Windows 10 - free upgrade to those with PC using Windows 7 or 8

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by orlok

That's what I thought as well, but it did get 96% of the way through the install before it hung, having rebooted a couple of times by then. What I think might have happened is that after the first reboot it carried on from my downloaded version of the Windows 10 update, which I have in place, but hadn't tried to load from.

Anyway, the third time was the charm, and I now have a fully functioning Windows 10 environment . The changes I made were:

- create a DVD and install from that
- remove my network cable until the install was complete
- disabled all my startup programs
- uninstalled my AV (ESET), not just disabled it

The only glitch was that it wouldn't accept my Windows Validation key, and I had to skip this part. Not sure if that will come back and bite me. The key is genuine, but was bought from an educational retailer (at a discount) as I installed this version of Win 7 Ultimate for my daughter.

Now having fun trawling around the new environment, and trying to find where Microsoft have hidden all those things we love from previous versions (like the Home button in Edge - why would they disable that, then hide the option to turn it back on two or three levels down in the Settings?).

Excellent. As far as the key, there is a NEW key assigned for Win 10 as well as the computer information being stored at MS (so you can actually in theory at least be able to reinstall fresh without a key)

and as I said before also (earlier in this thread) if you want to pull the key download the produkey utility and it will provide the new key (should you need it in the future).

[orlok]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Repeating some information from earlier in this long thread: Keys for prior versions of Windows cannot be used to activate Windows 10. You need to perform an upgrade on an already activated Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 installation and Microsoft will activate the upgraded system automatically. You don't need and shouldn't use a product key during this process.

Thanks. As it asked for a key I tried the Win 7 one - wonder why, if it's automatic, that it asked for it?

Originally Posted by theducks

Orlok
you probably made the same error I did: You booted the DVD.
The DVD is dual mode. Fresh install needs a W10 key.

I ran Belarc adviser and have now hard copy record of the new W10 key tucked in with the DVD in case I ever need to do a clean instal.

That sounded like a great idea, so I updated my Belarc profile, but can't see where the W10 key is? This is what it says under the Operating Sytem section:

Windows 8 Professional (x64) (build 9200)
Install Language: English (United Kingdom)
System Locale: English (United Kingdom)
Installed: 08/08/2015 16:04:13

Not sure either why it says I have "Windows 8 Professional" as my operating system .

EDIT: Is the key the one it shows in brackets for Microsoft-Internet Explorer in the Software Versions section? It's showing the same key as the one I had for Win 7.

RE-EDIT: Actually it's more likely to be the one shown against Microsoft - Windows 8 Professional , which is a new key to me. Still don't understand why it's W8 - maybe Belarc can't detect W 10 yet?

[orlok]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Excellent. As far as the key, there is a NEW key assigned for Win 10 as well as the computer information being stored at MS (so you can actually in theory at least be able to reinstall fresh without a key)

and as I said before also (earlier in this thread) if you want to pull the key download the produkey utility and it will provide the new key (should you need it in the future).

Thanks Kenny, I'm going to give that a try and see how it compares to the Belarc key.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by orlok

Thanks Kenny, I'm going to give that a try and see how it compares to the Belarc key.

Please let me know. I've not used or tried any of these utilities before now. And have not attempted a clean install using the key it gave me.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Please let me know. I've not used or tried any of these utilities before now. And have not attempted a clean install using the key it gave me.

And the answer is yes! Produkey produces the same result as Belarc, except that produkey gets the operating system correct, Windows 10 Pro .

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by orlok

...
Actually it's more likely to be the one shown against Microsoft - Windows 8 Professional , which is a new key to me. Still don't understand why it's W8 - maybe Belarc can't detect W 10 yet?

I suspect that is the case....

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by orlok

And the answer is yes! Produkey produces the same result as Belarc, except that produkey gets the operating system correct, Windows 10 Pro .

Good. And thanks for the info!

[DustyDisks]

Dupe of info already posted.

[jhowell]

My understanding is that the Windows 10 upgrade process assigns the same generic product keys for upgraded systems. The generic product keys are:

Windows 10 Home - YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
Windows 10 Pro - VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

I am interested to see if anyone is seeing a different product key for their upgraded system.


ETA:
Windows 10 Home Single Language - 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH
Windows 10 Enterprise - NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43

[Yolina]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I am interested to see if anyone is seeing a different product key for their upgraded system.

Nope, my upgrade is showing one of they keys you've listed.

Edit: it just seems a bit weird though to realise we quite probably all have the same key

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by jhowell

My understanding is that the Windows 10 upgrade process assigns the same generic product keys for upgraded systems. The generic product keys are:

Windows 10 Home - YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
Windows 10 Pro - VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

I am interested to see if anyone is seeing a different product key for their upgraded system.


ETA:
Windows 10 Home Single Language - 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH
Windows 10 Enterprise - NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43

Looks like you are right, that matches both of mine home and pro.

I wonder if that means it would not work on a different system due to the system information being stored at MS....hmmm.

That must also be why you can 'skip' the key entry on installation and still have it install properly. (assuming the hardware has been registered at MS).

[Yolina]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I wonder if that means it would not work on a different system due to the system information being stored at MS....hmmm.

Probably not

From TenForums

If you upgraded to the free upgrade of Windows 10 from an activated Windows 7 or 8.1 PC, then you will not have a product key. Instead, the PC gets registered on Microsoft activation servers to be able to activate Windows 10 with instead.

You do not get a product key with the free upgrade of Windows 10. Instead, it's just a generic key for installing that cannot be used to activate with.

If you make a meaningful change to your hardware, you may need to contact customer support to help with activation.

The activation for the free offer of Windows 10 is registered on the Microsoft activation servers, and is referenced by the hardware (motherboard/CPU/graphics card) of the PC it was upgraded on.

[theducks]

That key matches mine

[JSWolf]

My laptop is using a generic Windows 10 key.

[fjtorres]

Mine too.