently I upgraded to Win 10.

I also downloaded the Win 10 installation media.

But when I would do a clean install now, which product key do I have to use???

 

Which licence am I using?

Basically my asus laptop came with win 8, but gave me problems.

So I erased the recovery partition to clean install with win 7 which is a full retail version that I bought years ago. I had since activated it online.

Fast forward to last year, I upgraded my OS to win 10 via win 7, then did a clean full installation from scratch. During the clean installation, the OS activation did not prompt me as it picked up my product key automatically.

Now the question is: since my os product key can be picked up automatically whenever I do clean installation, does it mean it was taken from my UEFI bios? In this case, the key that Microsoft picked up from my laptop actually belongs to win 8, and not my win
7?

Because if it took from win 8, it means my win 7 can still be used for another activation of win 10?

This is crucial for me because time is running up to get free windows 10. I should have 2 licences win 8 and win 7, and I want to maximise them for 2 x win 10 licences.

Thanks in advance.

 

Yes. He can do a Clean Install.
Make sure the USB has the same Win 10 version as the one that is on the computer now.
He does NOT need the Win 8 product key.
When he starts the clean install, he will be asked for a product key.
Just select the SKIP option and continue.
Activation after install will be automatic.

 

Thanks. Great.

It doesn't matter if I use the Media Creation Tool or Rufus that this site recommends?

 

Something to clarify.....................

There are 2 sources for Windows 10 ISO download.

1. MCT ( media creation tool )
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/soft...load/windows10

2. Tech Bench
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/techbench

*** I would use Tech Bench if you asked me to pick one *****

As to Rufus, it is just one of several tools to burn the iso file to a bootable media.
If you are used to it, then by all means continue using it.

 

Great. One last thing.
Should the USB be NTFS or FAT32 ?

 

fat32, although in most cases it does not really matter. But, you can go wrong with fat32.
For downloading an iso file, you don't have to format a flash drive.

 

Thanks a lot for everything. Best support I've ever gotten in a forum. I'll remember this place *Smile

 

You are welcome.
Good luck installing Win 10.