Windows 10 Pro Upgrade from Win 8.1 Pro license key

Ztruker said:

I'll take your dollar :) People have already tried that and been told the have to reinstall their qualifying OS then upgrade and activate, then they can do a clean install.

tamo said:

I did find this eventually and did call MS to see if there was a way to use my genuine product key on a clean install but they said to follow the instructions as per the "Why cant I activate Windows 10? - Windows Help" . In the old days as long as you had a genuine product key from a qualifying OS you would have been ok but the rules have changed . Never mind all's well that ends well .

Thank you for the information.....and that sucks.

I think its a good way forward for the everyday pc/ laptop user who might do a fresh install only occasionally but annoying for pc enthusiasts who often upgrade hardware to keep up with the latest and greatest who would probably need to call the activation line if they changed major components or created a new rig but wanted their windows 10 on that new rig ( also if I was buying a second hand machine I would need to see the OS running and activated rather than as is usually done seeing set up paused at the beginning of the OS set up because the previous owner wiped ( for security reasons) the HDD ) , in other words the windows 10 OS now belongs to the machine . S

night said:

(VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T)

How do I get a proper key for my installation of Windows 10?

I got the same serial number !! Now same serial will be on more than one PC !! Also my friend got a serial that is the same as his brother's !! What does that mean?!
Thanks

Cornerstone said:

I got the same serial number !! Now same serial will be on more than one PC !! Also my friend got a serial that is the same as his brother's !! What does that mean?!
Thanks

Once again, this should be a "sticky" :) No keys are involved

"The basic process is that when you perform an upgrade to Windows 10 (over a genuine Windows 7 or 8.1 system), an anonymous and unique hardware hash is generated that is based on your systems hardware configuration. Since it is anonymous, you do not have to use a Microsoft Account. This hardware hash is generated even if you choose to install Windows 10 with a Local Account.
That same hardware hash is sent to Microsoft servers and a corresponding certificate is created to validate your systems activation status. From this point forward any future installs, including one where you delete all partitions and install Windows 10 from scratch, will be activated because of that unique hardware hash and the corresponding certificate. Since it is all stored on Microsoft’s servers there is no reason for us to keep a backup either."
http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/h...s-10-activated

tamo said:

I did find this eventually and did call MS to see if there was a way to use my genuine product key on a clean install but they said to follow the instructions as per the "Why cant I activate Windows 10? - Windows Help" . In the old days as long as you had a genuine product key from a qualifying OS you would have been ok but the rules have changed . Never mind all's well that ends well .

I can't recall any Microsoft OS upgrade that directly accepted the key from an earlier product.

XP required insertion of an installation CD from an earlier product. (No install key for that earlier product was needed. As the Win95 and 98 CDs were copyable, there's an obvious form of casual piracy that was available.) Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that all upgrade versions from Vista on have had to be installed from an installed and activated qualifying OS.

Torquemada said:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/h...s-10-activated

Thanks

ok, someone else brought this up . Lets say you have a windows 8.1 pro install and a windows 8 home . Now if you disconnect the windows 8 home and only have 8.1 pro, you go to upgrade to the free windows 10 pro . Afterwards you make sure your activated ( certificate ) and are . Then create a windows 10 pro disk . Then disconnect the now new 10 pro drive and reconnect the 8 home drive . Now the question ... Can you use the 10 pro disk to upgrade the 8 home version to 10 pro since the PC has been certificate to 10 pro . This way all the files, programs and what not stay intact from the 8 home to a 10 pro ... Can it be done ?

bobkn said:

I can't recall any Microsoft OS upgrade that directly accepted the key from an earlier product.

XP required insertion of an installation CD from an earlier product. (No install key for that earlier product was needed. As the Win95 and 98 CDs were copyable, there's an obvious form of casual piracy that was available.) Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that all upgrade versions from Vista on have had to be installed from an installed and activated qualifying OS.

No, there were various tricks for clean installing W7/8 upgrades. I used to favour the "double install" trick, there were other methods.
http://winsupersite.com/article/wind...e-media-128512

Torquemada said:

No, there were various tricks for clean installing W7/8 upgrades. I used to favour the "double install" trick, there were other methods.
http://winsupersite.com/article/wind...e-media-128512

I referred only to the official Microsoft requirements.

I'm familiar with some of the tricks/hacks to clean install Windows using an upgrade license. I'm particularly fond of the one to do 8.1 using only a Win 8 upgrade license. (The promotional one MS was selling for $40US.) (I take care to have licenses on hand that would qualify the upgrade, even if I don't use the path blessed by MS.) I wonder whether MS will ever sell upgrade-only licenses for 10?

Those were the days , pity ive forgotten most of the stuff , I used xp right to windows 7 and beyond till I stopped building PCs , loved the hobby and sites like this are giving me the Bug to start a system build this winter . Do I like windows 10 ? Yes, its clean and fast . Had many hiccups along the preview road but that's how we learn .................. oops I'm ranting .