Windows 10: win10 upgrade stuck at key request

I have three computers in family that were given upgrades on the win7 family plan. One was just informed it was eligible for win10 upgrade. I think I made the mistake of custom install (for a clean install) instead of an upgrade and, related to other problems with windows update, I might have lost my activation on win7. Long story short, when I got to the point where win10 was installed and asking for a key I knew I had done a no no as, if I had done it correctly, I should not have been asked for a key. Of course I have no key but the win7 key and the install just sits there with no options but to input the key, which I don't have. What's my best course of action here?
thanks in advance

:)

 

Windows 10 Update: Product Key (Windows 8) doesn't work

I was prompted for a key too when requesting the upgrade. The reason was that I had selected the wrong version... I'd selected W10 Home instead of Win10 Pro. My W8.1 was pro. Once the right version was selected, no key was requested.

 

Windows 10 november Upgrade 10.0.10586.11 stuck at 25%

Original Title: Win10-Upgrade 10.0.10586.11 stuck at 25%

Win10 tech preview Upgrade 10.0.10586.11 is stuck at 25%.

 

Hello trbodden, *Smile

If you haven't already, you should be able to enter the Windows 7 product key to activate Windows 10 if it's for the same edition and language.

 

I tried every key I possessed. Vista, win7, win8.1. Install just says not a good key. Maybe because it is expecting a full retail key instead of on upgrade key.

Since I got that far what's my best approach.

Reset and see what happens.
Retry the 10 install only this time opting for an upgrade and not giving a key again until seeking activation? or if all goes well I might not even be asked for a key?

I may just try to revert to the win7 install, check if it is still activated and if so, proceed with the upgrade.

 

If the key is for the same edition and language, then you could also use the method below from an activated Windows 7 if you wanted to clean install Windows 10 instead of upgrade to.

Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First

 

Thanks for your help and your tutorials Brink. I kept getting error 80244019 and decided to clean install (win7) and start over. The wait for ~800MB+ of downloads was horrendous but once I got to "no more upgrades available" I took the free upgrade path and the install went well, if slowly.

thanks again