Windows 10: Upgrading from x86 to x64, activated x86 win 10 pro key invalid for x64 win 10 pro.

So, I've gone through hell to make bootable media to install x64 version of windows...


I had previously downloaded a 64-bit version of windows 10 pro on an external drive As a backup version of windows incase of disaster. It helped once while it lasted with huge success and better functionality, no longer broken drivers, everything worked... Windows 10 worked until of course that external drive was damaged and that version of windows was since then irrecoverably corrupted.


After that success of installing windows 10 on a blank external drive using my internal drive's key I thought, "If it worked externally, it should work internally too, right?". So, after lots of attempts to make a DVD-RW bootable and many erases and rewrites later, it finally booted to the setup.


All was smooth when I got to the product key part, I pressed "I don't have a product key" like I did with my external, now dead version of windows which worked. And chose Windows 10 Pro x64, I use a Windows 10 Pro x86 version. After a while of reading the DVD it blurted me the error of "Invalid Product Key" and some more words about a wrong product key that I didn't pay attention to, no error code, just invalid key. So I closed the setup, went back to check my edition of windows. Yep, it's pro. Booted up the setup again, choose "I don't have a product key" again, chose windows 10 pro x64 again, still invalid...


So I thought to myself "Okay, I guess it can't read the key, I'll just find the key myself..." So I downloaded keyfinder software, got my windows 10 pro keys and my office key, went back to the setup, inputed the product key... Invalid. "Okay, what's up?" I double-checked my key, it matched with my screenshot... I held them next to eachother. Same, yet invalid.


Anybody has a fix for this? I upgraded from an activated version of Windows 7 Ultimate x86 to a Windows 10 Pro automatically.


Common Questions:

Q: Are you sure you are installing Windows 10 Pro and not Windows 10 Pro N?

A: Yes, I double-checked what I'm installing and what edition I already have.


Q: Did you check if you key is activated

A: Yes, it is. I even have the ID but that's useless for the setup.


Q: Are you sure you are using your windows's product key and not your office subscription key?

A: Yes, the keys are pretty clear to which key belongs to where, they are clearly labeled.

:)

 

Moving From Win 7 Home Premium X86 To Win 10-Pro 1909 X64

I'm afraid you cannot upgrade from a 32-bit Windows to a 64-bit one. Your only option is to clean install the 64-bit Windows 10. That means you will have to reinstall all your apps.

32-bit apps will run in a 64-bit Windows 10. If all your x86 apps are 32-bit then you will be able to install and use them. Only old 16-bit apps will not run on an x64 system.

An alternative would be to upgrade your x86 Windows 7 Home Premium to x86 Windows 10 Home, which you can still do for free. This would keep all your documents and installed apps (as long as they are compatible with W10, most are). This would give the PC a digital license for W10 Home.

Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free

If you really need Pro, then you could upgrade from x86 W10 Home to x86 W10 Pro just by entering your Pro key. A Windows key is valid for both 32 and 64 bits. This would get the PC a digital license for W10 Pro, meaning you could do a clean install of x64 W10 Pro later without needing a key.

 

Moving From Win 7 Home Premium X86 To Win 10-Pro 1909 X64

I have a 64 bit PC presently running Win 7 Home Premium X86 that I want to transition to Win 10-Pro X64 1909. As can be expected, the apps currently installed on this PC are X86 versions for which X64 versions mostly do not exist. I also have a new Win 10-Pro x64 install disc and a never used Win 10-Pro COA/key. The transition will be much easier if I can avoid having to reinstall the x86 apps from scratch. I also have a Win 10-Pro 1909 X64 ISO disc, X86/X64 backup software and a very large external backup disc.

Any advice on how best to achieve this transition as I am 82 and my Windows skill level is not that of a much younger and/or more knowledgeable person. Also, are there any unusual pitfalls in such a transition I need to pay special attention to? Thanks, in advance, for advice, guidance, pointers to appropriate tutorials, warnings, or anything else

 

Moving From Win 7 Home Premium X86 To Win 10-Pro 1909 X64

Many thanks to all three responders. I hear you loud and clearly: there isn't a direct way to get from X86 to X64. As I believe I still have all of the installation media for the X86 apps for which there are no X64 versions, I'll have to take the long road of a clean Win 10-Pro 1909 X64 install followed by reinstalling all of the apps.

Thanks, again, to all three of you for such clear advice.