Windows 10 initial setup showing no option for 'Upgrade'

Hi all,

As I stated in the subject line, Windows 10 setup, whether using the regular update method, running the ISO from within Windows, or using the Media Creation Tool, only asks for product key and there is no option (button) for 'Upgrade'.

This may sound confusing so I want to make it clear that I am NOT trying to do a clean install on a system that hasn't been activated yet.

I'm talking about the very first upgrade install. It won't work.

A couple of days ago I DID see the 'Upgrade this PC' (or something like that) and the install started but failed due to the ever popular Pentium G3258 CPU problem. There was advice all over the 'Net that all you had to do was disable one of the CPU cores in the BIOS and the install would complete just fine.

So I disabled the core and tried to start the install again.

Now the installation procedure won't even begin. It just sits there. It says 'Product key" in big letters and "Windows isn't activated on this PC. This means you'll have to enter the Windows 10 product key below or exit" and the only two buttons are Back and Next, both of which are grayed out.

I thought maybe the Windows 10 installation files were corrupt or something so I wiped the system and reinstalled 7 from scratch (Oh yeah, that was really a fun part of my day) and re-downloaded and used the Media Creation Tool again and selected (whatever it says) to begin the upgrade installation and now it's still doing what it was before, asking for a product key instead of running the upgrade installation.

I want to make it clear one more time because I'll get TL;DR answers such as "You can't do a clean install, you have to do the upgrade method first so Windows 10 can generate your hash and activate":

I am NOT attempting to do a clean install. I'm trying to run the initial 'Upgrade' method. I fully understand that you can't do a clean install without the upgrade being completed first.

Does anyone have any idea why it's asking for a product key instead of starting an upgrade installation?

Any idea are appreciated. I'm stuck.



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Ztruker said:

My guess would be that you are downloading a version that is different than the Windows 7 version currently installed.
Run winver from a Elevated Command prompt and post the resulting window here.

Hi Ztruker,

Thank you for the quick reply and the information. Being a computer technician, I'm familiar with version numbers, etc. so I double-checked the Windows 7 and Windows 10 versions carefully before I started the huge download anyway. (Mine happens to be Windows 7 Ultimate x64, BTW, so I was getting Windows 10 Pro x64)

After downloading and attempting the install 5 times, I gave up. It just simply wouldn't work.

I'm sure it was a driver I had installed for something or the other that was conflicting or probably something along those lines. I got tired of Google'ing for hours and trying to track it down.

I resorted to something that a lot of Windows 7 owners may not have the resources to do (I mean already own 8 or 8.1). I'm the proud owner (yeah right) of a retail version of 8.1 on DVD but after I initially tried it out for a little while after I bought it, I just couldn't stand it anymore so I just wiped the system and went back to my trusty Windows 7 and have continued to use it for years.

Another reason is that 99% of the computers that come into my shop for repairs are Windows 7, just barely a handful of XP and very rarely 8/8.1, so I had to remain familiar with 7.

So, after the Windows 10 upgrade failed so many times going from Windows 7, I broke out the Windows 8.1 DVD, installed it on my system, used the Media Creation Tool to download Windows 10 one more time and the install went without a hitch.

I have it working perfectly now.

With just a couple of days use, I have to say that in my opinion, Windows 10 user experience is almost exactly like Windows 8.1. There's a ton of code changed under the hood, but if you're used to Windows 7, it takes way, way too long to find the features you're used to.

The Control Panel is hidden away, it takes an act of Congress to run the WEI assessment, and a TON of other things.

What I mean to say, in a nutshell, is that NOTHING is where it's supposed to be. I'm sure people upgrading from 8.1 will disagree and say it's all right where it should be, because, like I said, the actual Windows 10 user experience is almost exactly like Windows 8.1.

And the return of the (sound of trumpets here) so-called 'Start Menu' is nothing more than a slightly adjusted Windows 8.1-looking feature.

However, I'll just have to tough it out and learn it. I figure I'll have to give Windows 7 a proper burial sooner or later so I might as well do it now.

So to summarize, the upgrade from Windows 7 just wouldn't work for me, so I installed my Windows 8.1 and upgraded from there. It worked without a single problem whatsoever.


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Ztruker said:

Thanks for the update.

Seems more peoplel are having problems going from Win 7 to Win 10, probably because it's been out longer and has older drivers as you said.

Once everything is moved to Settings and the Control Panel disappears finding things will get better. I also prefer Control Panel tp Settings but it's going to happen so might as well learn to use it.

Actually, from my reading it seemed like the 8.1 to 10 was having more issues than 7 to 10, which really surprised me. Honestly, it's probably confirmation bias on both our parts.