Is 10 clean install with ISO just like a clean 7 install with ISO.

I had a clean install on a machine separate from where the first upgrade took place that wouldn't activate on it's own set up in a dual boot with the previous version. Once I upgraded the previous and saw that was activated instantly when skipping past the enter product key screen I rebooted into the clean install and found that was activated as soon as I booted into it! One news reported stated that after the initial surges the activation servers were no longer loaded up and activation should be instantansous for you there once you arrive at the desktop and look in the "Start>Settings>Update & security>Activation" section.

NavyLCDR said:

Just finished a clean install on my laptop that activated instantly.

First you would have had to have seen an upgrade over the pre-existing OEM version however! Once that upgrade was activated the activation servers kept a record of your laptop. Here I went from one machine to another only to confirm that after the first activation you can't simply run around installing 10 on various machines and expect them to activate as well. That falls into volume licensing there.

The clean install on the second machine did activate however when deciding to upgrade over the first of two primary partition's 7 install there which then saw that machine activated and when rebooting into the first clean install found that too had suddenly activated since MS now has a hardware record of the second machine as well as the first!

fredc said:

I scanned through "Brinks" tutorial and i checked whether my machine was permanently activated by his "command prompt" script , luckily it was or what a big waste of time that would have been .

Still attempting to download the ISO without corruption now.

I initially downloaded the combo Pro 32/64bit iso image I saved to a storage I later found I had to unplug! to be followed by the separate 32bit and 64bit ISOs for the Pro edition as well. That's in case I run into an older 32bit 7 machine. I also downloaded the two flavors of the Home as well as since I may have to tend to a few 8 laptops as well as a 3rd 7 Home Premium desktop I put together. From there used UtraISO to see the usb installation keys made up with the combo going onto a 16gb not a 4gb or 8gb flash drive! Didn't have an 8gb handy at the time and now have to plan those for Recovery Drives! which is also something to consider.

Those will not work on a 4gb flash drive however and I ended up seeing two 16gb made up before getting some new 8gb. One of the 16gb drives however is USB 3.0 and you know what it still takes the same amount of time as the equivalent 2.0 flash drive to arrive at the recovery tools! They have these mini plug type 8gb drives you can almost put on a key chain to have with you!

And Brink's as well as the other guides you should look over as you go along are generally well written! It was when I looked over the clean install I found out why the initial upgrade attempts were failing! I had left two storage drives plugged that weren't a problem for 7 or the 8 Customer Preview but for 10? saw temp install folders and boot files end up on the wrong drive(s)!