Windows 10: Will windows 10 update provide a product key for clean install?

I kind of thought I might run into problems with a USB flash drive clean install of Win 10 so I chose to go with burning a ISO bootable DVD. It went without a hitch so give this way a try. I did install Win 10 by dividing my Laptops 1TB HD to a separate partition with my exisiting Win 8.1 installation. I am now gradually reinstalling the apps and hardware (printers, scanners etc) I need to run with Win 10. This way I can check alls well as I go along.

My eligible Windows 8.1 upgrade to Win 10 remains as before ie. NOT UPGRADED as I chose not to overwrite it with Win 10. If I did this I know 10 will knock out some apps I still use eg Nero 6 Burning CD Rom. Meanwhile MS keeps nagging me to activate my copy of Win10 and directs me to their Web store stating as I have no valid activation key I must buy a pristine copy of Win 10!

Unbelievable carry on! I suppose eventuality this way my install of Win 10 will gradually decrease in functionality untill it is useless. However I will still have my original Win 8.1 set up to fall back on.

 

It will begin rebooting every three hours 15 days before shutdown.

 

Why is it unbelievable? All Microsoft ever offered to do was give you a free upgrade from Windows 7/8/8.1 to 10. Right now you aren't running an upgrade. You are running a completely 100% separate and new installation of Windows 10 - Microsoft never offered to give that to you for free.

 

I guess what I mean is that Microsoft informed me my OS system was eligible for an upgrade to Windows 10 by knowing I had a valid copy of Windows 8.1. However it also ran a check on my set up flagging up some applications that were problematic for Windows 10 but were running well in Windows 8.1 (compatibility mode).

OK, so as we have seen in this forum and elsewhere some have had problems upgrading to 10 over an eligible previous version of Windows viz. not all has gone smoothly and then needed to revert back: perhaps with some losses.
I've had no further communication from Microsoft since being informed I was eligible for 10 and not wishing to chance overwriting 8.1 and not run/recover all my existing apps I noted MS was making available a stand alone ISO file for Windows 10 so I went that route as described.

I had no idea (at the time) going this way would lead to complications in activation as I already had an authentic copy of Windows 8.1 installed on the very same machine as I'd installed Windows 10. I figured if MS was making 10 available this way, and as long it was installed on the same machine that they had already given validation for I would be OK. Well, as I know now, it appears not to be the case.

The carry on refers to me going through all this without the full facts it seems, trying a phone install to no avail, direct talks with MS technical and still no resolution.

If I did go for an overwrite to upgrade 8.1 to 10 I don't think anyone is going to guarantee my original installation when I roll it back to 8.1 which is still going to be needed. I guess I'll hang fire for the moment.

 

But you did know that the Get Windows 10 program is an upgrade. You don't upgrade by doing a clean install. You also know that it is de rigeur to do a system backup before making an important change to your computer. A backup that allows easily recoverying the computer to the state it was in before the change. And you do know how to read and follow instructions.

 

You did a clean install of Windows 10 to a separate partition. In order to make that an UPGRADE, which is what was promised, why not just install a second install of Windows 8.1 to the separate partition, then UPGRADE that to Windows 10?

 

If activated.

 

I understand your points regards the absolute definition of an Upgrade. That is to replace a previous version with a newer version. But is it not in Microsoft's bigger agenda to encourage all those eligible to switch over to Windows 10.

To this regard that is exactly what I have done. Eventually as I add and test my Windows 8.1 apps into my Windows 10 install I will probably reach a point when I will no longer use the previous version and will then (my choice)merge the 2 partitions back to one.

Not sure by creating a 3rd partition for a 2nd install to Windows 8.1 would work as its an OEM version supplied with my machine. The OEM 8.1 is on a recovery partition so might complicate matters.

 

Not sure by creating a 3rd partition for a 2nd install to Windows 8.1 would work as its an OEM version supplied with my machine. The OEM 8.1 is on a recovery partition so might complicate matters.[/QUOTE/]

You cannot choose the drive on which the recovery partition or the manufacturer's recovery disks will reinstall Windows. It will be Drive 0, partition 0. That is hard-wired. Manufacturer's no longer simply supply a Windows installation disk. That means any new installation of Windows will be from a standard Windows installation disk such as can be created using the Media Creation Tool for Windows 8.1 at Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help
. You would still need a retail product key, of course.[/QUOTE]

OK:-so that's a non starter for me. Thanks for advice.

 

No, you don't.
Download Windows 8.1 Retail and OEM .iso | The Unofficial Windows 10 Reinstallation Guide

And if Miklos doesn't want to do a new install of Windows 8.1 in order to upgrade - then create an image of the current Windows 8.1 using Macrium Reflect Free, upgrade the existing Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. Make sure the Windows 10 is activated on that computer, then restore the Windows 8.1 image.

The way that I would do it is - create the new partition where you want clean Windows 10. Format that partition to NTFS. Use Macrium reflect free to create an image of the Windows 8.1 and save the image file to the newly formatted partition. Upgrade the Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. Use Macrium Reflect Free to restore the image stored on the new partition back to the original partition. Do the clean install to the partition where the image file was stored to. All done with the single existing hard drive.

 

I haven't read any of the comments. I just wanted to say my product key is now different than the one I used to install 8. I wrote both down, so I don't know if it will work for an install. However... The way to do a fresh install is easy if you're running 8. The Key is on the motherboard. Just install 10, skip putting the key in both times it asks and after the install and some updates, the key will be activated on it's own. You literally do nothing, just a fresh install, ignore entering the key, and you'll be fine (as long as you're using 8 and the key is in the MB)

 

I'm assuming you meant just install 8/8.1 there?

 

No way. I don't associate any microsoft account with my windows OS, ever. Maybe in the future, it will be forced. But it doesn't work like that now.

 

Um, yeah.