Win 10 digital license

[Donald]

According to the MS website if I upgraded a Win 7 PC to Win 10 it would automatically have a digital license (not sure where it exists) and Windows would use that to automatically activate after the install was complete.

So I downloaded Win 10 to a USB stick from the MS website. Then booted from the USB stick, did a format and install. That's now complete.

Windows now says it cannot find a digital license or product key when I try to activate.

 

[Killer223]

you formatted it away....
you have to reinstall windows7 then "upgrade that maybe.
i've been debating the same move.
still can't force my self to buy a MS product. i'm loving Linux. i ahev win7 and Linux. i spend 99% in Linux.
there might be a place in the activation to type in your windows 7 product key...

 

[Danno]

+ 1 this.

 

[wkcars]

You should be able to use your windows 7 key to activate. Go into the control panel>system at the botton there should be a Windows activation and to the right there should be a "Change product key" where you should be able to enter your windows 7 key to activate.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: wkcars
You should be able to use your windows 7 key to activate. Go into the control panel>system at the botton there should be a Windows activation and to the right there should be a "Change product key" where you should be able to enter your windows 7 key to activate.


OK, that worked. The laptop actually had Win 7 Pro so I ended up with Win 10 Pro.

 

[barryh]

Originally Posted By: Donald
According to the MS website if I upgraded a Win 7 PC to Win 10 it would automatically have a digital license (not sure where it exists) and Windows would use that to automatically activate after the install was complete.

So I downloaded Win 10 to a USB stick from the MS website. Then booted from the USB stick, did a format and install. That's now complete.

Windows now says it cannot find a digital license or product key when I try to activate.


I thought the free windows 10 upgrade expired a few months ago or have they extended it ?

What they may mean by digital licence is that in recent machines it's stored in the bios and a new windows install knows to look there for it. When windows 10 is activated your machine licence is then stored on a Microsoft server such that you can then do a re-installation and it will be activated without you knowing the key. In practical terms that means you can upgrade a windows 7 machine then once activated, wipe the disc and do a clean install without problems.

If all else fails you can run an unactivated Windows 10 install with impunity. All that happens is that some customisation of the desk top is inhibited.

 

[Killer223]

anyone have a windows 10 iso so i can test it in a VM?

 

[Rand]

download it from microsoft.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

[Killer223]

thx i never could find that link, just the pay first... maybe i'll upgrade one day...

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: barryh
Originally Posted By: Donald
According to the MS website if I upgraded a Win 7 PC to Win 10 it would automatically have a digital license (not sure where it exists) and Windows would use that to automatically activate after the install was complete.

So I downloaded Win 10 to a USB stick from the MS website. Then booted from the USB stick, did a format and install. That's now complete.

Windows now says it cannot find a digital license or product key when I try to activate.


I thought the free windows 10 upgrade expired a few months ago or have they extended it ?

What they may mean by digital licence is that in recent machines it's stored in the bios and a new windows install knows to look there for it. When windows 10 is activated your machine licence is then stored on a Microsoft server such that you can then do a re-installation and it will be activated without you knowing the key. In practical terms that means you can upgrade a windows 7 machine then once activated, wipe the disc and do a clean install without problems.

If all else fails you can run an unactivated Windows 10 install with impunity. All that happens is that some customisation of the desk top is inhibited.


I don't think it was in the BIOS of the laptop that I was working on. Microsoft should be clear on what you can and cannot do and still have the digital license available for use. I did the format of the C drive so I could be sure all of Windows 10 would be gone as it had been causing odd problems at startup.

 

[spackard]

If you download and run Belarc Advisor it'll show you the license key for your installed Windows OS.