Windows 10: MS to Allow Windows 10 Activation with Windows 7/8.1 Keys Start Nov.

Windows 10 will not automatically delete the old partitions nor format existing partitions. I always just click on Custom Install, delete all the partitions on the applicable hard drive on the next screen then install to the unallocated space. If you point the install to a partition with a windows installed on it, the new install will save a windows.old folder with the previous OS in it.

 

Can't say for sure (as it isn't yet released) but that is exactly how it works with latest preview builds. I tested activating 10565 on new VHDX (both native boot and VM) with 7 key and then clean installing 10240.

 

Thanks guys...that clarifies...sounds like it should work fine for him then...and i will always make sure to delete old partitions first (using custom) when re-installing clean...I did do that when i clean installed on my upgrade...It's easy to do and just takes a minute or two...*Wink

 

If you already have a digital entitlement your good to go after the free upgrade offer expires. Your free upgrade is good for the life of the device. I'm talking about systems that never had Windows 10 installed/activated on them. After the free upgrade offer expires why accept Windows 7 or 8 keys if it won't activate anyway? I know, thinking way to far ahead, but It was something that occurred to me, and I posted it.

 

All my installs got the generic 10 Pro key, and that's the one I used. It worked fine for me so far. No prompt for a key and they activate just fine. I add other OEM info to my install thumb drives so I have a custom drive for each PC I own. When I was running Windows 8.1 they each had a unique key so the PID.txt was different for each PC.

 

*Ditto That's the way I do it too. I just leave my Data drive/partition untouched and delete the rest. All my user folders Documents, pictures, etc remain untouched on my Data drive.

 

Just curious, but if someone had a windows 8 computer, i hear that you don't get a product key on the computer itself, and that it is actually imbedded in the bios, so what would happen when the iso asks him for the product key? or would it detect the key automatically from the bios?

I have a friend who has a windows 8 computer, which had a legit copy but for some reason he later installed a pirate copy of 8.1...he doesn't have windows 8 restore discs and if he decided he would be interesting in getting an activated windows 10 clean install using the iso tool, i was wondering if the disc would read the original key off the bios...

 

Craig,

If I am not mistaken, he will most likely have to do a clean install to be legit. Which means using the clean command. I will let someone else explain how to do the clean command. Myself, I wouldn't use clean all command because the clean command is faster. If he has more than one hard drive inside his computer, he will have to use the clean command for each drive.


Make sure to backup any data he wants to keep.

 

Use showkey plus from this forum to read the Windows 8 product key in bios. It will also tell you what version of Windows 8 the key in bios is for so that you can install the proper version of Windows 10.

Showkey - Windows 10 Forums

 

Thanks groze.. @NavyLCDR: So then showkey plus will be able to read the windows 8 key in his bios even though he currently has a "pirate" version of 8.1 actually installed? If it would, that would be great...i think he was worried that if he did the windows 10 install with the iso and for some reason, it didn't detect the key from the bios, that he would be stuck (since he does not know the product key that originally came with his legit 8 install from HP on the computer)...

 

Yes, it will read the key in bios and display both the product key that is in the current OS and the one in Bios. It will even retrieve product keys from backup images.

 

That's great...i will let him know...i have been trying to encourage him to get back on a licensed version again...he is afraid to do updates on his pirated version...He will have a much more secure system with a legit windows 10 installed...*Wink

 

My laptop has an embedded Windows 8.0 (Core) OEM key. My MSDN Windows 8.0 ISO installs 8.0 automatically without asking for a key. My MSDN Windows 8.1 ISO does the same thing only it install 8.1. MSDN ISO's are multi edition Core and Pro. What gets installed depends on the key used. Windows 8.1 install media now accepts Windows 8.0 keys and 8.1 keys, even OEM embedded keys. Once you run showkey to figure out what version of 8.0 the key is for you can go here for install media. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media As long as it's not the "With Bing" version you should be able to find what you need. The MCT downloads are split, Core or Pro.